Her mother gasped, green eyes widening. “Are you all right?”
Moira smiled. “I’m fine, Mother. Truly.”
“This is unbelievable, Brigid.” Vivienne patted her sister’s hand. Her voice rang with authority and power. “How is this possible?”
“We don’t know.” Kell’s jaw hardened. “But since they’re now after the Seventh, we need to find out, and quick, to prevent losing her.”
“No.” Moira straightened her shoulders, ignoring the sudden stiffening of Conn’s body. She’d considered the situation carefully and could only find one solution. “Next time, we let them take me. I can find the others.” Or at least what happened to them.
In the meantime, she was working on an identification spell to recognize the energy signature of whoever was creating the abyss.
“Hell, no,” Conn said, his deep voice echoing around the chamber. “My mate will not be used as bait. With all due respect.” His tone hinted respect might be temporary.
Vivienne’s eyes flashed. “You’re here as a courtesy, Prince Kayrs. Don’t forget it.”
Conn smiled, slow and sure.
Moira’s heart kicked into gear. She placed a quieting hand against his arm.
He quickly covered it with his own. “That leads me to my purpose for being here, Councilwoman Northcutt.”
Vivienne’s face settled into solicitous lines. “Which would be?”
“Is the Coven Nine planning to withdraw from the Realm?” Conn asked in the polite tone of a bank robber requesting cash.
Dead silence dropped throughout the chamber. Moira tried unsuccessfully to tug her hand from under his, but his bicep flexed, trapping her.
He did not ask that question. He couldn’t have asked that question. Did he not just witness a man’s organs turn to black tar in his body? “What the hell happened to diplomacy?” she muttered out the side of her mouth.
“It’s overrated,” he volleyed back.
Only for the fucking Kayrs family. Those men wouldn’t know diplomacy if it blew up their homes. Go in fast and hard ... and screw the consequences. While Moira appreciated the technique, the method threatened to draw a line down the center of her world. She had nowhere to safely land.
Vivienne settled back, her hands clasped on the smooth stone. “Yes.”
Surprise grounded Moira in place. Well. Cards on the table then.
Conn nodded. “Why?”
“Why?” A rosy flush crossed Vivienne’s face. “The king demanded our people train under yours. We align with the Realm. We do not answer to it.”
“Councilwoman. We’re dealing with a new threat, a new breed of werewolf created by Virus-27. An animal that was formerly a shifter, with all the strength, intelligence, and downright cunning held by shifters.” Conn swept a hand out. “No longer are werewolves human converts that die within a year. We all need to train for a new war. Together.”
Trevan cleared his throat, the sound echoing oddly through the screen. “I vehemently protest the king’s order. Statistically, anytime troops have trained under a new leader, many have transferred allegiance to that leader. King Kayrs knows this.”
Conn’s smile lacked warmth. “Councilman, while I appreciate your ... scholarly analysis of the situation, I can assure you, we don’t want to steal your soldiers. The king merely wants them properly trained for the new threat.”
Moira eyed Trevan. The guy had no clue about training or battlefields.
Vivienne shook her head. “We train alone, Prince. Besides, the king let humans know about us—about our world, about our science and genetics. He’s lucky he’s still breathing.” She shuddered as if surprised she’d said the words aloud.
Conn stepped forward. “I’d be very careful with your words, were I you, Councilwoman.” His voice lowered to a deadly softness rumbling with power. “Threatening my king is a colossal mistake.”
Peter shot to his feet. “Threatening a member of the Nine will get you killed before you breathe another molecule, Kayrs.”
Moira yanked her hand free, pressing both palms out. “Whoa. Everyone take a step back. We need each other. The Kurjans are perfecting the virus, the demons are at war with us all, and now some unknown entity is yanking the unwilling through dimensions to God knows where.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Everyone relax.”
Pete’s gaze hardened. “The virus doesn’t affect witches, Moira.”
“You sure about that?” Conn asked.
“We will be.” Vivienne lifted her chin. “The virus attacks the twenty-seventh chromosome of shifters and vampire mates. Probably demon mates, though they won’t admit it.” She yanked a file up from the floor, flipping it open. “Vampires with their thirty chromosomal pairs seem safe, as do witches with our twenty-nine.”
“We don’t actually know that.” Conn’s voice remained level, steady. “The current conclusion of the smartest people on the planet is that the thirtieth chromosome, held only by vampires, Kurjans, and demons, is the one that protects us from the virus. Councilwoman, neither you nor your people have that chromosome.”
Moira swallowed. Conn had a point, and a good one. The idea of losing her abilities, of being taken down to a mere human, boiled anger in her gut. The Kurjans needed to be eliminated from the world—for good—which is why she needed to preserve the alliance with the Realm. Regardless of her mating.
Conn settled his stance. “For the record, no humans know about any of us. We’ve used their expertise to research the genetic ramifications of this virus. They have no idea what they’re dealing with.”
Moira nodded. “I spoke with Kane Kayrs last week. Along with the king’s mate, he’s leading the team searching for a cure. They have used well-educated humans to research, but these people are in a different lab, and each is only studying one tiny aspect of the situation. They remain unaware beings other than humans exist.” Kane had been matter-of-fact when they’d spoken, and she believed him.
“In addition, Dage requested your soldiers for training. He didn’t demand anything.” Conn clasped his hands behind his back. “If you’re concerned about other soldiers discovering your powers ... well ... it’s too late. I have those powers, and the king is well aware of them.”
Moira snapped her teeth together. Did the damn man want the Nine to cut off his head right here and now? “I’m sure the king is discreet.”
Peter cleared his throat. “You’re an old friend, Moira, and I mean no disrespect. But you’re mated to a Kayrs. As an enforcer, the power you’re collecting makes you a definite threat. We need to be certain of your allegiance.”
It was the last question she wanted to answer. “I took an oath as an enforcer, Peter.” The choice to use his first name was deliberate, and brought a tightening to his lips. “While you may not understand that oath, I do.” Yeah, She had power. Right now she wanted to prove it to him by turning him into a frog. Not possible, yet the idea calmed her.
Peter sat back, his hands clasped before him on the tablet. “I understand the oath, Moira. Does your mate?”
Conn tightened his hold. “While I haven’t read the oath, considering everything you people do is shrouded in secrecy, I assume it’s similar to the oath of my soldiers. To give all to the cause.”
Viv tapped a pencil on the stone. “Close enough. What if this comes down to war? Moira, there will be no choice for you.”
Conn growled low enough only Moira heard. “Should we go to war, Councilwoman, I can assure you my mate would adhere to any vow. She’s the most honorable person I know.”
Warmth filled Moira’s heart. Quite an endorsement from the prince. “Thank you,” she murmured softly.