"That is the most horrifying thing I've ever heard of," Barkus replied. "Why would they want to do that to us? Especially since they've already tried to kill you."
"I don't know," Tevra said quietly. "I'm not sure I want to know, but I'm also certain we need to know."
Killing you didn't work, so maybe this is a different method, or the demands of the assignment have changed, Najlah said. I'm sure there are all sorts of things they could do if they had broken the three of us and carted us off to who knows where.
Barkus growled, and if he'd been in his wolf form, his hackles would have been standing like spikes. They never would have made it across the Shide.
There's this thing called the ocean, and these other things called ships, Tevra replied.
Biting him playfully, Barkus replied, "Oh, be quiet, Prince Know-it-All."
Tevra laughed, stole a quick kiss, then rolled over and pushed to his feet. "Come on, as much as I prefer to stay here with the two of you, there are questions that need answers."
Najlah rumbled in discontent, but obediently crawled from the fire and shook off stray embers. I feel my brother probably has something to do with us being back here. He led the way out of the room and through the palace to Ajith's suite—where an unusual number of people were clustered around.
He could also smell blood, hear muffled cries of pain. Snarling, tail lashing, he turned on the guards. "What is going on?"
"What's happening?" Barkus asked.
"Her Grace is in labor," one of the guards replied. "Lord Ajith said we were not to disturb you, as you'd taken significant injury from the attack in the city, but that we were to inform you of events once you were awake. I don't know why the guards posted at your door didn't mention it."
"There were no guards posted," Tevra said. "Bring the Captain of the Guard at once."
Eyes widening, the guards shared a look, and then the one who'd spoken raced off down the hall, pounding steps echoing, punctuated by the rattle of his armor and sword belt.
Najlah growled, eyes swirling with anger. I did not smell blood or anything else nefarious. If there was anything amiss, other than their presence, it was not noticeable to my senses.
"Or mine," Barkus added.
"Nothing magical either," Tevra said. "Strange indeed. It sounds like they either walked away voluntarily or were coerced into it and dealt with somewhere else. He turned to the remaining guard. "Is there anything I can do for Her Grace? I've aided birthing mothers in the past."
"I will see, Your Highness." The guard rapped on the door and slipped inside when it opened the barest bit. After a few minutes, he reemerged and said, "His Grace would be most welcome for whatever you can do to ease Her Grace's pain."
Tevra followed the guard inside, screams pouring into the hall as the door opened again. Najlah hissed, eyes swirling with discontent. Hopefully it would be over soon, though he'd heard talk that sometimes human bitches could be in labor for many hours.
"They can," Barkus said. "My mother was never in labor longer than three hours, but my poor sister was in labor for eight with her twins. Some poor woman from a neighboring clan suffered more than half a day."
Najlah hissed, eternally grateful he was a hornless brute. It was highly unlikely he'd ever have to endure such nonsense.
"Unlikely, not impossible?"
Eyes swirling green, Najlah turned to face him and flicked his tongue out. Not impossible. We're all born female, after all. If a bitch died, and there were no horned brutes to become the new bitch and take over the den, then the remaining hornless brutes would fight for the honor. If I was in an area that lacked bitches, and wanted to start my own den, I could also change.
Barkus's eyes gleamed with something hot and possessive, but he only said, I see.
Najlah rumbled but was distracted by the quieting of Lady Korla's distress. A few minutes later, Tevra reemerged. "Looks like you're an uncle to a strong baby girl, Najlah. Congratulations."
Thank you. Najlah roared so his brother would hear him, and could hear the answering rumble, much softer so as not to disturb mother and child. As though Korla would whelp anything but a female. Her blood runs too strong for anything else.
Tevra chuckled softly. "Even for a human?"
Clicking and chittering, Najlah turned his attention back to the guard who'd yet to return. Surely, he should be back by now.
"Let's go see for ourselves, shall we?" Tevra asked.
Barkus growled. "Yes, let's." He shifted, shaking his head as the change settled, and Tevra bundled up his clothes into the bag he'd brought with him. Najlah took the lead, growling softly, sending most residents fleeing. Good. If things were about to get as ugly as they feared, the fewer people around, the better.
At the back of the bond, Najlah could hear Barkus communicating with his fellow wolves, telling them to stay where they were for now, to protect Their Graces should it be necessary. Though clearly unhappy with that order, the wolves acknowledged it before their presence faded off.
I don't understand any of this, Tevra said. If they wanted me dead, there are far better ways to go about it. Why does it seem like they're escalating? Like they've lost their gods-damned minds? From trying to stab me to death in my bed to using highly illegal magic to get all three of us in the middle of a fucking city, and now they're mucking directly with the royal guard? What do they hope to accomplish with that?
Najlah growled, low and threatening, tongue flicking out frequently to taste for any hints of danger. Who cares. The why is irrelevant. It's what they're doing that matters. I smell blood. Barely, but there. He increased his pace, following the faint scent, growling low as it grew stronger—and stronger.
They spilled into the hallway that led to the armory and barracks, the scent of blood so strong, even Tevra could smell it.
Tevra cast him a brief look. You know, humans get by just fine with how we smell.
No, you don't, Barkus and Najlah said together, making Tevra roll his eyes. Barkus added, "You just don't know what you're missing."
"I think I'm all right with that, actually," Tevra replied. "If I had to smell everything the way you two do, I'd go insane. Anyway, now that I've got the two of you to do that for me, three just feels like overkill."
Najlah rumbled and chittered, but his eyes remained focused ahead of him, tongue flicking rapidly as he took in the scent of blood. Sharp, fresh, human.
The enormous double doors that led to the armory were closed, which was strange. Save for emergencies, the doors were always wide open.
Locked, Barkus said as he tried them. We'll need a key. There's no way we can break these doors down.
"Says you," Tevra said with a laugh. "Move out of my way, wolf."
Barkus chuffed. Oh, ho, our pliant little prince has been replaced by the arrogant one again. Such a delightful contrast. I do like you best when you're sweet and pliant beneath me, but the arrogance is delightfully appealing.
Tevra rolled his eyes, even as his cheeks burned. "Now is hardly the time." As Barkus and Najlah moved to stand behind him, he held his hands straight out in front of him, arms extended. The air practically crackled with magic, prickling Najlah's nostrils, raising Barkus's hackles.