"It should only take you about two hours, maybe three to get to Inverness." Rhian instructed me, while Lucifer, Lee and Makri were getting the car ready and Gia was staring over Loch Maree like a lost soul. "And another hour until you can reach the Consi Hive. You will find them living in a little village south-west of Inverness, near Drumnadrochit. I will alert them of your arrival."
"Thank you so much, Rhian. I don't know how to thank you-"
"Oh child, don't worry about it." Rhian laughed and ruffled my hair.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Rhian only shook her head at me but I was determined to show her my gratitude; just the when and what were far from my mind at that very moment.
"We're done." Lucifer called. "I would say dibs on driving but someone said I wasn't fit enough." He drawled and pulled me into a hug.
"Well, you aren't and we're not gonna risk the healing process. I'll drive; end of discussion." He dropped a kiss on my hair and after thanking Rhian again, he crouched down next to Gia who was still looking very sad. She brightened up as soon as he whispered something in her ear and lifted her up, placing her on his hip. I almost shouted out for him not to do it, but I knew he would do it anyway. The little Consi had grown on him and I had to admit it would be hard to let her go.
"Come on people. Let's get moving!" I ushered everyone to the car and with one last good-bye and thank you, we left Rhian and Lee behind us and followed a narrow winding path out of the valley. The fog grew thicker between the trees and here and there we saw the elves stare at us from the dark shadows but they made no attempt to stop the car just as Rhian had promised.
The mountains of the Highlands zoomed past us as we made our way south. I wasn't sure how long it had been since that November day on the beach when the Sprites had taken us, but from the weather and snow on the mountains it must've been December already. Lucifer had taken a seat in the back with Gia and as I looked back at the two of them in the mirror, they were both asleep and cuddled up and I couldn't fight the smile off my face.
What are you going to do at the Consi Hive? Makri asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Honestly? I don't know. First we need to get back to the pack and- bring Gia home. I sighed heavily. I realised how selfish I was, but I really didn't want Gia to leave. She was such a sweet child and she'd already lost her family once.
You don't want to let her go, do you?
Is it that obvious? I groaned and Makri's musical laughter sounded in my head.
Honey, anyone in a 50 mile radius could see that! I half laughed and gripped the wheel harder. I really didn't want to let her go, I looked in the rear mirror again and it seemed like the two people that were most important to me lay there cuddled up in the back of an old car sleeping peacefully.
What do you think the Consi will do with her? She's only 9... I don't know the Consi well, do you? Makri kept her eyes on the road ahead of us and didn't reply for a bit. I grew worried but then she finally spoke.
I don't know. The Consi are, while not a secretive Hive like the Mentis, not a very talkative and open Hive. I know they mix with humans all the time and do not believe in the secrecy of other Hives. I guess this is because they do not have an obvious power. Most of them just spread fertility all around them, wherever they go but some of them have specific areas of fertility powers. For example one of my friends who is a Consi can only brig fertility to mammals, whereas one of her friends can only fertilise land. It depends on the fairy, but they don't realise their area until their 18th birthday. I cut a corner and kept my eyes on the road, thinking about what Makri had just told me. I wondered what Gia's power would be, We wouldn't find out for another 9 years, but I couldn't help but wish I would be there when she did find out.
Eden watch out! Makri suddenly shouted in my head and I looked up to see a stag in the middle of the road, looking straight at us. I swerved to the right, barely missing him and hit the breaks after we had passed him and leaned forwards breathing heavily. I looked back and saw the stag nearing the car. I reached for its mind and felt another presence other than the stag's. Frowning I got out of the car and with Makri's worried remarks and warnings in my head, I stepped closer towards it.
"What is it?" I whispered and the stag dropped its head, nudging my thigh. Confusion bloomed in my mind and I looked up and around me. The stag lifted its head again and pointed towards the slope of the mountain to my right. I could see a little hut in the valley between us and said mountain.
"The hut?" The stag nodded. "You want me to go to the hut?" Again he nodded.
"Eddie? What are you doing?" I heard Gia's voice, thick with sleep and turned towards her.
"I'll be right back." In a heart beat Lucifer was next to me and Makri and Gia alone in the car.
"I'm not gonna let you go alone." He just stated and I rolled my eyes but we shifted and ran to the little hut. It was run down and old, but a distinct smell of fairies hung in the air. We shifted back and I knocked on the door. No sounds came from the other side of the door and when I tried it, it was unlocked. I looked back at Lucifer to see him scanning the surroundings. I could see the car on the road not too far away from us. Slowly, I pushed the door open and it slid open in one soundless motion. The inside of the hut was pitch black except for the faint light that penetrated the curtains in front of the windows. Furniture was scarce, only a table, a bed, a chair and a minimalist kitchen were placed around the single room.
What is this place? Lucifer asked through the mind link but I could only shrug. Suddenly something on the bed moved. We stopped in our tracks and stared at whatever it was moving there. I sniffed the air.
Fairy. Lucifer nodded and I walked towards the fairy slowly.
"Hello?" My voice sounded out of place and way too loud. "The stag told us to come here-"
"I know." The voice was male and I stepped back when the fairy stood up. He was tall, almost taller than Lucifer with dark-brown, almost black hair and the eyes of a stag. Every part of his body seemed to be packed with muscle and his skin was almost brown with dirt. He was a Pecudis.
Pecudis. I let Lucifer know when he moved almost in front of me, which kind of annoyed me but I knew it was his wolf wanting to protect its mate.
"Who are you?" The Pecudis' voice was deep and rough and his stag eyes shifted between the two of us constantly flicking back and forth.
"I am Lucian Smith, wolf of the Murdag Pack and this is my mate Eden Greene, wolf of the Murdag pack and Fairy of the Mentis Hive." Lucifer's gruff voice interrupted me before I could answer and I watched as something lit up the eyes of the Pecudis.
"The wolfling?" He asked and I nodded. "I am honoured." He whispered and bowed to me. I looked at him, shocked. I had never had this kind of welcome before. "Do not look so shocked." He laughed, which sounded more like a stag's call than a laugh. "The Pecudis Hive have always been interested in you, wolfling. A perfect mix of fairy, human and wolf has never existed before this time and we are honoured to be able to observe you." Admittedly that sounded creepy but I had grown up with the knowledge that all Hives despised me, called me the abomination that this was just... a shock to my system.
"An honour?" I whispered and the fairy laughed again.
"Yes, an honour, Eden Greene." He seemed to remember something and stood up straight holding out his hand. "My name is Baldwin Tiberius, I am a Pecudis fairy, connected to the stag Fylius." He stated and shook Lucifer's hand, while he raised mine to his mouth and kissed it lightly. he dropped it quickly though, because Lucifer let a growl slip and Baldwin was smart enough to no provoke him.
"Why did you call us in here?" I asked to change the subject from Lucifer's protective stance to something a bit lighter.
"I am a guard of the Pecudis Hive. We reside everywhere in the Highlands and have guards all over the mountain passes to make sure we are safe. I usually call in any creatures except for humans obviously. they are too thick to understand, you know?" He chuckled and Lucifer and I exchanged an amused look and Baldwin cleared his throat.
"My sincere apologies, I know werewolves are half-human, I did not mean to offend-"
"It's fine, Baldwin. I'm just glad you're not out to kill us as well." I laughed it off, but he grew tense at the second half of my dismissal.
"As well? Who tried to kill you, wolfling?" His voice was so intense, it kind of scared me and I could feel a shiver run down my back.
"I thought the Hives were informed?" Lucian whispered and I shrugged, equally confused.
"Sprites of mainly the Ignis but also other Hives have started killing wolves again. They killed over 30 of us in the past months." Baldwin's face was emotionless and was enough to have me continue quickly. "They abducted Lucifer, the Meli fairy Makri and me and held us captive for god knows how long. When we escaped we freed a young Consi by the name of Gia. The Wolf Council told us they had informed all the Hives and were waiting for confirmation of alliance or rejections, did the Pecudis not receive these?"
"Not to my knowledge." Baldwin whispered and paced up and down in front of us before he came to a stop. "I will hereby pledge the Pecudis allegiance to you wolfling. Not the Wolf Council, just you. We go where you go and help in your fight. We have no business with the fellow Hives or the Wolves, but we are here to aid the wolfling." His pledge took me aback and I stared at him for a few seconds.
"Are you for real?" I blurted. "What about the other Pecudis? Do they know?" Baldwin chuckled.
"Yes, the Pecudis know and have agreed to follow you, wolfling. Will you accept us?" He knelt in front of me and I side-stepped Lucifer to put my hand on his head. It was an instinctive thing, which I didn't understand but went along with; my fairy instincts usually knew what to do when confronted with fairy business.
"I accept your pledge, Baldwin Tiberius and will lead the Pecudis Hive safely and wisely." I felt a kind of electricity run through my body and became acutely aware of all the Pecudis spread over Scotland and parts of England that belonged to this Hive. It felt amazing and it was as if a mind link had woven itself between me and the Hive.
"Now run, wolfling. You need to get back to your pack. Troubles have followed you and they are in danger. We will be behind you and meet you there. Just call us and we will follow." Baldwin ushered us out of the hut and we rushed back to the car, taking off towards Inverness.
Sorry for the long wait readerlings~ I hope it was worth it and I'll work on my updates!
Enjoy this chapter and please be excited for the next one~ what will happen to Gia? Will the Consi keep her? How do you like Baldwin? Let's hope Eden and Lucifer make it home quickly before the inevitably bad happens and they are too late to help~
Love, Kxx