"If you want to know you're going to have to follow us," Protector Brier replied. Brier's plans changed when Stevens strode out of one of the western halls with a fretful Farber at his side.
Stevens looked us over, particularly my fashionable wardrobe. I scowled at him and he quickly looked to his lead Protector. "What is the meaning of this noise, and where have you been?" Stevens growled at Brier.
Brier bowed his head. "There's been a conspiracy here, sir, that we must discuss in private."
Stevens pursed his lips together, but nodded and gestured for us to follow him. He led us back down the hall from which he'd come and I saw that the front part of the west wing was filled with the administrative offices of the High Lord. We were guided to a wooden door engraved with wolves and Stevens invited us into the large office behind that door. There were filing cabinets to the left and a large wooden desk in the center rear of the room. Stevens seated himself behind the desk in the uncomfortable-looking wooden chair with thick arms and a high back.
Lance and Farber stood away from our little group with Brier between us. I was beside Luke with Stacy, Alistair, and Burnbaum at our backs. Stevens cleared his throat and stared at all of us with a severe expression. "Now tell me everything that's happened, and leave out no details."
Luke stepped forward as our representative. "We discovered a plot to destroy parts of Sanctuary with explosives planted in the underground tunnels that run beneath the structure, and the Lone Wolf Party would be framed for the terrorism," he informed Stevens. "We only just stopped the group from carrying out their terrible intention in the dungeons, and the explosion you heard was from their last desperate attempt to kill hundreds of us."
The man's eyes widened and he leaned back in his chair. His soft, trembling voice emphasized his shock. "You're quite sure about this?"
"Positive," Luke firmly replied.
Stevens shook of his shock and his face tightened into a severe expression. "You mentioned who you don't believe intended to do this horrible act, but who do you suspect?"
Luke turned his eyes on Lance, who looked back at him with a quizzically curious expression. "I believe it was orchestrated by the Alpha Party at the bidding of its leader, Lance Connor," he accused.
Lance feigned outrage, and Stevens' mouth dropped open. "You can't be serious!" Stevens blubbered.
"I'm deadly serious," Luke insisted.
"An interesting theory, but what proof do you have?" Lance asked him.
"We have the bodies of your confederates in the dungeon. They'll at least merit an investigation into your involvement," Luke told him.
The corners of Lance's mouth twitched up into a smirk. "Really? We should go see these-" Lance's suggestion was interrupted by the arrival of one of the Protectors. The man was out of breath and looked wildly around the room until he spotted his chief.
Brier whipped around and glared at his lieutenant. "What is it?" he asked the man.
"They're gone! Everything's gone!" the officer exclaimed.
"What's gone?" Luke spoke up.
The man turned to him with his wild look. "The bodies and the explosives! I don't know how, but they're gone!"
"I left explicit orders for the door to be guarded," Brier reminded his officer.
The man shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, but the garlic was too overwhelming so we retreated up the stairs. A few minutes later we heard noise inside the dungeon and went down to inspect the bodies only to find they were gone, and so are the explosives."
Luke turned to Alistair. "Go see," he commanded him." Alistair bowed and strode out the door. The officer glanced at Alistair and then to Brier, who scowled and nodded to where Alistair left.
"Follow him," Brier ordered him. The man nervously bowed his head and hurried to catch up to Alistair.
Lance silently watched the exchange. After Alistair left he crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at our group. "It seems your proof has walked away, leaving you with only baseless accusations and slander," he quipped.
Luke growled and strode toward him, but Brier stepped between the pair. "None of that. It'll just make things worse for you," Brier advised.
"This is absolutely outrageous," Stevens spoke up. His hard, annoyed eyes roamed over we who stood on the other side of the desk. "I'm fed these wild accusations of terrorism by one of our own lords only to find it's some sort of a joke. Is this what's become of our political discourse?" he angrily wondered.
"I swear it's the truth," Luke insisted as he gestured to Lance. "Connor has done nothing but manipulate the voting for his own benefit, and planned this act of terrorism for to destroy the opposition."
"I find that accusation entirely baseless!" Farber countered. "Lord Connor has done nothing of the sort, and if what you say about the terrorists is true than he had every right to fear for everyone's safety and move the date of the vote!"
"I must agree with Lord Laughton," Baker spoke up. He glared at Farber, who cringed and hid behind Lance. "Lord Connor has changed the dates to further his own ambition, and members of his own party were part of the terrorist group."
"And I suppose you were part of the group who stopped the terrorists?" Stevens sneered. My mouth dropped open in shock. Stevens was mocking us risking our lives to save everyone.
"Dad!" Stacy yelled at her father. She strode to the forefront and slammed her hands down on his desk. "These people just saved everyone, and you're treating them like they're hardly better than criminals!"
He stood and scowled at his child. "You think you can change my opinions by my affections for you, but in this serious matter I won't be swayed by my affections for anyone. What evidence can you show me other than your own word?" he snapped at us. I noticed Lance kept a blank face, but his eyes had a triumphant gleam in them.
Stacy showed off her torn clothes and gestured to the rest of us. "You think we hurt ourselves?" she quipped. At that moment Alistair returned with Brier's lieutenant, and we turned to them.
"Well?" Luke asked his manservant.
"It's as this man said. The explosives are gone and so are the bodies," Alistair replied.
I blinked in bewilderment. "How did that many explosives just disappear?" I wondered aloud.
"Perhaps they walked off," Stevens sneered.
"Sir, I myself was a witness to their stopping the terrorists and to the deposit of explosives. Besides that, nothing else could have made that earthquake that rocked Sanctuary," Brier spoke up.
Stevens turned to the lead Protector. "And what have you to say about these accusations?"
"That you should listen to these people. They saved us all from this conspiracy, and their word should carry more weight than you're giving them," Brier insisted.
Lance stepped up to the side of the desk and raised his hand. "If I might have a word in this intimate discussion of my honor." Stevens frowned, but nodded, so Lance continued. "If so many people question my honor then I will rescind my name from the nomination for the position of High Lord and demand an inquiry be made into this terrorist matter. I will make all information I have available to the investigator," he offered.
"And ensure the outcome's still in your favor," Luke quipped.
"ENOUGH!" Stevens shouted. He glared at all of us. "I have heard accusations and haven't been presented with a single shred of evidence. While I take you at your word, Protector Brier, and believe there was some trouble in the dungeon that explains the explosion, I won't accept a verdict of guilty on anyone until a written confession or piece of cloth is presented to me."
"But this is too important to ignore!" Stacy protested.
"It could mean the outcome of the election," Luke spoke up.
"The outcome has already been decided. The votes were turned in and counted while you were off getting yourselves hurt," Stevens replied.
Luke stiffened. "And?" he asked the man.
"With Lance's withdrawal Simpling has won the High Lord seat, so all your fussing and conspiracy-mongering was for nothing
," Stevens told us. Luke and Stacy glanced at each other, and their expressions were enough to tell me that they believed their worries were justified. Lance had one of his allies in the highest seat of government. "Now get out of my office before I have you arrested! I have more important matters to attend to like getting all these people safely off the mountain!" Stevens ordered us. He plopped himself down in the chair and held his head in one hand in a sign of tired exasperation.
"Dad, please-" Stacy began, but he pounded his free fist against the desk.
"That's enough! I will not hear anymore until a proper investigation is initiated!"
"By yourself, or by your successor?" Luke asked him.
"Naturally by my successor who will take over the reins of government this day, as you well know," Stevens reminded him.
Stacy scowled at her father and brushed past us out of the room. Baker followed closely behind, and Burnbaum put a heavy hand on Luke's trembling shoulders. "We must leave," he whispered to Luke.
"Come, sir. We must pack," Alistair reminded him.
Luke growled, brushed off Burnbaum's hand, and stomped out of the room. I aimed to follow, but my eyes were caught on the bright blue ones belonging to Lance. He smirked and bowed his head to me. "Until we meet again, Rebecca, and I hope to find you in such attire" he gave his farewell. I shuddered, clutched the blanket to me, and hurried out with Alistair and Burnbaum bringing up a protective rear. I had a feeling our next meeting would be all too soon.
28
I caught up to Luke in the deserted foyer where he stood with Stacy. The dungeon door was sealed, but unguarded. All the evidence had vanished so there was no need for a Protector at the entrance. Baker was gone, too, probably to his room to pack and leave this terrible place. Stacy paced the floor with her hands clenched at her sides. "That idiot! What the hell does he think he's doing giving the seat over to Simpling without starting the investigation?" she exclaimed.
I snorted. "I don't think thinking's involved," I muttered.
"Whatever his decision we're going to have to deal with it," Luke philosophically told us.
"I do not like this. It means big trouble," Burnbaum spoke up.
Luke nodded. "Yes, but we don't have much of a choice. Stevens doesn't have the courage to be the High Lord who starts an investigation into a rival lord without absolute proof." He turned to Alistair and gestured to the dungeon door. "You're sure everything piece of evidence is gone from down there?"
"Yes, sir. I don't know how they hid the explosives so quickly, but the bodies and the boxes of armbands are certainly gone," Alistair replied.
"Don't talk here," a voice spoke up. We turned to see Protector Brier stride toward us. He nodded his head toward the foyer entrance doors. "Follow me." He walked outside, and after a moment's hesitation we followed him. He led us down the path toward the train station, but before we reached the platform he took a sharp right toward the west and guided us down a barely visible trail into the woods. Brier didn't stop and turn to us until we were completely enveloped in the trunks and canopy of the forest. My tender human feet complained about the rough path, but I didn't think everyone would wait for me to change to finish this conversation. "My brother is very good at planting eyes and ears in buildings so not even your rooms are safe," he told us.
"Isn't it dangerous to your position to be seen with us? Farber and Simpling are going to be your bosses soon, and they're not too crazy about us," Stacy asked him.
"It is, but my position demands I care more about those I protect than keeping my job," he replied.
"What did you want us out here for," Luke interrupted them.
Brier turned to Luke with a grim expression. "I know you speak the truth, but Stevens refuses to listen to reason. He's intent on keeping the peace even if it means destroying the rule of law."
Stacy sighed, and the noise was full of annoyance. "We've already established my dad's a pain in the ass, but how's that going to help us now?"
"For what it's worth you have my eyes and ears here, and the help of my men," Brier promised. From Stacy's face she wasn't impressed, but Luke bowed his head.
"And we're grateful for the help. Right now we need evidence to convict Lance of the attempted crime."
Brier shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't help you there. My men scoured the dungeon with your own-" here he nodded at Alistair, "-and found nothing as to the whereabouts of the dead men nor the explosives. It's like they simply vanished."
"Nothing simply vanishes, so I want you to keep looking even after we leave," Luke insisted.
I couldn't take my silence anymore, and stepped forward so I stood in the center of our little group. "So that's it? We're going to leave and let them win?" I asked them.
"For now, but the trouble's only just started," Luke admitted.
Stacy nodded. "Yes, and with the highest office in their power the next move is theirs."
"So we just wait until they what? Kill us or a bunch of other people?" I mused.
"They may try that, but they will make other moves to consolidate and increase their power. Those are what we have to check," Luke replied.
"So watch your backs, ladies and gentlemen. It's going to be a bumpy coming months," Stacy quipped.
My face fell and my shoulders slumped. "We are so doomed. . ." I mumbled.
Luke smiled and wrapped me in a hug. I was almost comforted by the feel of his strong body against me. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
I snorted. "But Lance and his goons haven't made that promise," I argued.
Stacy set a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "Luke won't be the only one looking out for you, and we'll be looking out for each other. If Lance so much as sneezes we'll be there to wipe his nose off," she assured me.
Burnbaum laughed and wrapped us all in a bone-crushing hug. "I will do my part to wreck plans of our enemies," he spoke up.
"That's good, but you're helping the enemy by crushing us," Stacy gasped.
"Oh, I am sorry." Burnbaum released us and I peeled myself off of Luke. Alistair chuckled in the background.
"Well, now that the hugging session is over, what now?" I asked them.
"With the voting over we go home," Luke replied. He glanced over to Burnbaum and Stacy. "We'll be counting on you two to tell us any news from your regions, and we'll do likewise."
"I will do my best," Burnbaum agreed.
"And I'll try to convince my father that he's a stubborn ass, but I don't think I'll make much progress," Stacy replied.
Luke smiled. "That's all we can ask." He turned to Brier. "And you'll be our eyes and ears here. Keep us up to date on the investigation into this attack-"
"-if there is one," I spoke up.
"-if there is one," Luke agreed.
Brier bowed his head. "I'll be glad to help."
I clapped my hands together and glanced around at the dire faces. "So now that we've agreed to get ourselves collectively killed can we go home now?" My plea got a laugh out of Stacy and a chuckle out of Burnbaum.
Luke smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, and this time I won't lock you in your room."
"Not even if I'm naughty?" I teased him.
Luke raised an eyebrow. "In that case I might change my mind."
Brier's face flushed and he coughed into his hand. "Well, I must be getting back to my men."
"And I'm sure Burnbaum and I have some planning to do with our allies before they leave Sanctuary," Stacy spoke up with a knowing glint in her eye.
Burnbaum smiled and bowed. "I will send word when my train car is ready," he told us. The three of them walked away, though Stacy paused and grabbed Alistair's stiff arm. He intended to stay with us, but she didn't need her wolf senses to know we wanted to be alone and dragged him along with them up to Sanctuary's entrance.
I waited for them to be out of hearing and stepped up to Luke so I could run my hand in circles across his chest. "There never seems to be a dull moment around you," I mused.
Luke's teasing face fell and he pursed his lips. "And I can't apologize enough for bringing you into this world when all this chaos-" I put my finger to his lips and shook my head.
"It's not your fault, or at least according to Stacy it's not your fault. Your Beast wanted me, and that's that. Besides, who wants a boring life as an office worker when I could have werewolves chasing me and people threatening me with guns?" I teased.
Luke frowned and glanced around us. "Speaking of those, this may not be the safest place to continue our sweet talking."
"Becky!" a familiar voice yelled.
I rolled my eyes and looked up the path to see Abby and her parents hurrying toward us after their energetic charge. The parents had their bags in their hands. "Or the most private," I added.
Abby ran up and grabbed my hand. "Papa said you helped get the bad guys!" She looked at me and reminded me that I was still clothed in only a dirty blanket. "Did you lose your clothes?" she wondered.
I smiled and knelt down in front of her. "Just a little accident when I was helping beat the bad guys so they won't be bothering you any time soon." Or at least that's what I hoped.
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart reached us and bowed their heads to Luke. "We heard the results of the vote, and we're sorry you didn't get the High Lordship," Mr. Stewart apologized.
Luke shook his head. "I have a feeling the outcome would have been less desirable without your help."
"Yes, Lance himself may have won," Mrs. Stewart agreed.
"We're heading back to our town, but if you ever need us here's our address and number," Mr. Stewart offered as he handed Luke a slip of paper.
"I'll be sure to do that," Luke promised.
"Come, Abby, we need to go," her mother called her.
"Will I see you soon?" Abby asked me.
I smiled and squeezed her hands. "As soon as I can."
Abby smile and allowed her parents to lead her away. I stood and sighed. "There's a lot of mischief in that small frame, but I'm going to miss her."
Luke came up to stand beside me and set a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure we'll see her again. We can only hope it'll be under better circumstances."
I set my hand atop his, leaned against his strong body, and smiled up at him. "So what do we do now?"