Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) (24 page)

Kathryn shifted into human form to speak to the group. “My
first mate was Kato's twin brother Isingoma, who died years before I met
Richard. He once told me that his mind was impenetrable. No one couldn't enter
his mind unless he permitted it.”

She walked to Richard and took his hands, holding them over
her heart. “I love you too much to let you become what you hate. I'm not
standing against you, my love. I'm standing between you and your prejudice.”

He didn't speak right away. He held his mate's hands and
gazed longingly at her. The chasm between them began to narrow. Raising his
eyes to Nathan's, he asked, “You haven't spoken yet, Nathan. Why?”

Nathan almost jumped at the direct question. “No one asked
me nothin'. Yer all just pretendin' I can't even hear you.”

Kathryn closed her eyes before looking at the Pup. “He's
right. I owe you an apology, as do we all.”

He replied graciously. “Thank ya, ma'am. I get it. I'm a
little irritated at ya, but I ain't mad. When I first met all o' ya I was
trapped in my own head with a Mage yapping at me. She even made me kill John,
and I didn't wanna do that. She's dead now, and I'm not sorry even if she was
Sadie's cousin. I'm only sorry I didn't get to kill her myself. I know what yer
all scared of 'cus I lived like that fer months. What I am kinda mad about is
you blamin' Sadie. She's the reason I'm not trapped anymore. I'd fight every
one of ya for being rude to her if Billie would let me.”

I smiled fondly at Nathan, and Billie's mouth twitched in a
near grin. Phil addressed me hesitantly. “Sadie. What happened with the Mages?”
He missed John and sought to understand his packmate’s untimely death.

“It's a long story, and I’d rather tell it when everyone
isn’t snarling at me. Why don't we get more comfortable?” I didn’t want to be
surrounded by angry Wolves anymore.

“Food first,” Billie declared. “We have elk enough to go
around.”

The Wolves agreed. Billie instructed them to drag the
carcass far down the valley so that Jason could sleep without a bunch of Wolves
masticating outside of his door. Billie had been their Beta for two years, and
without Richard and Jason actively speaking against her, they easily fell into
old habits. “Why don't you go get some of the smoked elk?” Billie suggested as
the Wolves around me fell into a meal I couldn't eat.

I shook my head. “Jason will need all of it if he wakes up.
And my stomach is still in knots anyway.”

Kato addressed me, still in his human form. “Muzi, would you
join me on a walk while our packmates eat?” Kathryn jerked her head in
astonishment at the manner in which Kato addressed me.

“Gladly, Muso.” Kato met Kathryn's wide eyes and inclined
his head before sprouting fur. We made our way further down the creek and away
from the cacophony behind us.

Kathryn was surprised we used the names Muso and Muzi.
Have you not had many students?

I have had many students, and you are the first I've
named Muzi. Isingoma named their grandson Muzi, and Kathryn knows the
significance.

She knows more than I do, apparently. What is the
significance?

Muzi is more than student. Muzi is the inheritor. It is a
promise to pass all that I know to you in hopes that one day you will take my
place.

I tripped over a small rock and stumbled in shock. I don't
know what to say.

I have waited 400 years to find my Muzi. I am grateful to
have lived long enough to find you.
I could only gape at him.
There is
much that is known only to Sages. Much is kept secret from Wolves and Mages to
protect what little balance exists between them. Before I may reveal much more
to you, I require your promise of secrecy.

I don't like keeping secrets from Billie,
I admitted,
reluctant to begin doing so again.

You do not promise easily and wish to be honest with your
mate. I respect your wishes. We will speak with her before continuing this.

I didn't know what this was about, but I agreed.

They're almost ready to let us come home, aren't they?
I glanced over my shoulder at the Wolves in the distance.

Almost.
Jason is gravely injured. He requires more
than Amy can offer him.

Is he going to die?
My heart ached at the thought.

A root grows in these mountains that will ease the
swelling that begins within his skull.

Can we find this root for him?

We do so now.
See the thick growth ahead? We will
collect a small portion of its root.
I saw the plant he spoke of. As he
showed me how to collect the root, he also spoke about the plant, its habits,
and its medicinal value.

When we returned to the valley, I made a beeline for the
cave. Handing Amy the small handful of roots, I explained, “Kato says these
will help Jason.” I relayed his instructions and she accepted them gratefully.
“It's enough for a day or two, and I can get more if you run out.”

“Oh gosh, thank you! And thank Kato for me. Is there a
spring nearby with fresh water?” she asked, placing a pan of water over the
fire.

“It's just up the hill. I can fill up the water bottles for
you.”

“That would be great. I'm almost out.” I heard the worry
behind her even speech.

“Has he woken up yet?” I lowered my voice, hoping the Wolves
couldn’t hear me. She shook her head and pressed her lips together in a fine
line.

She spoke quietly as well, twitching her eyes towards the
opening of the cave. “He's getting worse. He's showing signs of intracranial
hemorrhaging or swelling. I can't tell which and it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s
bad. Kato knows his stuff, so I'm hopeful now.”

Gathering the empty water bottles, I made the short trek to
the spring. When I returned, she had finished preparing the herb and held it
over Jason’s mouth, carefully dribbling its concentrated juice along his gums.

I knelt by Jason as she tended to him. I couldn't think of
anything to say that would mean anything to the stubborn ass. Even humor
escaped me. “Wake up, Jason. Billie will never forgive herself if you die at
her hands.”

Amy finished dosing him with the herb and settled his head
on the sleeping bag once again. “I know Billie's injured, but she wouldn't let
me look at her. How is she?”

“She's in a lot of pain and hiding it,” I relayed. “Her
ribs, kidneys, and right knee more than the rest of her.”

“She took some hard hits. I'd like to check her out for
myself.”

“I'd feel better if you did too.”
Billie, love. Will you
let Amy check you out now?

She's busy with Jason.

No, she's busy watching Jason sleep. She's very talented.
She can check you over while she does that.

She hesitated but didn't come up with an argument.
I'll
be right there
.

“She's coming,” I told Amy, and a few minutes later Billie
entered the cave. Reluctantly, she let Amy tend to her.

Halfway through her assessment, Amy began glaring and kept
her voice low with obvious effort. “You have half a dozen broken ribs and
severely bruised kidneys. Your jaw is cracked, your knee is torn, and your
tibia is broken. You have a broken leg, and you're freaking walking on it! I
know you've got the pain tolerance of a one-eared mule, but this is ridiculous.
You should be in here resting not walking around.”

Billie shook her head and inclined her head towards the
Wolves outside. “They need me to be strong while Jason's down, and they’re
still not sure about me. It'll get out of hand if I'm laid up too. I can handle
it.”

“I'd argue if I thought you'd listen. Try not to get hit
again for a day or two, or you will be on bed rest whether you like it or not.
You've ruptured a kidney before, so you know all about that. Tell me
immediately if it goes in that direction.” Billie gave her a defiant look, so
Amy turned to me. “Do whatever you can to make her rest and eat. No hanky panky
until she does both, or those ribs will wind up right through a lung.”

I nodded. Billie hesitated before lowering her voice even
further, embarrassed. “I tried to shift into my wolf form a few minutes ago. I
couldn't.” The admission came with considerable difficulty.

Amy's concern increased. “Your body's too stressed from pain
and from trying to heal without food.” She pulled the smoked meat out and
passed it to Billie. “Eat.”

She looked at the food in front of her but did not reach for
it. “I'll go ask Nathan and Kathryn to hunt for me and Jason. You better be
eating by the time I get back.” Without waiting for a response, I walked out.

Kathryn and Nathan agreed easily and without asking
questions. They took off into the woods on four feet. To my relief, I found
Billie eating when I returned. When she'd finished half of the smoked elk, she
stopped. “In case he wakes up before they get back.” I knew better than to
argue, and she looked less pale than before. “I'm going back out with the
others.”

“I'll grab more firewood,” I offered.

Amy touched my arm in thanks. “I'd ask the others to help,
but I don't want them up here. They can't know how bad it is. I really
appreciate your help.”

“Of course. I'm so glad you're here, Amy. All of you, but
especially you and Kathryn. I missed you.”

“Liar. You didn't miss me,” Jason mumbled.

“Oh, geez, that root is super great!” Amy exclaimed then
lowered her voice again. “How do you feel, Alpha?”

“My head hurts.” His eyes slit open a crack and he winced at
the light.

“I'm sure it does.” She asked stupid-sounding questions and
held up fingers until he barked at her to quit treating him like a Pup. “Yep.
You're feeling better. Sadie, would you ask Kato if I should give him more root
now that he's awake?”

It only took a moment. “He said yes, every hour or two until
the headaches are gone and he's clear-headed again. And now you can make a tea,
which will be easier.”

“You’re in Kato’s head now?” Jason growled at me.

“Kato came to me, not the other way around. If you're going
to bitch at me for it, I'm not going to share my food with you,” I countered. I
wanted to hug him in relief for not dying. At the same time, I felt like
kicking him for ordering my death. Instead I argued, which was how we
communicated anyway. I handed him the remainder of the smoked meat, and he
chewed slowly. “Nathan and Billie brought an elk home yesterday. It turns out
he's a magician with meat. He and Kathryn are hunting for you.”

“I heard you. I thought it was a dream.” His words came out
slurred.

“Eat up, Alpha.” Amy reminded him as she prepared a tea for
him. “So you can talk to Kato like you talk to Billie?” I nodded. “How's that
possible?”

Neither Kato nor Billie had mentioned Kato's Mage bloodline
to anyone. I trusted their judgment and wasn't going to spill the beans. “He’s
Kato.”

“Aha. You're not supposed to say. You stay still, Alpha. If
you try to stand up, your head's gonna explode.”

He's awake,
I told Billie.
But I think Amy wants
people to stay away a little longer.

Thank the Gods! I'll be there in a minute. Is Amy
handling him okay?

For now. She could use Kathryn's special skills.

Billie returned to the cave and knelt by her Alpha. She
moved slowly, eyes low and apologizing with every movement of her body. “I'll
go get that firewood now,” I announced, eager to leave them alone for the
coming conversation.

“I'll help you. I'd like to stretch my legs anyway.” Amy
followed me out. We chose a direction away from the Wolves lounging and eating
by the creek. Once we’d traveled out of earshot, we spoke quietly. “What will
happen now?” I asked her.

“They're gonna have to work it out all by themselves.
Jason's proud, and he's gonna have a hard time accepting that Billie beat him
in a fight. Matthew was named Beta after you guys left, but he's still laid up
and will be for a while. Billie and Nathan aren't really even Pack right now.
You never were, even though you were supposed to be. Whatever happens between
them, the rest of the pack will accept. Unless he kicks you guys out again or tries
to kill you, and then we'll have a problem.”

“You and Kathryn won't accept it?” I asked. Part of me was
elated that I had support, and another side dismayed to see the pack divided.

“Nope. I don't think Jazz will either. She's a thinker, and
too much of Gary's story didn't add up.”

“How is Gary? Cassandra didn't come after him, did she?”

“You mean the Mage? No, he's fine. Confused and rattled, but
safe.”

Another weight lifted off my shoulders. “Good. I was worried
she'd connect the dots afterwards and go after him.”

“Except for John, everyone's okay. That was a real blow.” Her
face fell.

My chest tightened at the reminder. “I heard she killed him,
but that's it. What happened?”

“We're not sure. Phil came home and found him with a knife
sticking out of his neck. The only scent was Nathan's, and he was gone. John
never had a chance.”

“God. All I got from Cassandra was that John figured out
Nathan was collared, so she killed him. You know it wasn't his fault; right?” I
hoped they wouldn't blame the Pup for John's death. He felt bad enough about it
already.

Amy nodded readily. “Yeah, I know. A friend of mine was
collared once, a long time ago. She did things she would never have done.
That's how I figured out she was collared.”

“What happened to her?” I asked with morbid curiosity.

“We ended her suffering.” Amy's eyes darkened at the painful
memory.

“That's horrible,” I empathized.

“A lot of people thought we’d have to do that for Billie and
Nathan. The Pack's been in chaos since you left.”

“I hope Billie and Jason can work it out so we can come
home.” I wondered how Billie was faring.