The Sentinels

29: Paralysis

"Those shifters have more in common with us than I thought possible," a deep voice familiar to Dante muttered, followed by an equally deep 'hmm'.

A fuzzy feeling in my chest spread and I knew it was Reagan, sitting close by. By the sounds that came towards me, they were the only two sitting next to me.

Sounds were the only thing at the moment I was able to process properly. My eyelids were too heavy to open and I barely had enough strength to breathe, let alone to speak. I lay there completely paralysed and exhausted, yet there was no pain. No agony. Just a calm sense of sleep, though I was still semi-awake. It was a strange state to be in, but one I had gotten used to. I fell in and out of sleep, though no one noticed.

"Yes. However, I think there's more to it," I heard Reagan whisper, and had I been able to, I would have left. Though my body was too weak, it still felt like I was intruding. They, after all, had no idea I could hear them.

"What do you mean, more to it?"

"They know more than they're saying."

I wondered what exactly it was they were talking about.

Shuffling sounds reached my ears then, coming from close by. Then steps, breathing and a third heartbeat. "The blonde one is saying that family Black's father left before anyone really had the chance to meet him. He and his mate, Iliria, came to Everett Valley for about eight or nine years until he disappeared." Judging by the voice, it had to be Tyrion.

Though I knew she was talking about my father, it was new information to me that my mother hadn't grown up in Everett Valley. What else did Shyla know? How did she even know that?

"Are we talking about the Xenon Fentya on the list?" Dante questioned.

Had I been able to, I would have shot out of my petrification and stared at them with my mouth gaping wide open. Xenon Fentya?

An 'mh-hmm' sounded then, coming from Tyrion. "He's one of them. It would explain the three of them having gifts like us, too."

"Then how does Kendra have a gift as well, her parents are both shifters."

"When did she start displaying those gifts, Dante?" Reagan asked then, his voice flowing like smooth silk. It warmed my entire body.

Dante took his time answering Reagan's question. "After we completed the third stage, when we kissed..."

What kind of a gift did Kendra even have? I couldn't even remember her telling me about it! I never thought listening in on one conversation would reveal so damn much, I could barely keep up.

Reagan shuffled. "Maybe being promised to one of us gives the shifters gifts, since our souls lock with theirs and melt into one complete soul. It would make most sense."

"Then why does the wolf-alpha and his brother have gifts too?" Tyrion asked.

When had Tyrion found that out?! 

Reagan seemed to contemplate for a moment before he answered. "They're probably promised to one of our females at home."

"What about Xenon Fentya? He doesn't have a human name," Dante interjected, his voice guarded as he spoke, slightly hushed as if no one was allowed to hear this conversation.

"We have no idea who he is. Or what he is, for that matter. Maybe he was a spellcaster and found out how to enhance their abilities," Reagan suggested.

Dante disagreed. "How would a father know that his children are all promised to creatures that aren't supposed to exist?"

"Well, considering he's on the list, he's aware of our history. He must have had something to do with some type of treason against mother, otherwise he wouldn't be on it."

The three of them fell into another silence, one that let me hear the sounds of nature. Birds chirped, which let me assume that it was either dawn or in the middle of the day. A weak wind blew against my skin, carrying the scents of my pack members who weren't far away.

"With that name, he can't be one of them," Dante argued.

Why the hell was my father even something that was being discussed? What kind of a list were they talking about? And what in all the gods' names made them assume that he was a spellcaster?

Could my father have been a spellcaster?

"Reagan, we came to Everett Valley for a reason. The vatess said that we need to go to a place where we will find only questions. His entire existence is one question mark. And somehow, and I have no idea how, but he's the key to finding out how we'll win the war." Dante's voice was but a whisper and rushed, as if he didn't have much time anymore to talk this through.

I definitely needed him to talk it through, so all of it could make at least a tiny bit of sense! Was someone coming?

I couldn't hear anything but the three Thrakos brothers...

"He's on the Sermin. There are only people we've been hunting down on that list and it doesn't allow for mistakes. Most of them are humans. Just because he has a name that's common amongst us, doesn't mean he is one of us. It wouldn't make any sense."

"It's the only thing that does make sense, Reagan. He's on that list for treason. Maybe that treason was running off with a shifter he was promised to!"

My heart began to beat extremely fast as my mind began to spin. What?

What were they saying?

"What if his reason for treason was leaking information? Talking about things he shouldn't have? What if he's one of the human descendants that used our ways against us? He could be anything, anyone. You don't know what you're suggesting."

"Reagan, you must see clearly. Do not let your Promised's feelings get in the way of seeing what is right in front of you," Dante dared to say, stepping on thin ice as he did.

"Catherine's feelings have nothing to do with this," Reagan muttered in response, Tyrion remaining silent during the whole conversation between the two.

"They have everything to do with this. Someone will have to tell her who her father is."

A wave of anger crashed towards me then. "Nobody will tell her anything! Not until we have proof of her father's identity. You can't go around saying things that might not even be true."

Frustration followed, coming from Dante. "How much proof do you need, Onar? The blonde said that Xenon's name was in the resident-registration book the council keeps in the archives. It's basically the same name as the one that is on our list. He used 'Black' as a coy, isn't it obvious?" Dante huffed. "Catherine and her brothers have gifts because their father is one of us. They're half dragonic, half shifter."

And finally, my eyes fluttered open as my heart stopped.