Chapter 435


    Chapter 435


    Mason


    I might not have ever had a pack under mymand, but that didn’t make me any less of an Alpha


    than my brother. The instant Ste told us the High Council was nning to infiltrate the tunnels, the


    two us got into position, nking our pack. Zane also instantly moved into Beta mode between us.


    We might be the Alphas, but we were under themand of a Celestial. We all turned to face her.


    She was concentrating hard, her eyes narrowed and expression twisted.


    “I thought there’d be more time before they moved,” she muttered. “Something has changed. Give


    me a minute to Seek.”


    “What’s she talking about?” I thought to Lanie through our mate link.


    Our Luna shook her head, her eyes focused withser precision on our daughter. “I don’t know.


    Give her a minute.”


    “What does Seek mean?” I thought to them all.


    Even though we were all using the mind link, it still sounded like we were all whispering.


    “To Seek is to send out my mind ahead of me,” Ste said aloud. “Like a scout. It’s not telepathy. It’s


    more like a projection of myself, while my body stays here. Mother, you were Seeking when the


    Goddess called you into the forest, but I can do it on purpose.”


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    “And do it so well,” Lanie said aloud with a smile, proud smile. “Do you need us to do anything for


    you while you Seek?”


    Ste shook her head. “I’ll need a minute or two. I want to see where they are and what they’re


    doing.”


    Her eyes went white, but hazy, like they were full of clouds. Hershes fluttered. A soft sigh puffed


    out from between her lips, and then, just like that, she was back with us.


    “Can we stop them froming through the tunnels?” Xander asked. “Keep them out of Brightsky?”


    She nodded, her expression grim, but her eyes alight. “I can make them think they’ve encountered


    a rockslide, blocking them. It won’t keep them forever, but once they figure out it was fake, they’ll


    understand that they were tricked. They’ll retreat…”


    She paused, that white cloud going over her gaze again. Itsted only a few blinks this time. She


    focused on us.


    “They’ll go back to Standard and regroup. They’ll figure out we’re still heading to Fallen Crest.


    They’ll make their way there, maybe on our trail or maybe in another fashion, but it won’t matter. We


    will still get there before them.”


    “Is that what you’ve seen for certain?” Lanie asked.


    “Everything I see is a possibility, but this is the oue I see as the end to many different choices.


    That means it’s the one we should expect, unless something else drastically changes.” Ste


    sighed, her shoulders hunching for a moment. “I have so many talents, and sometimes, they work


    against each other.”


    “You’re still learning,” Lanie told her, an arm around her shoulders and offering Ste a mother’s


    comfort.


    Ste leaned against her. “Thanks, Mama.”


    Lanie kissed her cheek. “Come on, now. What’s next? We’re here. We’ve got you.”


    Ste drew in a breath and straightened. Her shoulders squared. “They’re moving through the


    tunnels, intending to meet us where they assume they’ll intercept us. I’m going to send out a mirage


    just beyond it. It will look, feel, and sound like a rockfall. It will send them back out the way they


    came in. It buys us some time. Maybe an extra half a day. No more.”


    “We better get moving then,” Xander said.


    Zane cleared his throat. “What’s the benefit in sending a mirage? Couldn’t you actually copse the


    tunnels? If not on top of them, at least enough to block them for real?”


    “Blocking the tunnels would prevent anyone in Brightsky from escaping through those tunnels. In


    the end, it would possibly be worse for them. Just in case they need a way out,” Ste exined,


    but hesitantly. “And, I’ve seen a path in which I copse the tunnels. It doesn’t end with triumph for


    us. I don’t know why. I can’t always see the reasons.”


    “And you don’t have to,” Lanie assured her.


    “All right. This will take a moment.” Ste took several steps away from us.


    She closed her eyes tight, her entire face squinching. Her fists clenched at her sides before her


    arms rose, palms up. Her fingers twitched, curling and flexing, as her hands moved. I’d seen her


    make orbs before, but this time she looked more like she was working with her hands.


    “She’s weaving something,” Lanie said after a moment. “Or knitting? Something like that.”


    “Only it’s not with yarn or cord,” Zane murmured.


    Xander shook his head in amazement. “She’s doing it with their minds.”


    The three of us looked at each other, and all of usughed incredulously. For some reason, I


    thought I’d hear them screaming or something, but we hadn’t yet reached the entrance to the


    tunnels. All I heard was my mates’ soft chuckles and the drip of water from the cavern ceiling.


    Ste opened her eyes.


    “It’s done,” she said in a voice thick with a sound like gravel crunching under heavy feet. “Now. We


    run.”