Page 89 of Commanding Flame and Shield
“We?”
“Yes. We. A healer we rescued says that we were both present in a past life that neither of us remember. The fall of Grayshell was bound in her memories, and it took seeing us for it to come back…but we didn’t trigger each other. It’s a bit of a mess to be honest.”
“You’ve seen the attacks on healers in your region too?” Marcus’ face went solemn with a fierce lethality, brows pinching together.
“Yes,” August answered.
“Both souls, braids, and mortals alike.”
“Same here,” Marcus said, scowling.
“Why, is the question of the hour,” Alec interjected.
“The coming attack will be…pathogenic, perhaps?” Marcus rubbed a calloused hand across his smooth jaw.
“That’s our only assumption.” Alec nodded.
“Any connection to Jones?” August asked Marcus.
“Not that we’ve observed, but we haven’t been looking for connections either. Time will tell. But all of this is why you’re here, I assume?” Marcus nodded at August.
“Aren believes so. Believes it’s all connected.”
“I think he’s right.”
The entire group nodded solemnly in unison.
“So. How has training progressed?”
“Well. August is a natural,” I said, flashing him a smile. We ran through August’s months with us, explaining everything from his command for the hierarchy to fly, to his resuscitation of Sarah, and the trio gradually eyed him with more and more reverence. When Marcus asked about any other elemental gifts, and August drew his shield up, ballooning it around our group, and silencing the mental connections, the brothers all inched forwards, brows raised. Marcus straightened as the silence wrapped around his mind, and I swallowed a laugh.
“And he’s the strongest damn shield I’ve ever seen—no offense, Alec.”
“None taken,” Alec laughed, raising his hands in surrender. “The lighting bearer has earned that title.”
“I’m really not that special. They oversell it, I swear.” August shook his head and Marcus’ smirk turned into pure amusement. “So, what are your gifts?”
“Well, we’re not lightning bearers by any means.” Damien huffed a laugh.
“But, as Alvara was contemplating earlier, we’re shifters,” Jason explained.
“As in…shape shifters.”
“The very same.”
“Wicked cool. What do you become?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Jason quipped. “Tell you what kid, come on by on the full moon and see for yourself.”
Marcus snorted right as Damien groaned, “Oh,herewe go.”
“What?” Jason shrugged, eyes rounding with feigned innocence. “Pup here is just curious.”
“Ignore him,” Marcus said, pinching his nose between a thumb and forefinger. “We all do.”
“Worth a try,” August shrugged, as he shot me a smile, remembering my own curiosity. Marcus rose from his place on the couch, and he walked to the office, intending to grab a white board. August pressed for more information, “Do you have more than one form or…”
“So far, we have one avatar, but we’re young as far as shifters go. So, who knows.”
