††††††

In the darkness of her damp hideout, a veiled woman settled down on her comfortable mattress. She needed her body to rest safely and her mind to stay free of distraction. Her name was Auris, and as her master's ears, she had been blessed with a unique ability. Neither light nor sound reached into the sealed stone chamber.

Auris welcomed the seclusion and slowly let all thought drain from her.

Soon there was only the black, soundless void that surrounded her. She closed her eyes and focused on that void with every breath, every part of her mind, until it became her world.

When Auris opened her eyes again, she was still inside a void. But unlike back in the stone chamber, this void was a vast, all-encompassing one. And unlike the air she had breathed back there, it was her master's essence that filled the space around her.

"Oculus, Manus," she breathed into the void. "Siblings of mine. Heed my call, for we need to act now," her silken voice demanded.

And Auris waited. It could have been minutes, hours or even days. Time was impossible to measure in this space. But she had faith in her siblings.

An all too familiar scratchy, low hiss finally answered, "Auris, dear. As always, it is a pleasure to hear you."

"Oculus, welcome," Auris answered. While the cracking voice of her sister instilled fear in others, the sweet-voiced Auris took only comfort from it. "You are first to arrive. How long?" she asked.

"A mere fifteen minutes, sister," Oculus assured her. "It is rare for you to risk reaching out to us through the master's domain."

"You made haste, good. Manus should follow soon."

"I am already here," a hoarse but strong baritone replied. "What emergency requires us to meet in the void, Auris?" Manus asked harshly.

"Mind your tone, Manus," Oculus snarled.

"Enough, you two," Auris commanded. "I found that the little devourer nearly perished today— by the hand of those red pests no less!" her tone rose just a pitch.

"I've set Jenna on a false trail," Manus justified his actions. "I even sent my student to him early, as requested and made sure they crossed paths. If the boy can't even take care of one—"

"If the boy dies, it will hinder our master’s work," Auris intermitted with finality. "It was not just any second-class enforcer either, Manus. Your information was lacking," she chided. "One of them was a Pride. It was by pure luck that the other woman decided to desert with your pet student. Now they chose to hide under Victor's eyes."

Oculus cursed silently. "He is not ready. We can't let him develop on his own anymore now," she growled.

"No, we can not," Auris confirmed. "Manus, you will venture into Victor's den and intervene. Force the development forward until he can stand on his own."

"Be careful, Manus," Oculus added. "He still remembers his time in my care. If you overdo it, he will take irreparable damage."

"I'm not as crude as you in my methods, Oculus," Manus snarked. "You stay in the city, and I will teach the devourer now."

When he opened his eyes, Manus was in the world of the living once more. With silent acceptance, he donned his wooden mask and headed for Victor's bounty.