“He just ran off?” Katya asked in disbelief.

As soon as their surrounding outposts informed her that the caravan of wolves carrying Heirs were nearing the valley, she had made her way towards the first section of the valley, Leyla insisting on coming along as she wanted to meet this Titan.

But surprisingly, he had simply run off while no one was looking.

“Ma’am, I hate to ask, but what’s with the-“ Sophia hesitantly asked.

“Birds?” Katya finished with a playful smile. She knew how she looked walking around with a Raven on each shoulder like some kind of villainess or witch.

“I would have thought he’d mentioned them. This is Huginn and Muninn, our dear friend, Mr. Titanos, sent them to help me in any way they could. Currently, they’re doing a wonderful job of scaring away the incessantly bussing Branch elders pestering me.” Katya explained with a refreshed expression.

They truly had been a blessing, and it hadn’t taken long for word to spread about them and their dislike for sudden interruptions and rudeness or their total disregard for hierarchy.

“Ma’am, As one of said elders I resent the implication that we were in need of being scared off” Leyla started huffing slightly, but her bluster was immediately blown away as Huginn puffed out its feathers and did a little stationary waddle as it did an exaggerated impression of Leyla’s tone of voice, Clearly mocking her.

Behind them, Silas held a hand to his ear before hurriedly walking up to Katya, whispering something to her.

“Go, determine the situation and keep me informed of any developments.” Katya ordered.

***

“So. I’m some kind of super rare, super specialized witch?” Tessa asked, still sounding incredulous about the whole thing.

“Not how I would have phrased it, but yes. Essentially.” I nodded.

I had spent the last half hour trying to explain the situation to a very confused but strangely calm Tessa.

I only told her what was strictly necessary and relevant, keeping the more supernatural nature of the world to myself for now, although I didn’t try to cover for the fact that I was withholding something.

Immediately after returning from my domain, Tessa had sat down on the smooth cold stone, letting out a slight shiver from the winds and night air.

I could only stare in slight disbelief as Garmr quickly moved over and wrapped his bulk around her like a beanbag chair.

But I wasn’t gonna question my eldest’s strange behavior that reminded me of his younger sibling.

“So what about that strange place you pu… I fell into? What was that place?” She asked.

“That’s my domain. It’s a physical representation of my internal power, sort of like a space within myself. It’s the reason I couldn’t go in there and get you. Since it’s not possible to go inside oneself.”

“Of course, there are always ways around such things, like grounding one’s domain in physical reality… But I’ll save the advanced stuff for later.” I thought to myself.

“Huh… Do I have one of those as well?” Tessa questioned.

“I doubt it, it’s usually an acquired thing, something learned and developed by people with very specific skill sets.”

Garmr raised his head, ears perked, and looked towards the stairwell leading down from the roof.

“I’ll be with you in a moment. Let me just finish up here.” I announced, making sure my thoughts were heard loud and clear.

“Tessa, I’d like to ask what your plans are now. I might have been wrong, but I got the impression that you were either gonna jump off the roof or didn’t care if you fell did. Either of which would make me apprehensive about leaving you alone now.” I broached carefully.

Tessa’s expression strained a little, but she calmed quickly and nodded gravely. “Yeah, I’m not quite sure myself. Still aren’t.” She replied slowly, shaking her head.

“I’d just like to make sure you understand this. If you were given the proper instruction and training, you would become a very valuable aid to someone like me.”

Tessa looked up, her eyes tightening with suspicion. “Valuable how? And what do you mean, someone like you?”

“Your innate ability is very suited to creating a neutral environment, like the ground wire in electrical circuits. It keeps everything in order, which is precious to a craftsman, like me.”

“I… I don’t even know what to say to that. Are you trying to offer me a job?” Tessa asked, clearly unsure about the whole situation.

“Yes. But also a future where you’ll be the one in control. I won’t force you, and if you wanna quit, then that’s your decision. I’d like you to at least consider it.” I said with a sigh as I stood up.

Tessa looked up at me conflicted, a million thoughts likely racing through her head.

“Now it seems I’m needed elsewhere.”

***

Stepping into the stairway, I saw two sentires in sharp suits standing ramrod straight, penetrating gazes locked on my every move.

“Don’t think I’ve seen you two before, not that I ever got acquainted with every Sentire in the tower.” I said, looking the short female and linebacker sized male up and down.

“No, Sir. We were stationed at another branch.” The large Sentire replied.

“The Hand has been informed of your location and is on his way.” The shorter of the two added.

“The Hand?” I asked, slightly confused.

“Uhm… Sir Silas of the Aurelius line.” She explained with a stutter.

“Them and their titles… Although I guess I’m not any better. Bad Titan, bad.” I joked to myself, although I earned a slight smirk from the two young custodes.

Until both Sentires suddenly froze. I heard steady footsteps coming up the stairs from below, followed by Silas a few seconds later.

His dark brown hair and sharp chiseled features gave him an imperious air, something I found in stark contrast to the mothering, coddling and worried Sentire I’d met before.

As if in response to that thought, his gait stuttered almost imperceptibly.

The two young custodes seemed far too Starstruck to have noticed my thoughts, though, and continued to gaze at him in reverence.

“Mr. Titanos, the Matriarch has requested your presence.” He said while appearing the picture perfect example of decorum and manners.

“Yes, I figured she might be nearby. I’d felt a couple of familiar presences earlier. Sadly, something urgent came up.” I replied, locking eyes with him, making sure he caught my meaning.

“Will you be needing any help with this urgent matter?” He asked, leaning slightly to the side to get a very deliberate view of the door behind me.

“That would be very welcome. The woman on the roof behind me is very special. She should be taken care of, although from what I understand, her situation is anything but simple, but nevertheless, I think it would be in all of our interests to nurture her as much as possible for the time being.” Silas looked at me questioningly, but I kept any information about Tessa tightly bound and locked away, the act of which would hopefully prove to Silas how highly I thought of her value.

“I’ll see to it. We will, of course, be discreet in our actions as to keep our existence hidden, at least for now.” He replied. Clear meaning behind his words. Does she know about us?

“I think that would be for the best as well… At least for now.” I nodded, acknowledging that it would be kept a secret for now.

***

Silas and I took an elevator to the parking garage at the basement level, leaving behind the two custodes to monitor Tessa.

“So, where are we going?” I asked as we stepped off the elevator.

“You are going back to the clan’s private hotel. I will be dealing with the cleanup of the transport incidents.” Silas responded.

“Incident. Right?”

“No, several of our convoys were hit during the last twenty-four-hour period.” Sensing my surprise, he expanded, “Many got off unscathed, a few suffered casualties, three went completely dark, without even a distress signal. We believe they were specifically targeted at signal dead zones like mountain tunnels.” He finished.

“Please tell me it was close enough to the valley that someone could have guessed the route.” I said, already knowing the answer, since the convoy the pack saved was almost an entire day’s drive from the valley.

“They were not.” Silas stopped and turned around, his expression hard as he told me, “The Matriarch believes we may have several infiltrators in the valley, some of which were responsible for leaking the information to rival clans or the council.” I didn’t miss the hard edge in his voice or the dangerous glint in his eye.

***

Silas dropped me off at the entrance to the hotel, which, as all things Sentire, was luxurious to say the least.

I couldn’t help being a little awestruck walking into the lobby, probably drawing a few looks at my backcountry wonder.

“Sir, may I assist you with anything?” A spindly man in his forties asked.

“Human? Probably an Heir… Or maybe just a hire?”

“Yes, I’m looking for a Natasha Romanov Nikoleve.” I replied.

“Certainly Sir, I believe Mrs. Romanov is currently using our training facilities at the lower levels. Should I have someone guide you there?” He asked with a practiced smile and professional air.

“Please.”

***

My guide seemed young and clearly inexperienced. He often snuck the occasional glance at me when I wasn’t looking. Nervous and jittery, but extremely polite.

He stopped at the entrance to the training complex and politely took his leave, letting me continue on my own.

Walking inside the deserted halls, I saw everything from mock layouts for drills and shooting ranges to training and sparing equipment of every nature seemingly built for forklifts if the amount of weights were anything to go by.

A bit further inside I found Natasha standing on a padded section of the floor, letting off vicious barrages of kicks on a custom heavy bag filled with what I could only presume were metal ball barrings as it barely rocked from the powerful impacts.

She was wearing tight lycra shorts and a cropped top covering a black sports bra with her damp short black hair slicked back as to not impair her vision.

Every kick contracted the muscles on her stomach, showing off an impressive muscle-tone, her abs clearly defined and contracting with every breath.

She’d obviously been down here for a while as her clothes were damp with sweat, several drops of which trickled down her abdomen following the attractive curves and flows of her body-

“I can feel you ogling me from here. You gonna work up the nerve to talk to me, or just stare at me all night like a creep?” She joked in between breath as she turned towards me, placing her arms akimbo on either side of her hips.

She had a smile on her face, but it seemed heavy, forced somehow.

“Considering I might get my ass kicked if I step out there, I think it might be better for me to just stay here and admire from a distance.” I retorted, giving her another once over.

“So a spar is out of the question, then?” She pushed.

“My fighting style isn’t really suited for spars,” I replied, looking over the training equipment around the warehouse sized gym.

Natasha chortled. “Not gonna give me some crap about it being too dangerous or something, are you?”

“No, it is dangerous, just not for you. In a spar, I’d probably do more harm to myself than you.” My body isn’t suited for combat, although I haven’t let that stop me before, but pushing it past its limits is destructive.

“I have always found it weird that you’d be laid up for days even after your wounds were healed, although I just chalked it up to you being lazy.” She gave me a playful and started walking towards me, seemingly playful and seductive at first, but something felt wrong.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and something changed.

Her stride suddenly seemed longer and more fluid, like a predator stalking forward.

I felt the familiar chime of compulsion, but it was already too late. I hadn’t even registered that she was standing in front of me before she knocked her knuckles softly against my forehead.

“So subtlety works on you, but you shrug off forced compulsion. Good to know.” She said with a predatory grin as she continued past me towards a nearby folding chair with a towel and a bottle of water on it.

“I’m not some damsel that needs to be left behind every time there’s a fight, you know. I’m a soldier… Been a soldier longer than you, I’d wager.” She stated sharply as she toweled off some of the perspiration across her skin and emptied the bottle before turning back to me.

“This is the third time.” She said cooly.

“Third time?” I asked, still a little dazed from what had just happened.

“Third time you’ve run off and left me behind. You don’t get to do that. Not to me. I’m not built to stay at home and be safe.” She replied with a hard edge in her voice.

“Sophia, okay with that?” I shot back, regaining my faculties.

“She accepts me for who I am, as I do her. What’s your point?” She retorted, her eyes narrowing.

“My point is, when you care about someone you feel… Compelled, to keep them safe.”

“You think I need someone to keep me safe? You think that’s what you’re doing? Come on, I might not have a PHD but I’ve lived with Sophia long enough to know that’s not it.” She said with a cynical laugh. “You’re afraid to show us what you really are. I thought at first it was because you didn’t trust us, but that’s not it, is it?” She said as she walked up closer to me.

“So what is it, then? That you don’t think we can’t handle it, or that you’re ashamed of what you are?” She was right in front of me, piercing me with cool blue eyes, as if trying to peer into my soul.

My throat felt dry and my voice came out raspy and worn when I finally opened my mouth to speak.

“You don’t understand, something in me broke… A long time ago.” I saw it as if it was happening in front of me, his sick joy as he tormented me, for days, weeks, months.

“I enjoy it. Watching the arrogance and cruelty in their eyes turn to terror and agony.” I felt the life slip from his body as I used the last vestiges of strength I had left to make sure he never woke up again. Even as I knew, I would doom myself to a slow, agonizing death.

“I developed a taste for inflicting upon these fiends what they inflict on others. Not for some righteous sense of vengeance.” I felt the collars choking hold, and the shackles cut into my flesh as the master’s whip cracked above our heads.

“I am in need of no such justification… No, for me, it has become something far more insidious, an obsession, a need.” I felt their sneers, their hushed insults, their fears.

“I don’t need a reason. I don’t need to rationalize why I feel this way. All I need is for them to suffer… For all of them to suffer.”

Natasha’s expression was conflicted, filled with worry, and I only now noticed my reflection in the glass wall behind her.

My face twisted beyond recognition, the corners of my mouth pulled up in a manic broken amalgamation of a smile and a snarl. It was a face I’d seen before, on the very monster who found me on that first night so many years ago.

I looked away in disgust and no small amount of shame, my mind feeling like a raging bonfire doused in water, sputtering steam throwing its last defiant hisses before being quelled.

“I understand more than most. I’ve been where you are, and maybe you won’t end up where I am now. But the journey shares a similar path, so don’t push away someone who has tread it before, okay?” I felt Natasha’s hand on my chest and looked up from the floor to meet her gaze.

“I’ll walk this path with you, through the dark and out into the light, but you have to let me.” She said, her voice soft and caring.

“Okay.” I replied, voice hoarse and weak.