"Where is he?" Bane just looked at me, devastated.
"They took him again after they threw you in. We should have fought." He was resigned, and that in itself spoke volumes.
Had I fucked up? I still didn't think we would have all survived. But this? This was maybe worse.
It was hours of guilt-ridden anxiety before they returned with Iliam. The guards were silent as they threw his motionless body in his cell and shut the door with a clang. Instantly, Bane was reaching through the bars, trying to get to him.
"Ils. Come on, man. Wake up." Bane could just reach his hand, and the grip that he had on our wounded quadmate was barely returned.
"Iliam, no, you have to shift. Fuck, I'm so sorry." Grief was already settling in. There would be no medical care given, and judging from the wet rattle, Iliam needed immediate intervention. Even our advanced healing couldn't fix this. Especially if he wasn't able to shift. "Bane, can you help him?"
"He's not absorbing it. I think he has something stopping the change." Panic colored Bane's voice, and there wasn't anything I could do to help.
I started yelling for the guards, panic tainted my voice. When they came, I thought they were actually going to help Illiam. Instead, they took Bane. He tried to reason with them, we both did, but they refused to acknowledge our pleas and wrestled Bane out of cell and down the hall.
I was an utter failure. I'd let my Quad down and made the wrong call.
"I invoke my right." The strained words escaped from Illiam, barely audible.
"Iliam, no!" He couldn't do this when there was still a chance. I was terrified he'd be lost to us forever if he went this route.
"I invoke my right to the Order of the Wraith." The demand heralded the magic that sped Iliam's death.
If he was found worthy, he would join the Order as a Wraith Guardian. If he was found lacking, his soul would burn eternal.
His body disappeared when the magic was gone. My Quad brother was gone. I waited hours for Bane to be brought back, nearly losing the non-existent contents of my stomach at the blood and gore that covered him. He was barely conscious, and on the way past my cell, I caught his bloodshot eyes.
"He invoked the Wraith." Bane's eyes briefly widened before he did the same.
They didn't even get him in the cell before the ancient magic took over, as if it had been lurking in wait, after taking Iliam. That fit with the legends– in the hopes of being reunited, members of the same Enforcer group would choose to follow their comrade.
My thoughts and heart went out to my bondmate and last Quad member, and I could only hope that they found each other.
The guards tried to get my cell open, but it was too late.
"I invoke my right to the Order of the Wraith." The magic hit hard and fast, and I was gone a moment after the final word fell from my lips.
The asshole had upped the stakes. He'd penalized nearly the entire Clan for harboring fugitives. I knew it was a trap, but that money wasn't his. The narcissist had everything converted into gold and was having it transferred to the Manor's treasury. Hitting the security truck en-route was going to be my only chance to retrieve it and reverse the effects his greed was having on my clan. Something was affecting me as well. My alter had been in a tizzy all day, and it was making me antsy.
I didn't bother to wait until the truck was out of the city, knowing it was to my advantage to strike now. At a stoplight, I darted under the truck and quickly chewed through a line that I immediately discovered was the fuel line. Yuck.
I retreated to the curb and stayed as hidden as possible while I made my way to the car I had left on the only highway leading into Clan lands. I shifted and dressed before I headed out to intercept the transport truck.
The truck had made it further than I'd thought it would, but the driver had still had ample warning and pulled off at a service station. I waited for the first guard to check out the issue while the second stood watch. The cursing that rang out had a satisfied smile curving my full lips.
The driver came out from under the rig and stomped off to the mini mart, leaving the second guard alone. I took my chance that my cloaking would hold even with the protections I'm sure the Regent had demanded be in place. I had my sleeping dust handy in case things went tits up, but so far so good. I slammed the passenger side door and gained the attention of the guard who came running to investigate. As soon as he opened the door to check inside, I blew the dust in his face. A quick flip of his legs, and I shut the door to hide his awkwardly positioned body.
Not wasting time, I went around the back and used my ability to unlock the door, pulling it shut behind me without latching it. The gold coins and bars were secured in another safe inside the truck. After making short work of the lock, I hefted the heavy ass things out and into bags I had brought along. Who knew what tracking devices or charms were being used. It was a gamble just taking them.
The yelling in the cab clued me in that I'd run out of time sooner than anticipated. I had most of the gold, and it would have to do. I slipped out as carefully as possible and at least got the door
