“The weapons do not function in our world. They do not…fire, is that the word? We do not know if it is the passage through the Gate that renders them useless or something about our world. But they are inert, nothing but dead lumps of metal.”
“Well, how about that?” said Gregor in amazement. “Gunpowder doesn’t work there. Who knew?”
“Iseya says that each world is different. Her power is severely limited here in yours.”
“She’s doing pretty good so far,” muttered Ian. “God knows what she would be capable of at full strength. That explains why no mages ever came here throughout the centuries. They would lose most of their powers.”
“None would willingly do so,” agreed Kihain. “And a mage would not be cast through. Mages have their own association and join against those who do harm. If a mage transgresses, his power is stripped from him by the others. There would be no need for banishment.”
Abel frowned. “If mages police each other, how did this Iseya get past the net?”
“She has done no harm in our world.”
“Yet,” said Gregor.
Kihain looked away. “Yet.”
“So why the change of heart?” Abel asked abruptly. “Why are you running from Arrhan?”
“It was the distance weapons,” muttered Kihain, nervously fingering the pendant that hung upon the thin gold chain around his neck. “It is not honorable to use artificial aids against unsuspecting opponents. It is not the Way. We did not think Arrhan would go so far. Some protested. This was before we came through the Gate. They said they would not continue, that they did not wish to follow Arrhan any longer.”
“They, not you?”
Kihain flushed miserably. “I did not have the courage to speak. If I had, I would be dead now, as they are. He could not allow them to leave and tell others of his intentions. They were cut down where they stood. I am alive because I was silent and obeyed. But now there is a way out. Your customs are strange, but they are honorable. Your Way is different, but it is still the Way. I could…I could make a life here. If none of your prides are willing to accept me, I could still survive alone. That is, if you grant me the time to learn what I must about this world.”
Ian and Abel’s glances met over his head. Sierra watched them reach a silent agreement. Then they looked at Gregor.
Gregor scowled, then shrugged. “It’s not up to me. Kurt’s pride-lord. It’s your call unless he says different.”
“I think he’ll go along with this,” said Abel and looked without much enthusiasm at Kihain. “Okay, we’ll take a chance on you. Gregor will take you over to Kurt’s and—”
“No!” Kihain flung out a hand in protest. “They know that is where I was held before! They will find me there!”
“He’s got a point,” said Ian. “That’s probably the first place they’ll look.”
“You are the Guardian,” Kihain said to Abel. “May I not stay with you? I will make no trouble. I will fight beside you against Arrhan. I must, if only to keep them from killing me for having come to you.”
Abel sighed and rubbed a hand irritably over the top of his head. “I’m staying over at Nick’s place for the duration so that we can watch each other’s backs. It’s sure big enough to take you in as well, but it’s got no defenses and someone’s bound to notice a third person moving around there. You’d be spotted in no time.”
“Lock him up in Nick’s basement,” growled Gregor. “That will keep him out of everyone’s hair.”
Kihain flinched. “No!”
“No,” agreed Abel. “He’d go batshit crazy and start screaming his head off. You know that, Gregor. Any Shifter would, being caged.”
Gregor glowered at Kihain. “Who cares?”
“I do. Someone might hear and we don’t need the kind of attention that would bring.”
“Leave him here,” said Ian. “If he keeps his head down and stays out of sight, no one will notice an extra hand in the middle of all the others. We can say he’s here to keep an eye on the security system. The watch post in the barn already has a cot set up there, so he doesn’t have to sleep in the bunkhouse. We don’t dare risk him getting too friendly with the hands. Gregor knows how to duck awkward questions, but this one won’t have a clue.”
Abel considered that. “You’re gonna pass him off as another Lowe that Kurt’s sent over to help?”
“He looks the part.”
“Okay, we’ll try it for a while.” Abel gave Kihain a hard stare. “Just remember we don’t need you, boy. All you are is another damn burden we’d be happy to get rid of. Cause us any hassle and we won’t hesitate to toss you back at Arrhan.”
“Yes, Guardian,” said Kihain in muted tones.
“Sir! You call me, Ian and Gregor here ‘sir’. You call anyone else by the names they give you. I don’t want to hear the word ‘Guardian’ again. We’ll be telling people that you’re from Gregor’s pride. But you don’t know shit about Gregor’s pride or this world and you’ll probably give the whole show away the minute you open your mouth. So you don’t open your mouth. You keep your head down, you don’t talk, you don’t shift, not ever, and you stick close to Gregor so he can cover for you. Just stay out of the way and do what you’re told. You got that?”
“Yes, G…sir.”
“Get him set up in the barn, Gregor,” said Ian, “and fill him in on anything you think he might need to know. He can eat in the barn tonight, but he’ll have to be ready to mingle at breakfast tomorrow morning.”
“We need this like we need a hole in the head,” growled Gregor, waving Kihain impatiently through the door.
Kihain went out, hunching his shoulders disconsolately and giving them all a nervous look.
“So. Do we trust him?” Ian asked dryly as they watched Gregor shepherd the boy toward the barn.
“I don’t know.” Abel was clearly not happy. “It’s a plausible story. He sounds on the up and up, but…”
“Yeah.”
Sierra was reluctant to intrude on Shifter business, but she couldn’t help asking. “You guys think it’s a con. Why?”
“He could have been sent to spy on us.”
She hadn’t thought of that, but it did make sense. “If you think that, why take the risk of letting him stay?”
“Disinformation,” said Abel and Ian as one, then Ian laughed and waved a hand to let Abel continue. Abel grinned at him and did. “Gregor will stick close to him, making sure he doesn’t hear anything he shouldn’t, then feed him misleading info he’s welcome to pass on to Arrhan if that’s what he’s up to. In the meantime, Gregor will pump him for all he’s worth.”
“Now I feel naïve.” Sierra sighed and they laughed.
“I’ve got to go,” said Abel. “Keep a close watch on the kid, will you, Ian? I wish we didn’t have to dump him on you. I’d be happier if he were at the Lowes’, but if he’s legit he’d be a sitting duck there. Truth is, I’d be happier if he’d never turned up at all. He’s given us some new intel, but nothing that’s really useful so far.”
“He might loosen up over the next few days. He’s more likely to feel comfortable with another lion, so maybe Gregor will get something out of him.”
“Let’s hope,” muttered Abel.
“But he’s really only a spear carrier, Ian,” Sierra remarked after Abel had gone. “Would Arrhan confide anything important to him?”
“Small details can add up. Do you think he’s telling the truth, Sierra?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, pleased that he wanted her opinion. “That’s so difficult to judge without evidence. But when he talked about not having the courage to defy Arrhan, it was hard for him to confess. He was ashamed. So I think his sympathies really did lie with the ones who rebelled. And I felt he meant it when he spoke of honor.”
Ian nodded. “The day Nick and I took him down, I noticed he was sensitive about that. The other three didn’t give a damn, but he meant it. That’s why Nick just creased him, thinking we might bring him around to our side.”
“Maybe you have. He was impressed with Kurt.”
“Yeah, I think he was. I find myself liking the boy. We’ll give him some rope and see what he does.”
“Do you think he can adapt to this world?”
“He’s a bright kid. Did you notice how he went to the library? Arrhan might do that, or this mage, Iseya. But I doubt if any of the others would. Kihain wanted to learn about this world and he figured out where he could get the info.”
“It must have been frightening for him. He can’t be used to cars and electricity or maybe even houses.”
Ian grinned. “Cars and electricity, yeah. But if you’re thinking life in that world is like life on the Serengeti, you couldn’t be more wrong. Only the nomads live in the wild and even they build shelters in winter. The pride-lords live in manor houses that have to be large because the whole pride lives with them. There’s books and human food and good wine, everything to cater to both the human and the animal sides. Sure, we hunt. It’s part of our nature. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy the civilized luxuries. It’s not primitive, Sierra, just different.”
“I wish I could see it. Would you like to go there?”
“To visit, sure. To see what it’s like. But not to stay. Home’s here.”
“Poor Kihain!” said Sierra. “For him, home’s there. He really is outcast now. From his whole world and everything he knew. I hope he’ll like it here with us.”
But Kihain didn’t seem to. Mostly he stayed out of sight, doing whatever chores Gregor could find for him that would keep him away from the other hands. Sierra saw him at meals. He hardly spoke to anyone and was always with Gregor who ran interference for him. The glances he gave the hands laughing and talking around him were at once guarded and disdainful. She got the impression that humans made him uncomfortable. But then he seemed distrustful of Gregor as well. And he kept staring at Sierra.
“How are you settling in?” she asked, stopping beside him a few days later.
Breakfast was just over and the hands were outside, heading for their horses. Kihain was still sitting at the table, waiting for Gregor who had gone over to talk to Ian. He gave her a wary look, then lowered his gaze to his empty plate.
“It is very strange. So many… All these…”
“Humans?” she asked, smiling, and he flushed.
“Yes.”
She sat down beside him. “You don’t have humans in your world?”
“Oh, yes, but they are in their own part of the world. Separate. I have never seen one before.”
“No contact between the species?”
“Trade. Commerce. But not much association. We keep to our own sides of the border.”
“To avoid conflict.”
“Yes. It was learned long ago that such clashes are disastrous for both parties. You are a feeble species. No fangs or claws, no strength or speed. But you are clever and so you create distance weapons to compensate.”
“Despicable of us,” she said dryly. “But what other recourse do we have?”
“You are weak,” he agreed scornfully.
“I thought guns didn’t work in your world.”
“Not guns, but spears, bows and arrows, catapults. They are all effective. With them, you could decimate us. But we would overrun you.”
She could see what would happen. “Heavy casualties on both sides. The cost would be too high.”
“Yes.”
“So you learned to live in peace.” She gave him a level look. “There is no separation possible here. There are billions of us and only a few of you. You will have to live among us, cheek by jowl. Can you do that?”
“I will do what is required. I must, since there is no other choice.”
“You have friends here. The Lowe pride…”
He glanced at Gregor, then shook his head, his shoulders slumping a little. “I do not think so. I do not think they will take me in after all this is over.”
“There are other prides.”
“They will know what I am, what I have done.”
“You mean because of Alison Lowe.”
A spasm of pain crossed his face and he looked away. “I did not harm her. I came only in time to see the killing blow. I would never have hurt an innocent. If I had been there earlier, perhaps I might have…” Then his lips tightened. “No, I do not know what I would have done. I do not know if I would have had the courage to stop them or even to protest.”
Sierra said nothing for a moment. Alison’s death had been a truly vile happening, but to be fair, any attempt by him to interfere would have been futile and would only have gotten him killed.
“Would it have done any good if you had?”
“No. But I would have kept my honor.”
“Honor can be regained,” she said gently.
“I hope so.” He gave her a surprised glance. “You understand.”
“Humans have honor too. It may be a little different from yours, but the concept is not limited to Shifters.”
“This becomes apparent.” He looked sideways at her shyly. “You are being very kind. Why?”
“Why not? I like you. I think we could be friends.”
“Friends,” he repeated, as if it were an unfamiliar word.
“Didn’t you have friends in that other world?”
There was a small silence. A shadow flicked through his eyes.
“A long time ago,” he said and turned his face away.
Oops.