Magic Burns 06

[masterofgunfu]

  Watching your best friend - okay, you're only friend - disappear into mist is hard but I had to accept that Kate knew what she was doing. She had been the one casting the spell after all. I stood there clutching her sword and shivering slightly in the chill, night breeze wondering what to do now. Should I wait here for her or was she going to pop up somewhere else? I had no idea but I did know I was alone with the boudas again. Shifting nervously, I turned and saw one of them, a female, approaching me with a scowl. Here it comes, I thought.

  "The Cat is back and says the Beast Lord requests the presence of the Order representatives. What should I tell him?"

  Wait, she was asking me? "Take me to him," I said with a sigh. Like this won't be awkward at all. Sorry, your Majesty, you only get the Beastkin knight as Kate, the friend of the Pack, disappeared. Well, might as well get it over with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The thing about the Beast Lord you don't notice right away is how big he really is. Or maybe that was just the situation in which I first met him face to face. When I was lead to the room he was in, he seemed normal sized. A big guy sure, but nothing out of the ordinary. He was sitting in a chair at a desk that was a good distance from the door. My first clue should have been how large the door was but being a runt like myself, I'm used to things being too large. Then I noticed how large the chair by the door was and realized all the furniture had been special made to fit his frame. He had to be well over six and a half feet tall if the perspectives were working right.

 He was also sitting and rubbing his forehead, as if he had a headache or didn't like what he was thinking. I drew to a stop before the desk, front and center while Jim, or the Cat as the boudas called him, took up a spot to my rear left. A good spot if I hadn't trained to be proficient in my off hand.

  I tried to speak a greeting but my voice squeaked which caused him to stop rubbing his head and look up at me. I cleared my throat and tried again. "The Order thanks the Beast Lord for his invitation and humbly offers its services."

  The Beast Lord stared at me for a long time before saying, "The Pack thanks the Order and requests the Order's representative explain what happened to our usual liaison." It was hard to say but I think the Beast Lord was a little relieved to have formal protocol to fall back on; as long as I was an Order Representative and not a Beastkin (I had shifted back, I'm not stupid) we could pretend the furry me didn't exist.

  Carefully, as briefly and as clearly as I could, I outlined everything I knew about Kate's plan and the case, as it existed. The Beast Lord nodded in a few places as I confirmed information and asked questions when he didn't quite get the picture. I did my best but some stuff, especially the mythic crap, I just wasn't up to speed on.

  Once I was done, he sat in silence again for a long time. He looked at Jim but I don't know what Jim's response was as I didn't dare take my eyes off the Beast Lord. Finally, he took a deep breath and sighed. "The Pack requests the Order's assistance in this matter. Until such a time as Kate Daniels is available, we ask you to fill her role. Please try not to offend too many Pack members as you do your duty."

  "Of course, your Majesty," I said a little light headed. "The Knight-Protector is currently unavailable, but I must point out his authority is greater than any agreement we make. If he initiates contact and feels I am unsuited for this assignment, I must obey his directive."

  The Beast Lord chuckled and said, "Oh I wouldn't worry about that. I can be persuasive in my demands."

  And then the Reaver came through the window.