Chapter 8 Creating a Bridge

Leighton

Piper rushed out of training upset and my gut told me the princess had something to do with it. But when she replied so honestly I was strangely conflicted. Maybe I should let her help Piper.

It was a massive source of frustration for her that she hadn’t made any headway with her powers.

“Hey.” I sat down beside Piper. “What’s up?”

“That smug little princess thinks she can help me sort my powers.”

“Maybe she can ?”

“I don’t like her.” I was surprised by that, I mean I wasn’t her biggest fan but you couldn’t help but warm a little to her. She had handled the naked incident like a pro. I had struggled to control my surprise when she suggested I might get of on the memory because, well I certainly had the at night we got home.

I had a feeling there were two sides to this princess, the question was could we trust her.

Titan remained mute in the subject, and see as he only surfaced to voice his displeasure I took that as a yes.

“I don’t think it would do any harm. If she knows you are gifted then what have you got to lose?”

“I was a bit mean, maybe she won’t ask again.”

I sighed. “I could ask her if you want.”

Being nice to the princess wasn’t really what I wanted to do but if it meant a lot to Piper then I could man up.

I found her down at the pack orphanage, playing with the pups. She and Isabelle were playing some some that involved lots of shrieking and running. For a moment I watched them, she looked so young and carefree it was hard to believe this girl was to be a Queen.

There was a shift in the atmosphere as I descended upon them. The pups quietened and fell into line.

“Oh no, the fun police had arrived. Pray tell dear peasant what has one done wrong now ?” Estelle mocked me.

I couldn’t help but smirk, and saw surprise register on her face.

“You can help Piper?” I asked, to the point.

“Uhuh.”

“Okay then let’s do it.” I motioned for them to follow me.

“Nope, that’s not how it works. Piper needs to want our help, she needs to trust us. It’s not like pulling a rabbit out a hat. It takes years of training and you expect me to do it on what a few weeks. Anyway I offered already and she told me what she thought of that.”

“She is sorry.”

“What are you her mate. I don’t see any mark on our next why should I help her?”

I paused before answering, ignoring the mate jib.

“Because you wanted too.”

I saw her exchange a looked with Isabelle and I knew they were linking.

“Okay, fine.”

I ledthem back to Piper who was standing awkwardly.

Estelle

“Are you sure about this? I mean can we trust these wolves?” Izzy asked.

“Raine says so. So… but let’s not give too much away okay.”

Izzy had had a harder time unlocking her powers, which we eventually realised was due to the fact that her gift wasn’t very powerful. King Adalfundis her uncle had a fire gift but all Izzy could do was ah most melt things and she needed to touch them in order to do it.

I never understood how the gifts worked, her mother could produce fire but not to to the level of him, or so I was told.

I had only meant him once, on that fateful day when I was twelve I tried to suppress the memory that as well.

“Okay, it’s best we sit in a circle. Do you have blessed chalk?” I asked as they looked at me blankly.

“Izzy will go find a witch and we can start.”

“You powers are linked to your wolf, that why they get stronger as your wolf does when you meet your mate. But we can tap into them before. We just need a blessed object that we can focus on.”

They looked at me blankly.

“We need to transfer your power to something to create a bridge by which you can use to access them. But the bridge needs build over time, and we don’t have any witches experienced in this to help us. I hope you have a strong mind.”

I turned to Leighton who was watching me too closely and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“You can go now.”I dismissed him, taking more pleasure than I should that it annoyed him.

“I think I’ll stay, make sure she is okay.”

He clearly cared for this wolf. I wondered why they weren’t mates. Similar in age and both probably much older than one usually found there mate at. It was none of business so I went back to the task at hand.

“Okay Piper you need to concentrate a on the rock, imagine your power crawling towards it.”

We needed a blessed circle to stop her powers escaping but I had a feeling we were miles away from there.

Piper stared at the stone and nothing happened. Eventually or trembled once and then lay inert again.

“Focus Piper,” I chastised. “Let you wolf help.”

I remembered being stubborn at the start and it was much easier once I had my wolf to help.

In her defence sweat was running down her face as she tried to concentrate. Izzy returned with chalk and I let Piper have a break while we drew the circle.

“What if my powers had got out?” She asked when Izzy told her what the circle was for.

“I think we are a while away from that.” I replied glumly. “Ok try again, try harder this time.”

“Don’t be so hard on her. This was hard for the rest of us mere mortals.”

Izzy admonished me over our link.

“You think it was easy for me?”

I knew it looked that way because I seemed to control them rather young but I got Raine earlier than expected after that fateful night and it was so much easier then.

This time when she concentrated there was a slight noise and the stone moved a centimetre.

“She controls sound waves but her wolf is weak.”

Great, that would make this harder. This time I tried to help, letting my energy flow across the bridge she was trying to build, there was a boom and the stone smashed.

Piper was panting with effort and even I felt light headed, I had never helped anyone before. She rose unsteadily to her feet.

“Can we try again?” she said excitedly.

I silently shook my head. I needed to lie down. I got unsteadily to my feet.

“You can practice but let’s try again tomorrow.”

My legs wobbled as I went to move and I felt strong arms wrap themselves around me.

I didn’t need to look up to tell me it was Leighton who caught me. But when I did I was surprised to see concern there.

I pushed him away, hoping I was strong enough to get to my room before I collapsed. Some mightly Princess.

“Easy there tiger.” He chuckled. “I got you.”

I couldn’t deny that despite my stubborn streak being reluctant to accept his help I could feel my eyelids getting sleepily already in his arms.