April 9, 2004 – noon
"WHAT?" said Coralis, trying to stay in control.
"Where are you at right now?" said Eva.
"We're at Panjik's, but we were about to leave. He's working tonight and I was supposed to have a practice this afternoon, but now I want to head your way," said Coralis, looking at Frank.
She wondered what to do next. She didn't want to drop him home when someone was potentially looking for him.
"You can stay with us this afternoon. My mate should be home soon," said Panjik to Frank, before she could voice her concerns. "If someone is indeed out there searching for you specifically, Blue won't let you out of her sight until she can assess the threat. However, you going with her isn't a good idea either."
"I work this evening, but I didn't have plans for this afternoon, so I could stay here if needed," said Frank, turning his attention to Coralis. "However, Luv, will they let you skip practice?"
"If my mate is in danger, that takes priority," said Coralis as Emery sent her the coordinates of their location.
"Even if in theory, you aren't considered mates yet, it shouldn't cause her trouble. Given the times we live in and the threat looming above her head, she could even miss the game if she needs to," said Panjik.
"We're done with practice, I could go help," said Sonylla.
"No. If Blue leaves here to meet with Eva, it's better if you two aren't seen arriving there together, it would raise suspicions. Blue isn't attached to any institutions, besides the Northerners. Me giving her private training, as a fellow spirit mage, people won't question. But to you too? People will think differently."
A few minutes later, after quickly kissing Frank and thanking Panjik, Coralis took off toward where Eva and Emery were, just outside of Toronto. She called Sebastian while on her way.
"WHAT?" said Sebastian, from above her hologram.
"I'm on my way to check it out, I don't know much at the moment. Frank is still at Panjik's house. He came up with the idea to help me train against fire, so he went to practice with me this morning."
"Okay good. I would have suggested taking him to flyball practice, but that Squily guy will probably be watching the stadium later. He's a lot safer with Panjik. Let me know if you need me to pick him up later," said Sebastian.
"If that's the case, that's where I'm going to kill that guy. Frank works tonight, Cheetah will be on his tail if needed."
Sebastian didn't like to be stuck on the flyball field when Frank was potentially in danger. As much as they both loved their sport, they knew it was time to retire if they wanted to keep their mates safe.
While Sebastian called Stephanie to check on her, Coralis arrived at the coordinates. She saw Eva through a window and turned it into air, just so she could fly through it.
"That's how we know we're dealing with a professional flyball player," said Emery as Coralis jumped off her stick to land on her feet next to them. "I always thought I was a pro at flying and landing, until I started working with you and Sebastian."
"Zahir and Boukhya were here just before you arrived. They're currently tracking his energy signature and whereabouts, but look at what we found," said Eva, handing her a holographic tablet.
Coralis took it and turned it on. A holographic ledger document appeared above it.
"Hmm, he and Youmis were receiving payments from Blok Howar. I've told you about the mating ball I went to with Veronica, right?"
"Yeah, you told me. Was he there?"
"He was there with his eldest son, yeah. Hendrick told me once that Blok Howar tried to convince his dad to get Veronica to break up with me," said Coralis, which made Emery and Eva laugh. "King Matthew ignored him, but yeah, Blok wanted me for Zeel."
"In other words, not only do you keep interfering in their attempts to summon wolves, but Blok's son can't control you through an elemental bond. That could explain why Squily Haza is now after your mate," said Emery.
"If I am to hand control over myself to someone, it's to my husband. Eventually, I'll complete the elemental binding ritual with him, but none of these hell clowns will ever get me for their sons and their heads will roll if I find that they paid Squily for going after my man."
"Could they exploit his end of their bond?" said Eva.
"I would like to tell you no, but with the shit we've seen in recent years since Lord Meozo, nothing would surprise me at this point," said Emery, as his hologram went off.
"We just received a message that someone is trying to hack into the archives of the CMMA Department of Family Affairs right now, and we believe it's Squily Haza. We now have visuals on someone we think is him," said Zahir, looking at Coralis. "I'll send you the location."
Coralis took off as soon as she saw the coordinates sent by Zahir. Emery followed her, with Eva riding as his passenger behind him. A few minutes later, a skyrise came into view and she spotted three people on its rooftop. She saw Zahir and Boukya fighting to restrain him. She removed her invisibility glamour and jumped off her stick. She turned it into a keychain and slid it into her cloak's inner pocket before her feet touched the ground.
She landed between the CMMA agents and Squaly. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she pushed a blast of air to Squaly, shoving him hard against the rooftop door behind him.
"What in gods world is she doing here? She keeps interfering where she shouldn't be."
"I can ask you the same thing. Why in gods world are you searching for my mate?"
"The researches we've been working on are important for our survival, but you keep messing with them. You've crossed the wrong people when you should have joined us instead. Your mate is human, he doesn't even know how to use an elemental bond."
He raised his hand toward her, but she turned the air around it into a thick layer of ice, wrapping around his hand like a glove. He couldn't pass energy through it.
"He may not, but I do," said Coralis as she turned her palms toward him. "No one messes with him and gets away with it."
"Aaargh," said Squaly as he tried to bring his hands to his head but couldn't.
She was slowly liquifying his brain. Blood was oozing out of his eyes and ears.
"I've come to learn that when it comes down to protecting your mates, you, mages are just as brutal and vicious as us, wolves," said Eva to Emery as he recorded the scene with his hologram.
"Let's hope the others get the memo and leave our mates out of this mess."
"More will come if you don't…" said Squaly before collapsing dead on the ground.