The Curse (Belador #3)(21)
“Screw VIPER. I can control my beast and I have no doubt you can control yours. The minute I grabbed those two guys and made it clear that I was the dominant beast, they immediately changed back into their human forms, scared shitless.”
She wasn’t acknowledging or denying that she could control her beast since no one could know that she had fully shifted once. “So fear of something more powerful that forces back their aggression snaps them out of the change?”
“That’s a possibility,” Tristan said, more to himself than her. “I spent a couple of hours with Webster and Aaron, making them shift back and forth, then explained the danger of being exposed to VIPER agents. Once I believed they could control their shifting, I stuck them in the Maze of Death to hide them.”
She remembered that place beneath the underground MARTA rail system all too well. “Weren’t you worried a dangerous spirit in there would trigger their change?”
“Not where I put them. You met the passive spirits in the chamber where I’d left those two.”
“I also met that crazy spirit with a pitchfork who stabbed you.” But she lifted her hand, stalling any further talk on the Maze. “Back to my original question. How are Rías different from Alterants?”
“From what I’ve figured out, they have super strength and some weak kinetics, but nothing like an Alterant’s powers.”
“I beg to differ. I fought one three weeks ago that slammed me with a kinetic punch that knocked me off my feet.”
“Really? That’s new. Maybe it’s hit or miss on their powers, because I haven’t met one like that.”
She tucked that into her ongoing mental file on Rías. “What else can you tell me?”
“Like I said about you and me, I think Alterants can control their beasts from the first time they change, but the Rías seem to immediately turn into aggressive beasts on attack.” Tristan paused. “I think the difference is our blood. We carry Belador blood, but maybe they don’t.”
Evalle considered everything he said, then argued, “But there were reports of Alterants who shifted and killed, several in the Southeast in the past year.”
“I heard about those reports,” Tristan echoed with a heavy dose of accusation. “Who says so? Macha and Brina? But you haven’t witnessed an Alterant turning into a mindless beast, have you?”
“No.” Much as she hated to feed Tristan’s distrust of Macha and Brina, Evalle had to admit he had a valid point.
“And that’s why I’m getting my group somewhere safe soon.”
Evalle snapped her fingers, excited. “Wait. I haven’t told you the good news. That’s why I’ve been trying to find you. Macha is the one who got me out of prison. She petitioned the Tribunal for Alterants to be recognized as a viable race … and, wait for it, Macha has offered amnesty to all Alterants who come forward and swear loyalty to her. They’ll be safe as long as they can keep their beasts under control.”
Tristan listened with interest, unable to hide his surprise at that last declaration.
She beamed at her accomplishment. “See? You can stay.”
He started shaking his head. “I can’t give her or the Beladors that kind of trust, not after what they did to me.”
Evalle tried not to lose her patience with him since he’d been locked away inside a spellbound enclosure in a South American jungle … twice. But he couldn’t turn his back on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
With Macha, this could mean a life-or-death opportunity.
“This is a limited offer with a short time span, Tristan.”
He scoffed at her. “That’s what I mean. So much for a sincere offer.”
“It is sincere, but I haven’t been able to find one Alterant in three weeks to bring forward as a show of good faith from our kind. And now an Alterant—or a Rías—has killed one of Dakkar’s bounty hunters, so Dakkar’s screaming for justice.” She could see his disgust at her taking Macha’s side in this, but fair was fair. “How can Macha stand before a Tribunal and support us when no Alterant besides me is willing to come forward?”
Tristan’s gaze traveled everywhere but her face. He muttered, “She should have thought about that five years ago when she had Brina lock me up for no reason.”
“I’m not discounting what she did to you, but things have changed and she’s making you—and every other Alterant—an offer you aren’t going to find anywhere else. She’ll probably accept Webster and Aaron, too, once we show her their control.”
“There is no way in hell I’m trusting any offer from Macha.”
Evalle kept her voice calm and understanding. “You’re the only person I’ve met who claims to have information on the origin of Alterants and what we all have in common.”
“It’s not just a claim and it’s more about our origins in particular. Mine, yours and my sister’s.”
“Okay. Great. I need that information and your help now while we have this chance to become a recognized race. You may be willing to live with a target on your back forever, but other Alterants deserve the chance for freedom.”
That must have struck a chord in Tristan. He leaned forward as if reconsidering his stance, then shook off some thought and sat back, arms crossed. “I’m not sharing anything unless you talk to my guy.”