Free Corrigan Magic (Corrigan: Blood Destiny Book 2) by Helen Harper Page B

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    That was different.  Or so I hoped anyway.  Tell him that he’s going to want to help us out with this.  If he loses us as allies, then he’s stuck between the psychopathic vampires and the nutty faeries.  He needs us as much as we need him.
    I could almost feel Staines’ own panic ripple through to my own body.  My Lord, why would he lose us as allies?  You’ve put too much effort into diplomacy to break things off with them now.
    How could I explain to him that my discovery of the corpses could indicate that such a loss might not be by choice?  I’m going to stay up here until he completes the scan, I sent back simply.  Perhaps that’ll encourage him to hurry.
     
    *
     
    I checked in with Staines every ten minutes because, of course, he couldn’t contact me with the Voice, I could only contact him.  It was a shifter failing I often bemoaned.  It had be to bloody annoying for him to have me appearing in his head every ten minutes.  Still, it was a surprisingly short amount of time before I received my answer.  I had to remind myself that the Arch-Mage wasn’t stupid.  He probably grasped more about the situation than Staines actually did.  Because if Staines was thinking what I was, he’d have charged over here and would already be attempting to drag me back down.
    The Arch-Mage informed me that this is the last favour he is willing to do us.  He was muttering something about his people being upset again that he was pandering to the furries.  He was whining about some trouble up in Inverness as well.  Seemed to intimate that it was all our fault.  I can’t think why.  There’s no pack in Inverness and I’ve double checked with everyone nearby.  None of ours have been near there for months. Stupid magician. Thinks he’s a bloody god, lording it over the rest of us.  The next time he needs our help he’ll change his tune quickly enough. 
    I pinched the bridge of my nose.  I really didn’t need to deal with petty squabbles between us and the Ministry.  Not right now.
    Just tell me, Staines.
    He sighed dramatically.  One, my Lord.  There’s only one life form larger than a sheep up on that damn hill.  He paused.  Hold on.  Aren’t those hell hounds supposed to live there?
    I inhaled deeply, not answering him.  My suspicions were correct.  The disease that had attacked the Somerset Pack had been here first.  And it had wiped out an entire species.  The Cwnn Annwn were extinct.  I broke off the connection with Staines and sought out Doctor Higgins instead.  Time of night be damned.
    Doctor, how are things going in Somerset?
    He took a moment to respond but, when he did, he didn’t sound as if I’d just woken him up.  He didn’t sound happy either though.  Funny you should ask, my Lord.   The others who were also sick, who I thought were getting better, have taken a turn for the worse.
    My stomach sank.  In what way?
    Um, well, there are some signs of jaundice.
    You mean liver failure.
    Not necessarily.  It could be symptomatic of any manner of complication.
    I want you to send notification the second there is any change in their condition.  No matter what it is.
    Yes, my Lord.  They’re calling for me.  I’d better…
    Go, I growled.
    I stood frozen, letting the wind whip round me as I surveyed the open graveyard.  The Cwnn Awnn hadn’t had doctors or laboratories on their side.  And no-one new had been infected since just before I’d first learned of the disease.  The contagion might be dying out naturally.  I lifted my eyes to the heavens and prayed I was right. 
    It took some time to deal with all the bodies.  The only thing to be thankful for was that the small cave which had once provided a safe home for the dogs, would now provide a safe place for their final rest.  One by one, I brought them up, laying them gently down next to each other.  When every single one was there, I used the loose stones lying around to shore up the entrance and ensure it