The Luna

Sixteen

Malachi and I avoid the topic of Caspian and his Lotus pack for the rest of the drive. Instead, he suggests we play twenty questions to pass the time. It's a light conversation which I think, after the night and last few hours we've had is something that we really needed.

It was nice not to have to really think for a while. That is to say, that Caspian and his pack never really left my mind, the worry and doubt still sat there in the back, nagging at me. But they were easy to avoid when I was arguing with Malachi about why black licorice is disgusting or how the Twilight books were infinitely better than the movies.

And I stand by that.

"Any tattoos or piercings?" I ask when it's my turn. I hadn't seen any piercings on his face, but the robes cover so much him, he could be fully covered in tattoos with a belly button ring for all I know.

"I have a tattoo on my wrist," he stretches his right arm out towards me, nodding for me to move the robe.

The black circle is neat and perfectly centered on his inner wrist. Inside is a small wolf baying at a perfect crescent moon. It's the size of a half-dollar and is beautiful in it's simplicity.

"It's the symbol for the council," he pulls his arm from me and begins to merge off the highway.

Trees surround us - as far as the eye can see. The setting sun causing the leaves to change colors. Greens, pinks, purples off all shades coloring these woods making them look magical.

"The council?"

"Yes, that's where we are. The Concilium. It's where the council resides," he nods to a turn off-road that I would have missed had I been driving.

Large trees line the dirt path on both sides with nothing more than a large boulder marking the turn off point.

The road itself is slightly smoother than the dirt path we took leaving Caspian's pack but still rocky enough that I'm gripping my seatbelt tightly.

"Listen, when we get in there, let me talk, okay?" He pulls up in front of a large, unassuming brick building.

Vines sprawl up the sides of the brick, but not in a way that makes it look unkempt. In fact, it's the opposite. It's almost like someone drew neat lines for the vines to follow. It's charming and fits so quaintly among the trees that I wonder if the trees were planted around it or if it was built around the trees.

Malachi opens my door for me. I had been so wrapped up in the building that I hadn't seen him slip out of the car and walk around.

"You can take the robe off now," he shrugs off his own robe and for a minute I'm surprised to see jeans and a black t-shirt underneath. I don't know what I expected him to be wearing under the robes, if anything honestly, but something so simple and classic wasn't it.

"The entire Concillium can hide scents, like the robes, so you don't have to wear it here," He takes my robe from me and tosses them both back into the SUV like someone would a sweater on a warm summer day.

Malachi gives me a reassuring smile, placing his hand between my shoulder blades, and leading me towards the large wooden door. I had been expecting some sort of rustic farmhouse decor. With large open windows framing the woods surrounding them. For a place that Malachi said the council resides in, I was expecting a house, maybe even similar (if not grander) than what Caspian had.

But this is more like a large office, at least on this floor. A large open floor plan with high vaulted ceilings. There are no couches, no chairs - only pristine marble floors and painted portraits lining the walls. 

Wolves really like their portraits, don't they?

"These are all past council members. It's an honor to be chosen, but comes with a cost," Malachi doesn't rush me as I look around. He stands next to me with his hands in his pockets, looking at the paintings with as much interest as I, even though he has probably seen them many times.