March 28, 2005
The guard lit the gas torch he was holding and brought the flame close to her neck.
"Trust me, one way or another, we will expose you," continued the guard, while another one was doing the same thing to Alejandro.
"Holy gods from above! They are trying to burn you two. Does Alejandro have a twinning partner who can help him heal?"
"He was considering getting one with Andrew, but then they lost contact with each other. His mate is a fire mage. She can't help him sustain the internal injuries like we do, but she can protect him differently."
"It's probably a good thing he didn't get a twinning bond with Andrew considering no one heard from him in over a year," said Sonylla in her mind while more burned marks appeared on her body. "I find it encouraging to see that the MI6 has been talking to them, assuming it's them. It didn't change anything, but it's good to see they tried. I wonder if it has to do with what your posse has been up to."
"Erik and Henry? What have they been up to?" said Coralis, with her eyes shut and ignoring what her guard said when leaving her cell.
"The day you got captured, they created a blog called 'The Secret Posse' to make people believe Blue Thunder is merely a very skilled super secret agent, and so was Alejandro. Your mate and probably all of the local shifters have been sharing their stuff. I've heard some wolves created an account wherever they posted their stuff just to subscribe and share. Sebastian told them you were denying being a witch and that's what they came up with."
Coralis brought her hand to her mouth to stop her laughing. Alejandro gave her a weird look.
"I'll tell you in a minute, I'm getting news from my twinning partner," she said to Alejandro in a separate mind-link before answering Sonylla. "In other words, they are making me pass for a secret agent and the MI6 isn't denying it."
"They aren't confirming either, but based on what I heard from your guard, they are trying to help you. Honestly, that's probably the only good thing I heard today and I'm starting to hate our kind."
"What happened today? What did you hear?"
"You know I stopped watching the news since you got captured, right?"
"Yes, you told me the last time we spoke."
"Well today, my dumbass decided to watch it. The feeling of my arm burning brought me back to my senses. Some fellow elementals are now saying that your mate betrayed you and that's why you've been captured."
"SERIOUSLY?"
"Dead serious, and I think we both know who's spreading that crap. I don't know what was said for the past 3 days, but just before your guard tried to burn you, High Elf Yalor made a statement to address these rumours, urging people to stop believing false rumours."
"I was betrayed, yes, but not by Frank. He's got nothing to do with why I'm sitting in here. On the contrary, he's the reason I'm holding on to my sanity right now."
"High Elf Yalor told people M. Blue isn't the one who betrayed you. Sebastian told me he and High Mage Finnas spoke with him last night. They want him to let them know, through Sebastian, if there is anything."
Coralis stayed silent for a minute.
"I'm glad to hear that. I don't like people thinking Frank is the one who betrayed me and I don't understand why High Elf Yalor and High Mage Finnas would do that for me when I don't work for the CMMA, but when everyone out there wants me dead, it feels good to hear that not everyone is against me, that I have allies."
"High Mage Finnas is a flyball fan and High Elf Yalor's mate is human, but I think it goes deeper than that. It's like Panjik said when he started training us privately. At this point, it's more about who they trust on their side than who works for them."
In the evening, Stephanie, Sebastian and Victoria went to Frank's to watch the flyball game against Spain. Since Sebastian and Coralis retired from the sport, neither of them took the time to watch a game, but that night, Stephanie insisted they should watch a game together, even if Coralis couldn't be there.
"It feels weird to watch a flyball game involving The Northerners. A part of me feels like I should be on the field right now and wonders how come Steven is the captain, instead of Blue. It feels like I'm dreaming this."
"It still feels weird for us to watch a game without you and Blue on the field," said Frank.
"It feels weirder to watch it WITH you, Sebastian, no offence," said Victoria, handing everyone a beer. "That does not happen. We're supposed to watch you play, not enjoy the game with you."
"Steph is right. I think we needed this to feel somewhat normal for a night. I need this," said Frank.
At the first intermission, the Spanish captain addressed the crowd.
"Oleandro? What is he doing?" said Victoria.
The crowd started shouting.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," said Oleandro when the staff intervened to get the crowd to listen to him, "fellow elementals and allies. No worries, I'm not here to stir trouble. No. I'm addressing you all to show my respect and support for Blue Thunder."
The people in attendance stopped shouting and whispers could be heard.
"Contrary to what it looked like, we never hated each other. We're both aggressive players, but our rivalry never went beyond the field. My mate and I even attended her wedding. What is happening to her and Alejandro Salinz is angering, but I urge you, do not get fooled by false rumours."
Oleandro paused his speech for a moment.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting this from Oleandro. I think I want to reach out to the field administrator to get a recording of this, to show Blue when she gets out," said Sebastian.
"Humans are not her true enemies, do not hate on them. They don't hate us and many don't believe what they are being told. Blue's mate loves her too much to even think of betraying her, it's not him. Together, we need to remain hopeful for the future. It does not matter what they do to her and Alejandro Salinz: they won't break them and the true heroes will win the war."
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
"I'm glad he did that, but I'm hoping it won't get him the wrong type of attention. Radicals are also watching, I'm sure," said Sebastian.
"Blue will want to see that, yeah. He's right, and so are you, Seb. They can't break her, no matter what they try," said Frank.
The next morning, Sonylla had a meeting at the CMMA headquarters in Winnipeg. She left the meeting room, wondering if she should head home or stay to train while healing internal injuries around her ribs.
"PLEASE, tell me you've got eyes on Frank right now! Tell me they're nowhere near him!"