Rive by Miranda Kavi Read Free Book Online Page B

 Otherworld. They fancy themselves a military junta of sorts.”
    “Why?” Ashley asked. She rested his hands on her chin. “What do they want?”
    “I’m not sure,” Regina said. “I don’t know if they targeted Naomi or if that was a crime of convenience.”
    Mateus shifted in his chair. “It would not make sense for them to destroy the Tuatha . They need us. This is an act of cowardice. An act of terrorism. It’s designed to create fear and make us tremble.” He stood, crossing his arms over his chest. “We must not let them make us afraid.”
    “No.” Regina’s voice rang through the room loud and clear. “We should be cautious.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “They killed Naomi. She’s third in. She had many more years left.”
    She placed her hand on Mateus’s, pulling him down so he was seated next to her. “We need to go on lockdown, pull everyone here. We need to circle the wagons.”
    “No.” Mateus shook his head. “We can be cautious, but that is too much. We are stronger. We will not live in fear.”
    Regina dropped her hand from his arm. “It is not cowering, it is being safe.” Anger tinged her words. Celeste had seen more emotion from her in the past few days than she thought possible.
    “I will not cower,” Mateus said. “You can, but I will not.” He lowered his voice so Celeste had to strain to hear it. “You saw our power. It is untapped and undeveloped.”
    Regina sat up, her face etched with grief and hostility. Her body changed, becoming churning and watery, but contained within her human shape. Like water, Celeste thought. She hadn’t realized she could actually change form like that. “We have lost two Tuatha . We have two new ones in one year. Do you understand how rare that is? It has never happened like this.”
    She stood, pacing the room, flickering from living, walking water to her human form. It was strange and beautiful. Celeste had to stop herself from reaching out to touch her. “Many years pass between Tuatha . Sometimes hundreds. We have to go on lockdown. I’m ordering it.”
    “Regina, no!” Mateus yelled. “You may be the oldest, but you do not have the final say. You’re overreacting.”
    “Naomi is dead! How dare you—”
    “He is right,” Usha said. As usual, his face read distant and bored. “We do not yet know the situation. If we overreact, it will create a panic among the Sidhe . That would be unfortunate for everyone.”
    “Plus, a lockdown is a horrible idea,” Victor chimed in. Regina turned to him, fury clear in her stance.
    Victor stepped forward, hands up. “From a security standpoint, that is. I don’t think we have the resources to effectively defend ourselves against any military-type action. We may, but we don’t even know for sure what we are dealing with yet.”
    “Then, what? Please enlighten us, child,” Regina said.
    “Instead of swarming together like fish in a barrel, we scatter like pollen in the wind.” His lips curved into a smile.
    “I agree,” Celeste said. The strength in her voice surprised her.
    “Listen to the children,” Usha said. He flicked his strange hair out of his face. “They are wise.”
    Regina sat down in her chair, looking tired and old, but her composed, prim self. “Fine. All Tuatha will return to their normal lives with guards. Potentiates will remain here, along with me. Mateus, find me an army big enough to defend them against any attack. You like to pick fights.”
    Mateus smiled. “I will make this place a true fortress, my dear Regina.”
    “Good. It is done,” she said.
    The door opened, guards and Tuatha slowly filing out. Celeste felt Rylan’s presence behind her. She guessed he’d been lurking in the shadows the whole time, but she’d been too distracted to notice. She slipped her hand into his.
    “Let’s go,” he said. He solidified himself next to her, and then led her out of the room.
    “Rua.” Regina’s voice stopped them in their