"Despite the constant grey skies, London is quite nice," Katherine said.
"It's very much Zenna's style," Iriel muttered from over his coffee cup. They had been in London for days searching for possible sightings of where Zenna might be. Isadora had the thought that instead of spending more useless time frantically searching the entire city, they should just find a particular spot to wait where she might possibly walk near. Iriel used a combination of magic and his knowledge of Zenna's habits to determine that at some point she'd walk near this coffee spot that was at the heart of the city, and close to a natural park.
"That much is true," Isadora said replying to Iriel's earlier comment. Katherine glanced at the Viking Queen. She had been quiet since they'd gotten to London. Or quieter, Katherine mused. Katherine's eyes narrowed as Isadora suddenly stiffened. Katherine followed her gaze to the tall lanky form of a girl with hazelnut skin littered in swirly black and blue tattoos, her shiny raven hair tied in a high pony that whipped from side to side as she walked.
"Is that her?" Katherine asked.
"She has more tattoos than she did last." Iriel murmured as he rose.
"No." Isadora said suddenly rising and putting a hand on Iriel's forearm. "I will speak to my sister first."
Iriel watched Isadora walked off before he turned to Katherine. "We're not really letting her go alone, are we?" Iriel asked.
Katherine dropped a couple of bills on the table. "Of course not." she retorted as she rose. "Left or right?"
Iriel smirked. "I like how you think Ms Blood." Iriel said.
"You take right.." Katherine walked carefully taking care to go around where Isadora and Zenna had stopped, the park across the cafe. Katherine supposed nature is where the two former tribal warriors would feel most at home.
"Come to drag me back to hell? Dear sister?" Zenna asked facing Isadora.
"I've come to take you back home," Isadora replied.
"Home?" Zenna said with a smirk. "Our home has long since perished."
"Our home is where our people reside," Isadora said.
"Your people." Zenna sneered.
"And who are your people? These Dragon Hunters who kill for sport?"
"There was a time that was a revered pastime."
"It is not this time, now it's murder. These Dragons have already suffered. Can you not leave the accursed dragons' be?" Isadora said with a shake of her head.
"Their suffering will make their blood all the more sweeter." Zenna said.
"Is that really what you believe?" Isadora said.
"You shouldn't have come." Zenna said. "There isn't much left in me, that is still your sister."
"I will be the judge of that." Isadora said holding her hand out.
"It's too late for your dragons. For her Dragons." Zenna said looking towards the entrance. Katherine poked her head out with a frown.
"And yet you aren't with them," Isadora said.
"I heard you sister. Demeanding and lecturing me from far away. Hounding my dreams." Zenna said.
Isadora smiled. "And you stayed."
Zenna scowled. "Your my sister."
Isadora gestured at the gate, "You two can come out now."
Iriel joined Katherine as they made their way into the park, Zenna's eyes focused on Iriel with a raised brow. "Iriel?" she murmured.
"Hello Zenna." he said quietly. "Where are the Hunters?"
"As I told my sister, you shouldn't have come," Zenna said glancing between Iriel and Isadora, before her gaze landed on Katherine. "The Hunters are probably already in New Orleans."
Katherine's eyes widened. "What?" she demanded.
"They left awhile ago." Zenna said.
"Without you?" Iriel asked suspiciously. "You usually go first to scout ahead."
"Yes well." Zenna said, glancing back at Isadora.
"What is it?" she asked with a frown.
"You know I have the gift of foresight." Zenna said. "It's how I knew our village was going to be attacked."
"You went to fight. That was the last time I saw you." Isadora said.
"Because I trusted someone I shouldn't have." Zenna said looking at Iriel. "Vladimir. He was there. He was part of the attack. He chained me to his will and then made me forget."
"What?" Iriel and Isadora said glancing at each other as they spoke.
"I was enthralled. It's only recently that it's been undone." Zenna said.
"How can you be sure?" Isadora asked.
"When you spoke to me in dreams, you said my true name the name the village gave me. It broke through the lock that Vladimir has had upon me." Zenna said flipping her arm and showing the pale patch of skin on her forearm.
"The wolfhead." Iriel said, lightly touching the pale skin, making Zenna shiver inwardly. He looked up into Zenna's eyes her violet depths no longer cold but filled with a warmth that was welcoming. "I should've known. The wolfhead. He marks all his followers with that mark." Iriel cursed.
Zenna dropped her arm looking at the three of them. "I have the gift of foresight, but I am not beholden to Vladimir, any longer. So I did not care to warn him."
"Warn him?" Katherine asked.
"It's not just the two dragons they will face. There is another."
"Another?" Katherine asked. "I don't understand."
"You will. I doubt the Dragon even knows what she is, but she will. She will rise for she is protection. And Vengeance too."
"We have to get back home," Katherine said. Isadora glanced at Iriel and then Zenna.
"You were both on their team. Will you fight with us?" Isadora asked. "You know their tactics."
Iriel and Zenna glanced at each other. "Is there a place the Dragons would go. Somewhere they would be unguarded." Iriel said glancing at Zenna briefly. "A place like home."
Katherine scowled. "Hunter's going to be pissed." She said pulling out her phone.
"What are you doing?" Iriel asked.
"Warning them?" Isadora asked. "It might be too late for that."
"It's not exactly a warning." Katherine said. "Sort of like a break glass in case of emergency."
Terry picked up the new crate of booze and made his way into the bar just as Damien started herding the human denizens out of the bar. "Um. What's going on?" Terry asked.
"Katherine just sent word. The Hunter's have arrived, possibly." Damien answered.
Terry glanced around looking at the supernatural kids that were still at the bar, including the two dragons. "Shouldn't we be putting them somewhere safe?" Terry asked gesturing at the Two Dragons.
"I am not letting them be killed on my watch." Hunter said with a scowl. "Marcus is protecting the school."
"Perhaps she's wrong?" Damien piped up hopefully.
Hunter glanced at the Vampire. "Since when have known Katherine to be wrong?"
"This is going to be a shitstorm." Damien said with a scowl.
"And to think I was upset to be excluded from your group." Terry muttered.
"Bet you regret being included now."
"I regret that Dorian is over by the school." Terry muttered.
Dorian and Rina had been awfully secretive since they'd been back. With Darius and Helena in the mix he kind of understood why. He wouldn't trust any of them until Helena and Darius left. He glanced over the bar where Vanessa stood with another server. He scowled. Of course Vanessa would here when both Dorian and Rina were not.