Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 156: Lyre: Assigned Missions

LYRE

Thankfully, Grace seems to have a natural affinity for arcana manipulation. It might seem as if it would be natural with her being an Anchor, but... surprisingly, it isn’t always.

I frown at my phone. No Plausibility warnings yet—which is suspicious in itself. My screen glows with a stomach-sinking alert.

It isn’t like I didn’t know it was coming, but still...

[ASSIGNED MISSION: Neutralize detected agent of Chaos in Region 23-BETA.]

The alert is region-wide, meaning Owen’s probably got the same message burning a hole in his pocket. At least he’s competent.

"What’s this?" Grace is staring at her own phone with a frown. When she sees me looking at her, she turns the screen toward me. "What does this mean, Lyre? It’s from that app."

The familiar interface of the Divinity App glows back at me. And a mission.

But this one is different.

[ASSIGNED MISSION: Investigate disturbance in Region 20-L. Locate and secure compromised artifacts. Report findings.]

Region 20-L. Blue Mountain territory. Grace’s old pack, and the same place she was running from.

"Let me see that." I snatch the phone, scanning for details. Grace is nowhere near ready for field assignments. She’s barely grasped the barest concept of her own power, for fuck’s sake.

Then my eyes land on the bottom of the screen.

[Temporary Guardianship Assigned By: Reaper Caeriel]

"That son of a bitch!" The words explode from me before I can stop them.

The camper shudders violently, dishes rattling in the cupboards. A few books tumble from their shelf. Grace yelps as her coffee cup slides across the table, grabbing it just before it tips over the edge.

"Earthquake? Do we even get earthquakes here?!"

I force my breathing to slow, pushing my rage back into the box where I keep all my other inconvenient emotions. "No. Not an earthquake."

That overdressed, obsessive bastard. Caeriel knows exactly what he’s doing. Assigning guardianship of an untrained Anchor without consultation? Sending her back to the place she just escaped?!

He’s trying to corner me, force my hand. And the worst part is I can’t follow her there—I’m bound by my own mission parameters.

Fuck!

Before I can explain anything to Grace, the door’s yanked open. Caine fills the doorframe, wild-eyed and bristling with protective fury.

demands, eyes darting between

No wolves

him square in the chest, propelling him backward out the door. Another flick of my wrist slams it shut,

starts immediately. "Lyre! Open

to Grace, who looks torn between shock and wanting to let him in. "Listen to me very carefully." I keep my voice deadly serious, and she jerks her eyes

"But why—"

lost your mind." I lean closer. "And if you push it,

draw together.

And those shifts are rarely gentle." The banging on the door grows more insistent. "I don’t like telling you to keep secrets, especially

face. She nods slowly, reluctantly, as Caine continues his assault on my

her voice steadier than I would have expected from someone who just had a

to go back to your old pack. To Blue Mountain." The words feel like betrayal coming from my lips, and I don’t like it. "Find out what’s been

back? There?!" Her voice goes up into a

you. I’m pinned here

I get

the ass. There’s no way

Damn it.

don’t—I can’t—" Grace stammers, panic rising in her eyes. "They don’t want me there. And

through my hair with a grimace. This is not how I expected today to go. I was hoping to grab the Sleeping Beauty of a wizard and force him to track our prey

arcana if this stupid fucking mission is

stay away from this damn

in his cosmic eye socket. If that pretentious divinity hadn’t made direct contact with you,

demands. The kids are shouting, too, and Grace doesn’t like it. Her hands keep fluttering

my finger brings blessed

yelling away.

in my chest twists at the fear in her voice. Doesn’t she realize she

need to work

your boyfriend will be with you. And

at me. "Why would

anything about her boyfriend, she would bring up the annoying and

him. What a useful

the girl

More than you even understand. You’ll

I hope.

lets her

warning, but it’s probably what he’s waiting on. Fucking

go away until the mission is completed, one way or another. "How long