Seeing Spots Read Free

passing.”
    Mage Guild Master Tobias frowned. “You want human mages as well?”
    “If there is a solid match, yes. I have something to give in exchange.”
    The table perked up and leaned forward to hear his terms. Wormith’s hands were sweating and his ears tingled. If they didn’t accept this, there would be no other item he could offer.
    “In exchange for allowing our people access to the Crossroads in the same manner the shifters can, any person mating with one of the fey would share the life of the fey. The lifespan would be split and shared evenly, as would the magic.”
    Shifter Guild Master Norman Exeter narrowed his eyes. “That is a fair blending of the races, now is it even possible?”
    Wormith nodded. “Our seers tell us that this is our only chance. A selection of men and women who can take an animal form would be our first attempts. A fair sampling of thirty would be applied over the next year if we can get agreement. We would even provide additional magics to shore up what we have damaged.”
    Norman leaned back. “What about all the collectors?”
    Wormith flinched. He knew that would be mentioned. “We will take them apart as our regulations allow. New laws are being enacted as we speak.”
    “What promises can you give that will demonstrate your conviction to keep our people safe and healthy, as well as free? I know that your kind view us as animals, so how are the volunteers being selected?”
    Wormith produced a file with several candidates for the first volunteers to try the project.
    Norman looked over it and he tilted his head. “This list counts heavily on the population of the Crossroads being more female than male.”
    He pushed the file over to Dira, and she flipped through it, with her eyes narrow. “What about djinn?”
    Wormith blinked. “Um, we have not contacted them yet.”
    “You don’t have to. If we are opening up the Crossroads for anyone to find love, it will be open to all with magical bloodlines. Even Halfling humans.”
    Wormith swallowed. “What?”
    “You heard me. This is not a playground for you. We have created the Crossroads out of need and I poured my heart and soul into providing a safe, private environment for folk to meet and let their beasts speak. If we are doing this, admittance criteria will change and we will have to hire a seer to work with the transporter to determine the chances of love being found. We will also need a spell crafted to hold the mated pair together. The binding will need to be administered at the Crossroads. The contract must be drawn to bind them together in both communities.” Dira rapped out her demands.
    Norman raised his brows. “You have no objection to a shifter marrying a fey?”
    Dira smiled sadly. “My sister married a djinn and had many wonderful children, many of whom are still alive today. Their magic was not diluted, it was stronger.”
    Wormith was stunned. That hadn’t been in the briefing about the creator of the Crossroads. He knew she was a dragon, but her family had not been mentioned.
    “So it works?”
    Dira snorted and fire came out. “Of course it works. We are the same basic species, just different races. If your folk would have shed their superiority earlier, there may have been thousands more of you by now.”
    Wormith rubbed his head. “I didn’t know. I never thought about it.”
    “Think about it. Now, let’s bring this to a vote. I vote yea to letting the elves into the Crossroads as long as other species are invited as well, and a seer indicates that it is their best chance at love.”
    The vote went around the table and Dira smiled. “Good. Now, let’s get the protocols in place. We have a population trapped in there.”
    Kris nodded grimly, “And there was nearly a fatality. If not for the quick thinking of the guardians up there, she would have been torn apart by your severing the link.”
    Wormith felt uneasy. “Is she alive?”
    “She is, but we don’t know if there are any side