Thoreau - Chapter 65: Chapter 65

Grey Myers
Kon was getting on my nerves, and that was saying something since I could tolerate just about any kind of behavior from anyone.
He was usually a pretty chill guy, but right now he wasn't. He kept saying he sensed his mate and would even catch her scent, then it would disappear only to reappear an hour or two later. It was driving him crazy - and he was driving the rest of us crazy right along with him.
Eli was about to murder him for scaring Imogene with his pacing and muttering and hair-pulling, and Poppy Halder was threatening to turn him into a toad and stomp on him if he didn't pull himself together.
Needless to say, Gelo and I took him along with us when we went to meet Josef Krall, who was one of Gelo's contacts through his best friend, Hank Bishop.
Josef was the Drott of the Huskarls, which Gelo said meant he led the nephilim troops here in New York City. Half-expecting him to be like the last guy Hank Bishop introduced us to, I prepared myself for fire and fury, but was pleasantly surprised to meet someone a lot like me.
Josef had calm hazel eyes and a ratty baseball hat jammed low on his longish brown hair. He was the same height and build as Gelo, so smaller than a shifter, but a solid size for a human. He reminded me a lot of Alpha Jay, who could spend all day reading a book or strumming his guitar and be perfectly content.
So, yeah, nothing like Kerry Harker, the neph warrior who helped us find Imogene and kill her captors. He was one scary-ass dude, and I wasn't in a huge hurry to run into him again. I liked his friends well enough, but I also liked all my body parts working.
After Josef led us into his living room, he introduced us to Titus Wray, his second in command. He was almost a mirror image of Alpha Mase, only with short blond hair instead of brown and his cold eyes were blue, not gray. His face was just as expressionless as alpha's, too, and he had that same dominant presence and air of highly controlled power.
We shook hands with him, then Gelo asked if Kerry or Hank would be joining us, and Josef shook his head.
"I liked that guy," Kon smirked. "Chime Karma would have enjoyed going a round or two with him."
"I'd like to see that," snorted Titus. "He's powerful as hell and on a hair trigger twenty-four seven. Worse than you, Gelo."
Gelo flipped Titus off, but considering he had to take his hand off his pistol grip to do it, he only proved Titus right.
"He was intimidating," I admitted to Josef.
"You have to give Kerry some leeway." He shrugged. "He isn't functioning too well right now."
"Harker never functioned too well," Titus muttered.
"Can you blame him?" Josef shot back. "He was possessed by a demon for ten years. He finally gets exorcized and his girl falls in enemy hands. How would you be, not knowing what's happening to Mimi, or when or how you can get her back in one piece?"
Titus frowned at his best friend, but said nothing. I didn't know who Mimi was, but I could guess that she was very important to him.
Then Gelo, Kon and I froze as shouts broke out in the whole pack link, which only meant one thing: Hunters were invading Five Fangs.
As we pieced together what was happening, I relayed it to Josef and Titus, who looked more and more alarmed as I told them about the original scents Bridger and Roger had smelled around the diner. Then I showed them the photos from Roger's security cameras, and the infernal being especially caught their attention.
They traded a look, then Titus's phone appeared at his ear as he walked out the door, obviously in search of a quiet place and I couldn't blame him since both Kon and Gelo lost their shit when Alpha Ash confirmed that Reau was among the hunters' hostages.
I was angry and worried about my friends, too, especially Reau, but trashing the room and screaming obscenities wasn't going to help get him back.
"Come with me, Grey." Josef walked out of his living room, so I followed. Even with my slow-ass brain, I could tell he knew something about the hunters, and I was hoping he'd know where they were taking our friends. "Titus will take Kon and Gelo to the outpost's training center to blow off some steam before they blow the roof off of my house."
"And where are we going?"
"My allies will start arriving soon, so we need to set up a headquarters or, as Titus calls it, a war room. If your pack mates can continue to track the raiders, what you call hunters, we'll finally have a location to attack."
It took me a while to process, and by the time I did, Josef had led me outside, down a sidewalk, and into another building.
"They've taken more than wolf shifters, and more than just this once," I said as we entered an enormous conference room.
"Yeah. For years now. They're the ones who first took Gemma, Kerry's girl, as well as hundreds of other nephs. I wasn't aware they were taking shifters, too, but it makes sense, I guess."
"What do they want with them?"
"They call themselves the Alchemists. They had a ... meat locker ... for want of a better term in Pennsylvania where they held their hostages for processing, but Kerry blew that up a few days ago. They also have a lab, although it either moves around or they have more than one because we can't pinpoint a location for anything, which is why we haven't been able to shut it down."
"Do you know what happens at the lab?"
"Drain out a neph's Divine blood. In the case of shifters, it's probably your moon magic. We don't have solid proof of what they do with the blood or power they collect, but either can be used to fuel dark spells, feed demons, run experiments, and other assorted evildoings. After that, they harvest souls."
"The souls?" I repeated.
"Yeah. Best we can figure, they're supplying a prince of hell with them, although I don't know what they get in return, and I'm not sure how they're storing so many souls or where."
"Maybe in gemstones, like that witch Bennie did with Imogene," I suggested.
"What?" Josef came to a dead halt, and I almost ran up his back, but managed to dodge in time.
"Bennie kept Imogene sealed in a moonstone pendant while Veery, Imogene's wolf, ran her body. Veery could heal it again and again as Bennie used her pain to drive her magic, although it drove Veery half-feral. Poppy had to sedate Veery before returning Imogene to her body."
I grimaced. Watching Chime Karma shred Bennie's assistant as Kerry took his time with Bennie herself was not something I ever wanted to witness again.
"Gemstones, huh?" Josef clamped a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks, Grey. That's immensely helpful. How is Imogene, by the way?"
"Scared of everything and everyone except Elijah. I mean, she was in a sort of coma since she was thirteen, and her life wasn't anything great before that. Poppy said her mental landscape was so torn up, she needed something to latch onto and give her hope."
"Man, that's rough. If there's anything I can do or offer to help, let me know," Josef offered.
"Thanks, and I will. For now, Poppy had an idea to strengthen the twin bond so Imogene would 'remember' him, even though they were just tiny babies when they were separated. At first, Eli wasn't sure about messing with his sister's memories, but once he understood, he was more than willing to be Imogene's something."
"They're almost eighteen, right?" Josef asked, and I nodded. "From what I know of shifters, finding her mate will help her, too."
"Yeah, the mate bond is amazing. Luna Posy once said that it doesn't make all the pain and bad memories go away, but it makes you want to live and helps you find the will to fight for happiness."
"I wish nephs could experience that." Josef's voice was soft and wistful before he cleared his throat and pulled the tattered bill of his hat down over his eyes. "I can't even find a loyal girlfriend. Is that so much to ask? To stay loyal when you've agreed to a committed relationship?"
"Not at all. I'm sorry that happened to you."
"Four times in a row now," he sighed. "Titus will tell you I have horrible taste in women, and I guess I have to agree with him considering that track record. I gave up after the last disaster, but it's lonely being the third wheel in a world full of couples."
"I know it." I patted his shoulder. "Seems like all my friends are finding their mates at the same time. Just me, Bridger, and Eli left now. Well, and Kon, but he's a half-dragon. I think it's going to be harder for him to find his because he's going to live so much longer than us."
"Nephs live a long time. Some up to five hundred or more. How long do half-dragons live?"
"Near as Gelo can figure, about twice as long as a wolf shifter. He turned forty this year, so he's really only about twenty."
"So a Fourth would work. Fourth generation away from a Fallen parent," he explained when he saw my lost look. "They live about two hundred years. Hmm. I'll gather up a few for him to meet after the dust settles down. Maybe he'll get lucky."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate the thought even if he doesn't."
My brain might work slow, but it worked eventually, and I finally remembered how Kon and Poppy were once taken prisoner and had overheard their captors talking about a lab...
Knowing Kon was useless right now, I said, "You need to get Poppy to tell you about her experience with some hunters who planned to take her and Kon and a bunch of other shifters to a lab."
"I'll do that next. Thanks again. I think I need to collaborate with you more often, Ambassador Grey." He gave me a grin as he pulled out his phone and started texting. "For now, let's get some helpers and organize this."
Once his army of aides arrived, Josef got things moving very quickly, and I learned a lot from him. Way more than I was from Gelo or anyone else, although I couldn't blame Gelo. He wasn't any kind of diplomat at the best of times, and his beloved son's kidnapping had sent him into a killing rage.
Same with Kon, and I hoped none of Josef's people got not-so-accidentally killed at the training center.
As for me, I was worried and upset and angry, too, but it wasn't my nature to freak out in times of stress. Or anytime, really. My brother Crew was the same way. Rather than feeding our demons, we took them apart to see what they were eating, then starved them.
As I helped Josef figure out the logistics, I asked him about his allies and wasn't too surprised to hear King Julian was coming, but blinked when he said King Brioc of the Woodland Realm was also on his way.
I knew Princess Rhys had been taken along with Reau, the Hall twins, and Roger, but it didn't register that her king would involve himself.
He's her father before he's her king, Matthias pointed out with an eye roll.
I'm aware of that; I just didn't think of it. I'm slow, remember?
You're not slow. You just process slowly! he growled. And like Crew told you, it is not bad to take the time to think. It's one of your strengths, not a weakness.
Thanks, Matthias.
I gave him a little nod, then went back to helping Josef. We were using a map of the building to plan out who got what sleeping areas and had just turned to working out meals when tiger shifters showed up out of the blue.
"Drott! Forgive the interruption, but Khan Jasper Nanda is demanding entry at the front gate!" One of Josef's aides held her hand to her chest, red-cheeked and panting from running. "He says he's here to pay a debt to a mutual friend by tracking down the raiders you've been discussing today."
From what I remembered of history class, the khan was a brutal and ruthless leader who kept all tiger shifters under his thumb. They weren't even allowed out of their kingdom, which covered most of the Indian subcontinent, and were either dragged back and killed or excommunicated to the third generation, which meant their children and grand-children couldn't return to find their mates.
He himself had never been blessed with a mate, but seemed to have a new queen every six months or so, and it wasn't much of a secret that his chosen mates were far from willing brides.
"Should I let him in?" the aide asked as Josef remained silent.
See? Matthias said. He's taking his time to think!
I already got the point, wolf.
"Is he alone?" Josef asked her at last.
"No. He has a young girl and ten warriors with him."
"We don't have a treaty with the tigers, Grey." Josef cut his eyes over to me. "Plus, they're actively at war with the Woodland Realm. I'm not inclined to turn down a helping hand on this one, though, not when we're closer than we've ever been to shutting down the Alchemists. Thoughts?"
Even though it took a few minutes, I processed through everything before I opened my mouth.
"Meet with him here while his warriors wait outside. If King Brioc arrives in the meantime, have your aides escort him to another area. Find out what Khan Jasper is offering, then make a decision. Oh, and, if it's okay with you, I'll link Kon to come here." I rubbed my fingertips on my chin. "Dragons have true invisibility. He can be the ace up our sleeves if things go sideways and Khan Jasper wears out his welcome."
"I agree, and good thinking. Link Kon and tell him to hurry so he can be in place before Khan Jasper enters." Josef turned to his aide. "Give the khan a respectful welcome and say I will meet with him momentarily. He can bring his daughter inside, but his warriors will remain at the gate."
The aide nodded and scrambled off while I linked Kon, who had a hard time convincing Chime Karma to put down the prisoner he was chewing on until he explained they were going to meet an actual tiger shifter.
"Prisoners?" I turned to Josef. "At the training center?"
"Have to train on someone." He lifted one shoulder. "Most of them are Diabolical creatures that need to be returned to the Pit. I'm sure his dragon had a great time clearing out our backlog."
Before he finished talking, Chime Karma in all his glimmering white glory zipped into the room, the door slamming shut from the force of the breeze he brought with him, and Josef's breath caught in his throat.
"Magnificent," he breathed as the dragon hovered over him.
Thank you, Drott, Chime Karma rumbled.
"Aw, you get used to seeing it," I teased, and the dragon's little boom of laughter made the hair stand up on Josef's arms.
Then the dragon shifted and magicked clothes on Kon, a trick I dearly wished our wolves would also have.
"What's the plan?" he asked.
"You go invisible while we talk to him," Josef said. "If there's a threat, neutralize it."
"Permanently or temporarily?"
"Use your discretion." Josef and Kon exchanged wicked grins, and I rolled my eyes.
"How about you wait for a signal from Josef?" I suggested. "King Julian has a non-aggression treaty with the tigers; the nephs have nothing. Let Josef make the call so we don't cause an international incident."
Kon chuckled but agreed, then three quick knocks on the door had him disappearing, and Josef and I nodded at each other.
"Drott?" the same aide called from outside the door. "Khan Jasper Nanda is ready to see you."
"Now that, apprentice, is diplomacy," Josef smirked at me. "Rather than ask if I was ready to see him, she stroked his ego."
"Get the tiger to purr rather than take him by the tail," I added, and we shared a quiet chuckle.
"It will be my pleasure to receive him," Josef called out, giving me a wink.
The aide opened the door and stepped aside, and Khan Jasper Nanda swept inside.
He was nothing like I expected, although I didn't know why I assumed his appearance would be similar to King Julian or King Brioc or, hell, even one of my alphas!
Instead, he was a short, slim man who looked to be in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair and hard brown eyes.
My gaze moved to the slight girl scurrying three feet behind him. She seemed scared to death and didn't look more than fourteen. She even had a stuffy clutched to her chest, and I wondered why in the world he'd brought his pup into a potential combat zone.
"Sit, bitch," King Jasper spat at her, and Matthias and I both stiffened with disgust.
No one should talk to a pup like that, my wolf muttered with raised hackles. Not even a king.
Without hesitation or question, the girl sank to the floor and wrapped her arms tightly around her stuffy, and my eyes narrowed at her instant compliance, not liking it one bit.
I remember what luna was like when she first came to the pack, I told Kon. I remember what Reau was like, too, and nothing about this girl's behavior is any different.
Yeah, something's not right, he agreed.
Suddenly, the girl's nose was up and quivering as she locked eyes with Josef, who stared back at the girl with wide eyes, his ball hat pushed back so far, it nearly fell off his head. He didn't move a muscle, and I figured he was either shocked to feel the bond blossoming inside him or confused as to what it was.
Just wait until he feels the sparks, Matthias chuckled.
Guess she isn't as young as I thought, I replied with a smile, happy for them both.
"Mate?" The girl's soft voice broke the silence.
She stood again and took a step toward Josef, but Khan Jasper slung one arm out like a bar and stopped her in her tracks.
"So long as I am khan, no tiger will ever mate with another species, and certainly not with an abomination like a nephilim!" he snarled. "Reject him now, Yara, or die!"
"I will never reject my mate." Her voice stayed low and quiet, but she met her alpha's eyes.
Khan Jasper did not like that. Grabbing a fistful of her long, black hair, he yanked her head back, almost making her drop her stuffy, but she latched onto it and pressed it into her neck.
"How dare you defy me!" he bellowed.
"How dare you defy the Goddess' wishes?" Despite her wobbling knees and shaking voice, the brave girl stood her ground against his fury.
Maybe not beaten into complete submission, then. Good for her.
So I'm thinking this qualifies as a threat, Kon linked me. I'm also thinking it needs a permanent solution.
Not to insult you or your dragon, but I know next to nothing about tiger shifters. Is Chime Karma a match for a tiger? I asked.
More than. For dragons, tigers die as easily as wolves. Plus, this stronzo (asshole) is full of moon power. Royal moon power at that. Chime Karma is going to get drunk on it.
I rolled my eyes. A tipsy dragon was just what we needed right now.
But all I said was, I'll distract him. You get into place and wait for Josef's signal. Then let Chime Karma off his leash and don't hold him back.
Josef seems pretty frozen to me, Kon said skeptically. You're sure he's going to make a move?
Gelo said the title drott means something like warlord, and Josef's been the drott here for a long time. He may look stunned and helpless, but I bet he's far from it. He'll signal, and you need to be ready when he does.
Little wolf, ready is my factory setting, Chime Karma chuckled.
"What is she to you, Khan Jasper?" I called out, drawing his gaze to me. "Your daughter? Unless you're a pedophile who likes little girls, and you took her as a chosen mate."
The girl gasped and squeezed her eyes closed with a quiet sob, and for once in my life I wasn't slow at putting two and two together.
"Oh, my Goddess! You did!" I breathed in shock. Outraged on behalf of the innocent girl, I did something I hardly ever did and raised my voice. "You took a pup as your chosen mate?! And let me guess, that isn't a stuffy she's holding! All this time, I thought it was a doll, but it's not, is it? It's your spawn!"
"My son!" Khan Jaspar hissed. "It took nearly twenty years and twice as many brides, none of whom lived longer than the worthless daughters they birthed, but I finally found one to give me a son!"
He's insane! Matthias whispered, mirroring my own disbelief.
Good thing Gelo isn't here with his arsenal, or this would already be a bloodbath.
Maybe it needs to be! He is not fit to live another moment! Let Chime Karma loose already!
I was the calm one, the gentle one, the peacemaker who always wanted to find a bloodless solution, but right now I agreed with my wolf one hundred percent.
Wait for Josef, I told Matthais, Kon, and Chime Karma as I kept my eyes fixed on the girl, who never looked away from Josef.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I tried to fight. I promise you I did. I didn't want it to happen! I swear by the moon I didn't!"
"That's enough out of you, Yara!" Staring right at Josef, Khan Jasper wrapped his free hand around the girl's throat and extended his claws. "Now she's served her purpose, I might have been persuaded to allow her to be with her Goddess-given mate, but I'd rather see her dead than mated to a filthy nephilim!"
Grey? Kon spoke through gritted teeth.
Thankfully, Josef finally made his move.
"Release her," he commanded in a ringing voice that made me want to do anything he wanted. "The Council holds no treaty with tigers, and I would not honor one with the likes of you even if it did. Release my girl or die."
My brother Crew was exactly like this: Chill as hell until someone threatened his luna, his mate, or his loved ones. Then he got what he called downright aggressive.
The rest of us called it downright terrifying.
"You think you can command me because you have Divine power in your voice?" Khan Jasper scoffed, then jerked his head in my direction. "Or are you planning to order that little wolf to attack? Well, allow me to educate you, Drott of the Huskarls. Wolves are no match for tigers!"
Thankfully, Kon read Josef's signal correctly. Appearing out of thin air, Chime Karma ripped Khan Jasper away from the girl and hurled him into the wall.
I am no wolf! he thundered, tiny lightning bolts zipping around the room.
Khan Jasper hadn't remained khan by accident or luck. He shifted in the blink of an eye and his giant tiger launched himself at Chime Karma, who filled the air with enough static to make the big cat's fur stand on end.
Reau would have loved to see this! Such a floofy kitty! I chuckled, and Matthais gaped at me. What? You know it's true.
The kitty part, yes, but not the rest! We're in the middle of the clash of the titans here!
Oh. I can step back if you're worried, I shrugged, or leave with Josef.
I jerked my chin to Josef's back as he ran out of the door, holding Yara as tightly to his chest as she was holding her little one to hers.
I'd expected nothing less than for him to go into protective mode. The mate bond just hit that way, no matter what species you were.
As for the 'clash of the titans,' it was a ruthless fight, but not that long of one. Chime Karma was more than a match for the tiger king's power, just like Kon had said, and it helped that he could fly - well, levitate - and the big cat had to use the walls and furniture to try and leap high enough to reach him.
Chime Karma was slowly wearing out Khan Jasper's tiger and seemed to be enjoying himself until one wickedly sharp claw scraped down his left rear leg with a sound like nails on chalkboard.
And Chime Karma was done playing with his prey.
The tiger ran at the far wall, jumped halfway up, and used it like a parkour instructor to launch himself forward only to find Chime Karma had gone invisible. The tiger landed on his four paws and let out a roar of challenge as it swung its yellow eyes around the room, and Chime Karma reappeared directly above him.
A seven-thousand-pound dragon landing on a seven-hundred-pound tiger makes quite an interesting noise, I had to admit, especially when accompanied by the sizzle of lightning and the crackle of burning hair.
I also had to admit that Kon was right about his dragon getting drunk on Khan Jasper's royal moon power. Chime Karma sank his fangs into the tiger's neck and drained him of every last drop.
You should store some of that in case of an emergency, Kon tried to tell him, but like a moody baby with a bottle, Chime Karma only gripped the mostly dead tiger closer and sucked harder.
Once he was done, he ripped the tiger's head off and tossed it into the corner, and the fountain of blood that followed was also quite interesting, although I wished he would have warned me first so I could have moved out of the way.
A hot, red, copper-smelling shower was not one I ever wanted to take again. Even my socks inside my shoes were soaked!
Wiping my eyes as best I could, I sloshed toward the door, opened it and poked my head out, hoping to hell that one of Josef's many aides was around and, fortuitously enough, one was walking by.
"Where's the closest shower? And I need a change of clothes. And new socks and shoes. And this room needs a deep cleaning." The guy opened his mouth, and I held up one hand. "I also need you to find Titus Wray and bring him here. Oh, and if this room can't be cleaned in the next half an hour, we'll need another one just as large. Make it happen."
"Yes, Ambassador Grey! I'll have someone to lead you to a shower while I make some calls. Give me one minute."
I nodded, then went back into the room and closed the doors. No innocent eyes passing by needed to see what was in here. Then again, given that aide's relatively chill reaction, maybe they were all used to seeing things like this.
Little titters and big burps came from behind me, and I rolled my eyes to see Chime Karma slouched in one corner with a swollen stomach and a happy smile.
I guess all's well that ends well, I told Matthias.
We are covered in blood! It's disgusting! His upper lip curled.
Hey, you were the one who wanted a bloodbath. Besides, how many others can say they experienced something like this?
Hopefully none, he snapped.
After I cleaned up and changed, I connected with Titus and told him what happened, and he said he'd take charge of the tiger warriors, then check on Josef and Yara.
Josef's army of aides had the room cleaned in no time, even the ceiling, so I decided Chime Karma could stay in his corner and sleep off his bout of excess. I only hoped to hell he didn't have a hangover.
But what if he does? I asked myself, then decided to link Gelo since Kon had fallen asleep, too. What do you give a dragon for a hangover?
I don't know. What?
It's not a joke. Chime Karma is drunker than drunk.
Che due coglioni (What the fuck)! I'm on my way.
While I waited for him, I picked up Josef's notes from the big conference table and called over the woman who seemed to be in charge of the aides, the one who had escorted Khan Jasper into the room. With her help, we finished up the last few items on his list just in time for King Julian to show up with a squad of twenty heavy warriors.
He took one look at Chime Karma's bloated belly, sniffed the air, and turned his wide eyes to me.
"Who? Is that a— Is that a tiger? I've only smelled one once before, but Nyx insists it is."
"It is. Khan Jasper Nanda." I held up my index finger when his mouth fell open. "Please, your majesty, I'll tell everyone what happened when they get here so I only have to do it once."
Thankfully, he agreed, and King Brioc of the Woodland Realm arrived not ten later with twenty-five fae troops, all armed to the teeth with everything from old-school bow and arrows to heavy steel shields and swords. I felt like I was in the middle of a film studio.
Titus Wray and Gelo came in next. Gelo stared at Chime Karma for a moment, then rolled his eyes.
Best to let him sleep it off, he linked me. Who did he eat?
King Julian said to wait until everyone's here. I kind of, sort of stretched the truth a little there, but I didn't feel like telling the story over and over, and Gelo gave me a thumbs up.
Finally, Gelo's friend, Hank Bishop, came in with his wife Gina as well as Kerry Harker and his friends.
"Where's Josef?" Kerry demanded before anyone could even introduce him to the two kings.
"He found his mate!" My happiness for him helped me find the courage to answer Mr. Scary-Ass.
"His mate?!" Hank cocked his head to the side. "Nephs don't have mates."
"She does." I shrugged. "She's a tiger shifter, but she wasn't in a good situation, so Josef is helping her get settled in a place she'll feel safe until this is over. I am concerned about one thing, though. Josef will live a long, long time as a First, but she's a shifter. He'll outlive her by centuries."
"Tigers are unique in the shifter world, son." Gelo dropped his hand on my shoulder. "Their lifespans are tied to their Goddess-given mates. She'll live as long as he does."
"Oh!" A weight of worry dropped off of me. "That's good! Really good!"
Hmm, Matthias snickered. Maybe we should take Kon on a trip to India and see if his mate is a kitty.
Are you insane? My eyes bugged out. Have you seen him interact with Squidge? He hates cats!
"Josef will be back soon." Titus narrowed his eyes at Kerry. "Did you need him specifically, Harker, or will I do?"
"Peri will be here in a minute."
"Peri?" I frowned. "Why is Beta Ty bringing his pregnant mate a foot off pack territory, let alone here?"
"Not peri as in Peri James, although she's named for them," Gelo set me straight. "One helped her mom when Bennie cursed her."
"Then what are peri?" I tried to remember learning about them, but so much of school never made it to my long-term memory.
"Like fairies, you could say. The good djinn."
"How did you get them to agree to help when the divs are wreaking havoc?" Titus was asking Kerry.
"And what are div?" I looked back at Gelo.
"The bad djinn. Roll with it for now, and I'll teach you about the supernatural world when we get home."
I nodded, glad he wasn't getting impatient with my slowness when he was stressed and angry.
"I freed their queen." Kerry shrugged like it was no big deal, although even I in my ignorance knew it must have been.
"Good to see you're making friends," Titus smiled at him, but I didn't know the guy well enough yet to tell if it was sarcastic or sincere, although I thought it must have been a jab because Kerry's eyes suddenly flared the way Alpha Jay's did when Quartz pushed for control.
Only Kerry didn't have a brutal wolf inside him.
No, from what I could tell, he had a way worse monster, one I hoped I'd never meet.
As we waited for the peri, King Julian asked me to tell the tale of Khan Jasper and Josef's new mate, so I did, and everyone was either enraged or in tears to hear what poor Yara had been through. The two kings formed a plan to help the tiger shifters find a new, more humane khan, and I was happy to hear that.
If nothing else, I didn't want any more girls to go through what Yara had.
Josef arrived shortly afterwards and made sure everyone knew it was my plan that had saved his mate, and I felt my face flush.
"Well, Ambassador Grey," King Brioc shared a look with King Julian, "if you ever find yourself out of a job at Five Fangs, come to the Woodland Realm. Your sort of diplomacy is just what I need in my kingdom."
"What can I say, your majesty?" I held back a little smile at his praise. "There are times when words are enough, and there are times when only a dragon will do."