Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Drex laughed, a deep, hearty sound. A few people looked his way, smiling. “I can see how that would be persuasive, especially when it belonged to someone like that.”
“The thing to remember is, we’re currently dealing with the drudgery of mages. We’re dealing with the worst of the worst. They’re the ones in charge, and because of that, the honest mages—the ones who don’t want to engage in this sort of behavior—try to stay out of the way. They try not to get caught in the crossfire, or make too many waves, because if they do, they’ll be killed or punished. You heard Tilda. We’ve spoken to other mages who are doing everything in their power not to be noticed. They want change, and they want peace and a fair governing body, but they are sorely outnumbered, and so they are quiet.”
“You’re planning to seek out those mages and collect them up?” Drex asked.
“Yes. If we have any shot at winning this thing, we need mages on our side. We need more magic.”
“But first you are after the shifters,” he stated.
“The shifters, more gargoyles, more basajaunak…” It was overwhelming to think of how much effort they’d already put into this and how much further they still had to go. Would they have what it took to reach the end? “After we leave here we’re going to meet a new cairn leader. We’re hoping to get his support, and if we do, we’re hopeful more will join up.”
Drex took a sip and let silence filter in for a moment. Someone shrieked with laughter near one of the fires. An older man offered Jess a hotdog, reaching out to her as though offering her a bite.
A flash of rage boiled through Austin before he could tamp it down. His arms tensed but he resisted ripping his hands out of his pockets and running over there to make a show of possession. Hell, he wanted to beat the guy’s face in.
He trusted Jess to handle it, and she did. She shook her head and stepped back, lifting her hand in a stop motion. He could tell she was politely declining. Wave after wave of love and support rose through their bonds, reassuring him. Helping him clear the red tinging his vision.
Jasper put his hand out to keep the man away. Two of their shifters and a couple of Drex’s enforcers quickly drifted closer. Wrapping his arm around the man’s shoulders, Ulric grabbed the hotdog with his free hand, took a bite, laughed, and led him toward one of the fires, diffusing the situation.
“I apologize for Clark,” Drex said, his voice tight. It took Austin a moment to realize the other alpha was tense, ready for action. He’d seen what had happened. “He came to us from a life with Dicks to find his roots. A midlife crisis, I think. His dad was a shifter but took off when he was young. He wants to live amongst shifters but doesn’t seem to want to learn the culture. He’s created a few problems because of it but he’s harmless. We’ve let a lot go where it concerns him.”
Austin sucked in a deep breath through his nose before letting it out again. He tried to will calm and release the need to go to Jess and wrap his arm around her shoulders.
“I have a tricky past,” he said, “where that sort of behavior would mark him as a dead man. I try very hard not to be that guy.”
“I thank you for that.” Drex took a deep breath, too. He would’ve tried to diffuse the situation to save his pack member but obviously knew many alphas would kill anyone stuck in the way. Austin had the power to do so. “You have unbelievable control. I have only loved once, and it was in my youth, but I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from handling that in a very violent way.”
“Something mages and gargoyles would think was barbaric and ridiculous.”
Drex huffed. “I guess it is a little bit.” He tilted his head. “It’s probably a good thing I didn’t allow shifter delegations in here. Clark flirts with any pretty woman he sees. He’d probably be dead now if I operated this pack like a usual shifter pack.”
“Very likely.”
Silence passed between them for a moment. Jess glanced his way, her body language suggesting she wanted to close the distance between them. She glanced at Drex and hesitated, then turned away to give them a moment to talk.
As if on cue, Drex said, “There’s something I wanted to talk with you about.” He paused and Austin waited. “I will join your convocation, if the offer still stands. I’ve already contacted a few of my closer friends about you and Jessie, and about your people. I’ve told them about the mages and what went down here. One of them asked if it was a setup.”