beginning with their efforts to eradicate the vampire covens across the human realm to the most recent battle that acquired the Order some wolf pups, mates, and a gypsy healer.
By the time he’d finished speaking, Myanin was seriously considering telling them to take their Order and jump into the jaws of a draheim because she might not be an elder djinn or a history keeper, but she knew of Vasile Lupei, and she also knew how the wolves felt about their mates and children. If the Order wanted a war, they were certainly going to get one.
But before she spoke rashly, she stopped and considered what she knew from the elder’s memories and from what Thadrick had told her over the years. She’d always been a little fascinated with the ways of the Canis lupus. Their loyalty to each other was powerful, and she’d always envied the mate bonds they shared.
“You mentioned that the high fae who fights with them, Perizada, wasn’t on the battlefield?” Myanin asked.
“Perizada was not there.” It was Alston who answered her. “She has, no doubt, realized that she is no match for me or the Order.”
Right. Or maybe she just got sick of the smell of bullshit because Alston was full of it. “So why are you here instead of there, attacking them while they’re worried about their mates and pups?” Even as the question left her mouth, she couldn’t believe she’d just suggested they attack the Romania pack and their allies, especially considering the wolves were probably terrified for the safety of their pack members.
As if he could see her hesitation, Ludcarab said, “There was another djinn on the battlefield.”
Had she not been a supernatural, her neck might have broken at the speed she snapped it around to look at him. “A male djinn?”
The elf king nodded. “Do your people not know that they’ve got djinn out doing battle in the human realm?”
Myanin didn’t answer that, instead asking a question of her own. “Was it the male your vamps were looking for when they found me?”
“We were following a possible lead when we sent the vampires to Indianapolis,” Sincaro answered. “How many djinn does your race have running around the human realm? Rumor has always been that the djinn, like some of the other secretive supernaturals, stayed in their own realm.”
She stayed quiet. Myanin wasn’t about to reveal that she wasn’t that high up in the chain of command anymore. A few months ago, she’d have known everything because of her post at the veil. But now, she only knew what they told her, which, lately, had been when to beat Lyra’s rugs.
Her mind went back to the fact that there was a male djinn on the battlefield, fighting with Vasile Lupei and his people. It could have been Thadrick. He seemed to have suddenly decided they needed to be involved in the other supernatural races’ issues. If he was fighting for them, then she would be fighting for the Order. It was as simple as that.
“We need to attack them at this stronghold. What did you call it?”
“The Keep,” Alston answered.
She nodded and began walking slowly around the circular room. “We need to catch them off guard. When you have your enemy retreating, you don’t back off.” Her training kicked in as her mind went into battle mode. “You press forward. You push and push until they’re at the edge of the cliff and then you shove them off.”
“Damn,” Cain muttered. “You got something against Vasile and his pack?”
She cut him a sharp glance. “I have neither love nor hate for the wolves.”
“But you do have your own agenda,” he countered.
“I could say the same of each of you.” Myanin turned to face the four males.
“Perhaps,” Cain agreed. “But when Ludcarab mentioned the male djinn, something changed in you. Are you a woman scorned, Myanin?”
She hissed through her teeth as she threw her hand out, allowing her power to flow. It hit the vampire in the chest, drove him into the opposite wall, then lifted him off the ground until he was ten feet in the air. His back pressed against the blades hanging on the wall behind him.
“Definitely a woman scorned,” Alston said dryly.
“My business is my own,” she seethed.
“Release him,” Ludcarab commanded.
After several deep breaths, she let Cain fall. He landed on his feet, as graceful as a cat, then stood and straightened his suit jacket. “I apologize if I hit a nerve.”