limbs represent your strength and your reach across Low Town.”
As I finished the description, I lifted the napkin and turned it around on the plate so that Jack and his pack mate could see it clearly. It wasn’t my best work, but it wasn’t bad for a quick sketch on a linen napkin. Freddie even leaned forward a little to look at it.
“And you don’t put this on your chest or arm,” I said, dragging their eyes back to me. “It goes on the side of your neck. That way everyone can see it at all times. Everyone knows that you’re a member of the Low Town Pack.”
“That’s pretty cool,” said the pack member, his gaze dancing over the design.
Jack’s frown returned and he focused back on his plate, digging into the food with more force. “No.”
“But—”
“Drop it, Dave,” Jack snapped. “You know we can’t.”
I folded the napkin and placed it next to the werewolf called Dave. Grabbing my fork, I stabbed one of the sausages and took a bite. It tasted fantastic, going a long way toward settling the complaints of my stomach. “Who could stop you?” I asked around bites.
Dave directed his attention to his food. Jack paused before looking up at me. Hatred blazed in his brown eyes that held a hint of yellow from the line of werewolf flowing through his veins. For the first time, I didn’t think that anger and hatred were directed at me.
“Reave,” I said softly. Jack gave a grunt as he grabbed his mug and drained it. To my surprise, he picked up the pitcher and filled my mug before refilling his own. “Why?”
The silence stretched for a couple minutes, until I was sure that I wasn’t going to get an answer, but Jack unclenched his jaw and spoke.
“I might be the alpha, but Reave considers the pack his. He has for as long as he’s been in Low Town. A long time ago, he killed off the pack members that had tags and declared there would be no more clan tagging in Low Town. I think he’s afraid that the tag would mean that our loyalty belongs to something other than him.”
Finishing off my sausage, I stabbed another and munched on it as I sat back, thinking. “So, if Reave wasn’t around . . .” I said, letting my voice drift off.
Jack let out a bark of laughter, the last of the anger leaving his face. “Yeah, when pigs fly. It’s a nice thought, but you’ve got to remember, we know your secret, magic man. You can’t use your hocus-pocus on him or us, and that’s the only way you’re going to get rid of someone like Reave.”
I leaned across the table, an evil grin spreading across my face. “Can’t, huh? How’d that work out for you?”
The laughter left Jack’s eyes and he glared at me again. “Yeah, well, I doubt turning Reave into an ankle-biter is going to get rid of him.”
I sat back, finishing off my second sausage while debating taking a third. Freddie turned to look at me, a worried expression across his ugly face.
“You can’t do that to Mr. Reave, Gage,” Freddie warned. “He said the Towers would kill you if you use magic. Mr. Reave also has a lot of protection like ogres and trolls and that dark elf magic.”
“It’s okay, Freddie,” I said, patting him on the shoulder, trying to reassure him. “We’re just talking. That’s all. It’s just talk.”
“Yeah, Freddie, we don’t mean anything by it,” Dave added. Some of his long brown hair slid over one shoulder to cast his friendly face in shadow.
“Head up to the bar, Moose,” Jack snapped, dropping his fork on his plate with a loud clatter. “We need some fresh drinks. Get some steins of Dunkle.”
Freddie nodded, a smile on his face again. I slid out of the booth, letting Freddie out.
When I returned to the booth, Jack sat back, watching the large man walk away. “Freddie’s a good guy, but he doesn’t know how to keep his fucking mouth shut. The Dunkle will keep him busy for at least ten minutes. What are you thinking, warlock?”
I arched a brow at him. “How can I trust you? You said Reave owns your pack.”
Jack shrugged, his thick arms folded over his chest. “The pack does what it’s told and he ain’t said nothing about keeping you in line. Reave’s handling that personally along with his trolls. What’s changed that you suddenly feel free to use your magical mojo?”
“All