agape.
“You forget she didn’t really want to attend this thing in the first place,” Mrs. Rothchild said from further down the hallway. “As security, you made the right call. Logistically, you might have a nightmare on your hands.”
I shrugged, seeing Mr. Rothchild behind her, letting me know the Vogels were already there then. “I’m not a leader. This is a scholarship fund extra thank you party, not a state dinner. They overplayed their bullshit hand to start more shit with me, and more than they understand.”
“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow at that.
I nodded, taking Mel’s radio off her hip. “Zack, you get a list of who came with crystals?”
“Of course I did. Professor White is here at the front for that sole purpose. While she checks invites, and verifies who people are, and that they’re not using glamour, we’re doing the security procedures we discussed. But yeah, I got the list, why?”
“Give it to Liluth and Esta after everyone is checked in. That many crystals could have left me fucking brain dead, and it was seriously rude. We don’t allow rude people to shop at our bakery. They get a three-month ban if they apologize. Liluth and the co-op can do as they wish, but I would bet they’ll do the same.”
“Yes, yes, they will,” he agreed, sounding amused even over the radio. “I’ll make sure they get it.”
“Thank you,” I sang, handing Mel back her radio. “Let’s make sure everyone not on that list gets something extra. A basket of fae fruit? Maybe with a feedback card that only they get, as we know how elites love to give their opinions and feel they get a vote on everything.”
Mel held up her hands in surrender when her parents both looked at her accusingly. “She came like this when I met her. Don’t blame this evil genius part on me. I simply taught her to fight back and how to get bad guys.”
I snorted. “Yeah, simply that.” I snapped my fingers and asked them to hold on as I remembered something. I hurried back into the room I had used to get ready and grabbed one of the two file folders I’d been working on in secret. Then I went back to the others and handed it over to Mr. Rothchild. “My present to your clan.”
“For what?” he asked with a frown, glancing from the folder to my eyes.
I smiled, handing it to Mrs. Rothchild instead, who opened the folder. “You swore your clan to be my sword should I need it. I don’t know if I am really of a noble bloodline, but I read before there are certain traditions of my people we keep to if a clan should ever do that. I went back and checked them, and that’s my gift for the honor you have bestowed upon me. I have one for the Silva clan as well.”
Mrs. Rothchild gasped as she read it over. “She bought us a massive ranch with vast lands and paid for the construction of several separate houses for all the cousins and family to stay at when they’re off.”
“Or retired,” I added. “You now have clan land for those retired from service who can still provide support or do whatever, but can also raise your kids away from the dangers of the Vogels if you want—whatever you want. It’s still in their territory, of course, but it’s large enough to hide a lot, and with a good sized forest.”
“Why would you do this?” Mr. Rothchild asked as he looked over his mate’s shoulder.
“It’s who she is, Father,” Mel said easily.
“And it’s what my people do,” I added. “It was in several journals that it was how some packs and groups were started and how their lands were granted to them. I know that doesn’t apply here, but it never hurts to have a vacation house or even an off-the-books place to hide the Vogels, should it ever be needed. That place is buried under several layers of protection and once the work is done, I’ll put up what’s needed.”
“What’s needed?” Mrs. Rothchild whispered, but then her eyes went bug wide. “You can do that?”
“Not over that much land,” I clarified. “But yes, enough to keep the residences safe should you need to lock the area down. I’ll go over it all and how to activate it.” I grunted as she hugged me tightly. “Okay, not a dragon, don’t crush me.”
She chuckled and kissed my temple, but eased up on me. “Thank