back his other half and making my old friend whole. So I’m here to help keep you alive, shield you when I can, and divert attention.”
I mulled that over a few moments before nodding. “Tell us if you think the shit is really going to hit the fan. We have more in place than you’d think. We just need to buy more time before this all blows up to handle it best, but we do have lots in place. So don’t risk you or your people to help. We can be smarter and keep people safe.”
He gave me a sad smile. “You won’t keep everyone safe in a fight this big that you’re in the center of, young fairy.”
I fisted my hands and stepped into his space, squaring off with the larger man. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do just because it’s never been done before. Just because others have failed doesn’t mean we will. I know it might happen, but assuming it will happen is admitting defeat while we’re still fighting. This isn’t an all-out war, but a strategic fight I’ve been fighting before becoming a supe even.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a hard look. “And you’re going to tell me you never lost anyone?”
“I have, but they didn’t die. They went back to drugs or their bad lives. That was their choice, but we lost them, and I acknowledge that. We might lose some who go back to their families or abusive mates as making a new path is hard. But I would rather order all the fae dogs under my control to wipe out every council than let one person on my side die. So no, I will not accept that anyone with me dies in this fight.”
Instructor Larson looked much younger as a slow Indiana Jones smirk creeped onto his lips. “Then let’s get to training you, shall we?”
“Let’s.”
I realized there was another problem going on while we’d been sniffing each other’s butts, Mel and Colton getting into it with a councilman.
“Your aides and guards were supposed to give longer notice and have an appointment,” she argued. “Council members are allowed on campus at anytime but—”
“The guards and aides with us are included in the—”
“But that’s not the rules,” Mel declared. “You’re assuming that, decreeing that, but that’s not the actual ruling or verbiage. You can’t just say your whole posse is covered and bring in as many guests as you want to disturb my class.”
The other councilman whose name I didn’t know stared down his nose at her so hard, I wondered if he had a headache from eyestrain, which was amusing since Mel was actually taller than him. “If you do not remember yourself and speak to me as you should—”
“You’ll what?” I interjected. “You have no jurisdiction over her. You’re nothing to her. This is her domain you just encroached on. Do you not understand how manners work, or are you so uncouth and need to remember yourself?”
He ground his jaw, but keep speaking as if he hadn’t heard me. “I will file a grievance with your elders and—”
I snorted. “Oh no, not those chickenshit assholes.” I waved it off. “Whatever, I’ll buy them off as that’s how you guys all handle these ‘grievances’ and your ‘justice.’” I held up my hand to him when he opened his mouth and faced Mel. “Ignore them. They’re here for me and I’m—please, you don’t think I have a plan for these fools? I’m insulted you don’t have more faith in me.”
“Tams, the guards and aides aren’t held to the same confidentiality and rules the councilmembers are. They can run their mouths all over the place about anything they see,” she worried.
I pointed behind her to the students. “Right, because they all keep their mouths shut. We know they tell everything too. I got this. Don’t worry and go be fabulous and teach your class. Really.”
She studied me a moment and sighed. “Fine, but if you put yourself in danger I’m telling Irma, and she won’t make that marble and pearlberry pie.”
I opened my mouth to say something snarky and closed it. My stomach really did rule me. I smiled, nodded, and she walked off. I turned to the slightly amused Instructor Larson next. “How big of a space do you need for us to work? Are we off to the side or how are we doing this?”
“We need to warm up and—”
“I can go over my morning