yeah, I’d been working on it for a while, but when I saw him going after her, his reaction to her shutting him down again, I pushed the button. No more playing defense.”
His eyes flashed shock. “You’re going after the council.”
“No, but we’re going to have a little chat once they hear about this. This should truly keep them busy for a while. McGrath was working with them, and a snake like that will be a snake always. Even for them.”
“Be careful, love. We can’t—”
“Stop calling me that. Please.”
“No, because you are my love, even if you stop loving me one day, I won’t. I won’t ever stop loving you.”
I shut off my telepathy and looked away. Even if I believed him, even if that was true… Then love wasn’t enough. He would leave me again, or it would sink in that I’d killed those men or… Something. Anything, and he would leave me again.
And I wouldn’t survive that.
Izzy cleared her throat, clearly knowing I was distracted or listening in on someone as she always seemed to. “Thanks, Tams,” Izzy whispered, giving me a look of love.
“Always. You hide shit from me again and I’m going to spank you, and not in the way you’d enjoy.”
She sighed. “You’ve got enough on your plate for forty people. I could handle it.”
“We can all handle a lot but when it hurts us, we get help. I’ve turned to you and Mel. That’s the line. You could have gone to Mel too.”
She opened her mouth but then closed it. “You’re right, and I should have. I felt like I was being a baby and sensitive.”
“We get stronger by getting the help sooner and standing up faster after each hit, not enduring more beatings. That just does more long-term damage.”
“That is one of the wisest things I’ve ever heard,” Darby muttered. “Where did you hear that?”
“Mel, and I know she got it from Mr. Rothchild because I’ve heard him say it in training as well. It’s how their whole clan runs their teaching and they genuinely believe in it. They never chastise or mock each other for one being better or getting help. I worried I would make Mel look bad that I needed the next level from her, but it was a sign she was so good a teacher I moved up. It’s always positive with them.”
“That’s why they’re the best,” he praised, bobbing his head. “Of all the dragon knight clans, they are constantly ranked top, even by other dragon knight clans.”
Hudson and Lucca both nodded, even Juan looked like he wanted to agree, but also wanted to stay loyal to the dragon knight clan that protected his family. I didn’t blame him, and it wasn’t like I was asking him to vote in.
The drama and crazy from McGrath’s arrest spread wide and fast, the excitement and outrage going way past dinner. And just like I’d expected, the warlock councilmen hurried to meet at their estate. The fae dogs I’d assigned to watch it checked in with some hobgoblins, and they got word to Irma, who let me know about an hour after dinner was over.
Time to start fighting back instead of simply playing defense.
I changed what I was wearing to something a bit warmer and opened a temp portal in my closet, careful to use the right everything so it was cloaked on the other side. It worked out perfectly because all the councilmen arrived outside in the parking area, no one allowed to open a portal directly in the building for security reasons.
I flipped up into a large tree near the entrance and waited for the last to arrive before revealing myself, but keeping a barrier up to protect myself. “Why the late meeting, boys? Did something go wrong today you should be worried about?”
Their array of reactions, from surprise to outrage, and the guards’ anger I had gotten past their security, was fucking hilarious.
“Seize her!” Ainsworth bellowed. “Get her immediately!”
“Oh please,” I drawled, widening my barrier so the guards couldn’t even get near the tree. “Let’s not be children who can’t use their heads for more than hat racks. I wouldn’t come here to chat if you had any chance of getting your hands on me. You guys fail on that, time and time and time again.” I chuckled darkly. “It’s really so fucking fun to watch you idiots spin your wheels and waste so much effort on it.”
“You will get in line and do as your—” one of