asked.
“Well, in light of what you’re telling me, I’m guessing that you were worried about me.”
“That would be incorrect.”
She felt as if this was a job interview and she was flunking. “Okay, to be honest, I was hoping that you were interested in representing me. As an actress.”
“I am not.”
That stung. “You know what, Darius? You could be a little kinder.”
Once again the eyebrows went up. “Why?”
She hesitated. She’d painted herself into a conversational corner. “Okay, never mind. I have no idea, my esteemed godfather, why you’ve asked me here today. I am all ears.”
He smiled. “That’s better. There is, I believe, a Council meeting of the Elven Keepers scheduled for today.”
“Yes.”
“Time and place?”
“Don’t you know?”
“I do, but I want to make sure that you do, after your all-night adventures.”
“Three o’clock this afternoon, at the home of Charles Highsmith.”
“Which home? He has several.”
“Lake Sherwood.”
“Yes, his ranch. Do you know how to get there?”
“I can operate a GPS, Darius. Even hungover. Which I’m not, by the way.”
“Thank you for sharing,” he said, dryness creeping into his voice. “This will be your first closed Council meeting, if I’m not mistaken?”
“Yup, first one.” Now that she knew there was no chance that her godfather would become her agent, her best behavior was slipping.
“May I offer you a piece of advice, my dear?”
“I’ll take several pieces, if you’ve got ’em.”
Darius frowned. “First, in Council meetings, as regards talking, less is more. Unless you’re using it for misdirection, or to encourage others to speak about themselves, talking gives away information, when the objective is to acquire information.”
“Okay, makes sense.”
“In other words, Sailor, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Strive for a ninety-five-to-five ratio of listening versus talking. Anytime you’re tempted to speak to impress someone, don’t. Your fellow Keepers have been at this a long time and are, generally speaking, cleverer than they look. You will not be the smartest person in the room. Try not to be the most stupid.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Darius.”
“I have a great deal of respect for your father, what in a normal man would be called affection. I’ve always found it curious that I was his choice of godfather to his only child. Rafe put a lot of store in the position.”
“Yes. You’re supposed to oversee my spiritual development.”
“But not your professional development, which is why I have thus far resisted your requests for representation.”
The words thus far raised her hopes. “You could make me a star, you know. If you chose.”
“Stardom would do nothing for your spiritual development.”
Hopes died. Sailor stood. “Okay, then. Talk less, listen more, make it through the meeting without displaying my ignorance. I think I’ve got it.”
“Sit.”
She sat.
“You understand the power of alliances?”
Sailor thought of the pact she had with Rhiannon and Barrie. And Declan. “I do.”
“Good. There will be more to this meeting than Robert’s Rules of Order. Observe alliances. There are two major players on your Council, Highsmith, and a woman named Justine Freud. They loathe each other. Everyone else will line up behind one of those two. See if you can figure out the teams. That should keep you from falling asleep. If all else fails, amuse yourself by determining who’s sleeping with whom. Finally, make your own alliances. Base your decisions not on pleasantness but usefulness. You’re friendly by nature, but this is business, so there must be a quid pro quo.” He reached for a pen. “I’d like a full report by the end of the day.”
“Excuse me?” Sailor said. “I’m to report what goes on at a confidential meeting?”
“Yes. Will that be a problem?”
“Yes, that could be a problem. It’s confidential.”
“You’ll find a way to reconcile things with your conscience,” he said. “These are exceptional times for your species. You’re walking proof of that.”
“And one of the dead girls was a junior agent here.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Did you know her?”
“I don’t socialize with junior agents. The question is, how badly do you want to find the killer of your Elven, and what are you willing to do? There are those who would consider me a powerful ally, arguably more valuable than anyone on the Elven Council. Perhaps you’re not one of them.”
“No, I am. Of course. But—”
“But?”
“But what’s the quid pro quo? What’s in it for me?”
At last, a slow smile from her godfather. “The satisfaction of knowing you’re in my good graces,” he said. “And that is preferable to the alternative.”
He stood, walked to a mahogany-paneled door and opened it, and pulled out a