need is an airplane," Z said. "Aerial review would be much more efficient."
"True that." Wrath shook his head. "But we'd have to watch it. Get too close to the ground and the FAA would crawl up our ass."
John inched a little closer to the desk. Craned his neck.
In a smooth move, Wrath pushed the big sheet of paper forward as if he'd finished reviewing it. Or maybe...
was encouraging John to take a peek. Except instead of staring at the topographical spread, John looked at the king's forearm. The bite mark on that thick wrist mortified him and he stepped back.
Just as Beth walked in with a leather box of scrolls tied with red ribbons.
"Okay, Wrath, how about some briefing time. I've prioritized all these."
Wrath leaned back as Beth put the box down. Then the king captured her face, kissing her on the mouth as well as both sides of her throat. "Thanks, leelan. Right now's great, although V and Butch are coming by with Marissa. Oh shit, did I tell you the Princeps Council has a bright idea? Mandatory sehclusion for all unmated females."
"You're kidding me."
"Fools haven't passed it yet, but according to Rehvenge, the vote's coming soon." The king looked at Z and Phury. "You two check into the airplane situation. We got anyone who knows how to fly?"
Phury shrugged. "I used to. And we could bring V in on it-"
"Bring me in on what?" V said as he walked into the study.
Wrath, looked around the twins. "Can you say Cessna, my brother?"
"Nice. We going airborne here?"
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Butch and Marissa came in behind V. And they were holding hands.
John stepped to the side and just took it all in: Wrath falling deep into conversation with Beth while V and Butch and Marissa started talking among themselves and Phury and Z headed out.
Chaos. Movement. Purpose. This was the monarchy, the Brotherhood at work. And John felt privileged to be in the room... for however short a time he had left before they kicked his sorry ass to the curb.
Hoping maybe they'd forget he was around, he looked for a place to sit and eyed Tohr's chair. Keeping on the sidelines, he walked over and lowered himself into the faded, torn leather. From here he could see everything: the top of Wrath's desk and whatever was on it, the door where people came and went, every corner of the room.
John curled his legs under him and tilted forward, listening in as Beth and Wrath talked about the Princeps Council. Wow. They worked really great together. She was giving him excellent advice and the king was taking it.
As Wrath nodded at something she'd said, his long black hair slipped over his shoulder and fell onto the desk.
He pushed it back, then eased to the side and opened a drawer, pulling out a spiral-bound steno pad and a pen.
Without looking, he held them out behind him, right in front of John.
John took the gift with shaking hands.
"Well, leelan, that's what you get when you deal with the glymera. A whole lot of crap." Wrath shook his head and then looked up at V and Butch and Marissa. "So what's up, you three?"
John dimly heard words exchanged, but he was too humbled to focus. God, maybe the Brothers weren't kicking him out... maybe.
He tuned in again to hear Marissa say, "They have nowhere to go, so they're staying in the house I just rented.
But, Wrath, they need long-term assistance and I fear there are others out there just like them-females with no one to help them, either because their mates were taken by the lessers or died of natural causes or, God forbid, their males are abusers. I wish there was some kind of program-"
"Yeah, we definitely need one. Along with about eight thousand other things." Wrath rubbed his eyes under his wraparounds, then looked back at Marissa. "Okay, I'm putting you in charge of this. Find out what the humans do for their kind. Figure out what we need for the race. Tell me what you require for money and staffing and facilities. Then go out and do it."
Marissa's mouth fell open. "My lord?"
Beth nodded. "That's a fabulous idea. And you know, Mary used to work with social services when she was a volunteer at the Suicide Prevention Hotline. You could start with her. I think she's really familiar with DSS."
"I... yes... I'll do that." Marissa looked at Butch and in response, the guy smiled, a slow, very male