Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,90

sense in jewelry, but they’ll care a lot if they think you’re keeping a secret that ends up causing trouble here.”

Abigail forced herself to move, to sit beside Barb. “I can’t. Barb, you don’t know them. You don’t know what it’s like to be controlled by them.” She closed her hands around Barb’s in a bruising grip. “I can’t support myself in Prairie Gold. If the Sanguinati decide I can’t stay in Bennett, where will I go?”

“Tolya will listen,” Barb said. “And if you can’t tell him directly, tell me, and I’ll tell him.”

Ally and advocate. Yes, that would work nicely. She would become another secret. Like the girl.

Abigail released Barb’s hands and said, “Have you ever heard of the Blackstone Clan?”

CHAPTER 20

Earthday, Messis 19

Sitting across from the three women, Tolya studied the way Abigail Burch clung to Barbara Ellen—and the way Deputy Jana rested one hand on Abigail’s shoulder.

Was that hand on Abigail’s shoulder a gesture of unspoken support or was it something else?

Barbara Ellen had called him last night, saying there was something important she had to tell him, something that might have an impact on the whole town. That was the reason he had called the town council to meet this morning and hear what Barbara Ellen had to say, despite Earthday being everyone’s rest day.

Now he wished he’d asked Jesse Walker to drive up from Prairie Gold to listen to whatever would be said. She understood human females, and what he was seeing in the three females sitting across from him made him decide that, Earthday or not, he would call Jesse to relay whatever was revealed here.

Virgil asked, taking a seat next to Tolya.

Tolya replied dryly. Virgil had also recognized that slight distance Jana had put between herself and the other females and hadn’t included her in the huddle.

Virgil sounded disappointed.

Tolya continued to study the women as rest of the Sanguinati arrived and filled the chairs.

Virgil replied without hesitation. Then he did hesitate.

Not how he would have described it, but it matched his thinking. Jana must already know what Barbara Ellen wanted to tell them—and she was keeping watch instead of standing with her friend.

Virgil said, finishing the thought.

Even in the picture, Deputy Jana had been keeping watch.

Tolya looked around and realized one of them was still missing.

Tolya didn’t smile. Did. Not. Smile. He did, however, find it fascinating that the Wolves displayed such a high tolerance for certain humans. He couldn’t imagine Virgil or Kane allowing any other child to brush them to make them pretty. Maybe it was Becky Gott’s simplicity and innocence. Maybe Wolfgard young—at least the ones who were able to shift to human form—did the same kinds of things as a way to learn. He’d probably never know, but he did understand that every human Virgil tolerated made him a more dangerous threat to the rest of the humans because he was taking them into his pack—and having lost one pack, he would kill anything that threatened this new one.

Tolya said, “Shall we begin?” When they all nodded—all except the three human women—he focused on Barbara Ellen. “There is something you need to tell us?”

Barbara Ellen looked around the room, just as he had a moment ago. But her skin was so pale now, the freckles were the only color left in her face.

“I didn’t expect … I thought …” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “Can I tell it as a story?”

“This is a teaching story?” Virgil asked, leaning forward and bracing his forearms on his thighs.

“A family story to impart information rather than entertain,” Jana replied.

All the terra indigene nodded. Tolya wondered if the females understood how closely their words would be heeded. Entertainment, if not appealing to an individual,