“Time passes, purposes change,” I say because it is not up to me to define the direction of the Hunt.
“Good.” Kieran sticks his hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxing. “When Deacon gave me this pack, he said the treaty doesn’t do enough. There are too many people left out because we don’t all fall neatly into the categories they picked out a century ago. Which, I mean… If you have any more fae who need someplace to stay, they can come here.”
“What?”
“Sam doesn’t like the idea, but I figure it’s a long time coming. If you all have some big problem, there’ll be people caught in the crossfire, right? Vampires, werewolves, humans, fae. We’ll do what we can to help.”
I don’t really know what to say to that. The fae are powerful. They’re often dangerous.
But how often have they needed help we have not provided? Do they exist in their small enclaves and tight groups because they fear us?
I know the answers to both questions. “Thank you,” I say. “I will let the others know, too.”
Kieran smiles at that. “Asher already does, but yeah, the rest of them. Will the Huntsman mind?”
He doesn’t sound much as though he cares either way. “I think he will have an opinion about it,” I say carefully, and Kieran laughs.
“Good,” he says, tone uncaring, like he can just challenge whoever he likes. “It’s always fun to deal with a man who has an opinion.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Njáll
“AugustineattackedQuinn,”Alwynnsays, and blood rushes in my ears.
“Sorry?”
“I know you heard me.” Her words are sharp, short, and I immediately bristle. We have been searching for Augustine fordays. If a non-clan vampire attacked a werewolf, that is the Council’s problem, not mine.
I rub a hand over my brow and shake my head. No. No good will come from losing my temper—we all have some fault to bear. I should have dealt with Augustine more decisively from the beginning.
“Is he okay?”
“Augustine?”
“No,” I growl. Like I give a fuck about him; he lost any right the moment he attacked without warning. “Quinn.”
Alwynn is silent for a moment, and when she speaks again, her voice is marginally softer. “He’s shaken up but uninjured,” she says. “It happened a few hours ago. Deacon and Kieran are on their way to you.”
Oh,fuck. That’s the last thing I need. “Is there anything else you can tell me before they get here?” I shake my head when she begins to protest. “They are going to be angry enough. I don’t need to make things worse.”
“Quinn was attacked inside their pack house. Somehow, Augustine got through Sam’s wards.”
That’s… That’s much worse. Even Tamesis couldn’t do that, and he was drinking so much fae blood he hadpowers, at times.
It can only mean… I swallow hard before I speak again. “Thank you for your call, Hunter Alwynn. I will likely call you again once Deacon and Kieran have left.”
She doesn’t ask after my silence, just makes a sound of agreement before she says goodbye and hangs up. I put my phone down and shove my hair back from my face.
It has to be a fae, doesn’t it? Sam’s wards are notorious for being unbreakable, though from what I have heard, wards are not actually his specialty. Still, there are no mages in the city who can get through them, and that extends to the vampires and wolves, too.
But a fae? There is one fae I know who is trying to cause trouble. A high fae, Maurice said, and I snatch up my phone again—maybe I should call him and let him know.
Someone knocks on my office door before I can scroll to his number. “Come in.”
One of the guards walks nervously inside, her face pale. “Crai,” she says, ducking her head. “Alphas Deacon and Kieran are demanding to be let in to speak with you.”
I frown. It is one thing for them to be angry with me, and another entirely for them to be angry with the vampires and humans who work here. “Were they rude?”
