They heard the voices before they found the dining hall.Merrick led the way, walking like he still belonged here.He didn’t seem to care that people glared at him as soon as he stepped into the room.He held his head high and went straight to the front, where a table sat on top of a stage.For a moment, Harmon was confused.Then, he realized that this was probably where Martin and Lou ate their meals.They’d wanted to be seen by the entire clan.They’d wanted people to stare as they ate.
Those assholes were better dead than alive.
Harmon wasn’t surprised to see that Jacob was sitting in one of the chairs on the stage.He looked slightly uncomfortable, but when Merrick reached him, he raised his chin high as if daring him to kick him off the stage.Harmon was pretty sure he saw Merrick roll his eyes.Hesure did.
“Off,” Merrick ordered.
“You’re not clan leader.You can’t tell me what to do,” Jacob said as he glanced around, maybe hoping that people were paying attention.He seemed to want everyone to see him stand up to Merrick.
“The last time I checked, you weren’t clan leader, either,” Merrick pointed out.“You made sure to tell us that, so get your ass off that chair.”Jacob spluttered and looked around the room, but no one stood up for him.No one tried to intervene.When he realized that he was alone, he quickly got to his feet and scurried off.
Merrick didn’t sit in Jacob’s chair.He didn’t sit at all.He looked around the room, his expression telling everyone watching him that he wouldn’t tolerate anyone standing up to him.
“We found Brian’s killer,” he declared.“And before any of you say anything, no, it wasn’t one of us.It was one of yours, one of the people Brian hurt.After finding out what happened, I can say that you’re better off with Brian dead and that his killer shouldn’t pay for what they did.It was self-defense.”
“How do we know you’re not lying?”an older man asked.He didn’t sound like he was antagonizing Merrick, just like he wanted to know.
“I know you don’t trust me, and I don’t care, but I wasn’t the only one involved in this.Do you trust Eva?”
The older man looked around at the people who sat with him.A few of them nodded, and so did he.“We do trust her.She’s a good person.She can confirm this is what happened?”
“She can, and she will.”
“What about our clan leader?”a woman asked, seemingly emboldened by the fact that Merrick hadn’t bitten off the man’s head for asking a question.“Did you choose someone?”
Merrick cocked his head at her.“We have.”
“Who?”
“Who do you want your leader to be?Because we’re not here to make the decision for you.”
Jacob snorted loudly.Merrick’s head snapped toward him.
Harmon cleared his throat.The dragons all looked at him, which was slightly uncomfortable.Still, he was used to this kind of situation.“We truly aren’t here to choose your next leader for you.If you have a problem with the person we think would be a good leader, you’re free to have someone else take the job.The only thing we ask is that as a clan, you stop attacking other people.We want to be safe and live in peace, like I think most of you do.It’s the only reason we’re here.Choosing the right leader is important, both for you and for us.”
A few dragons nodded.More were still staring at Harmon.That included the woman who’d spoken up.“How did you choose this person?”she asked.
“I’ve been a coven leader for several decades now.I know what it takes to do the job and the kind of personality that will be good at it.”He glanced at Jacob.“I also know the kind of personality that won’t.I don’t know if the person we favor will say yes, but if they do, I’m convinced the clan will thrive.It’ll take a few years, and you’ll have to work hard to gain people’s trust, but it’s not impossible.Youcancome back from what Martin and Lou did.”
The door opened.Harmon was glad to have the attention away from himself when the dragons turned to look.Eva took a step into the room and faltered as she glanced around.She was visibly confused, which wasn’t a surprise.
She got over it quickly.She straightened her back and strode toward the stage, nodding back at Merrick when he nodded at her.She had no idea what was about to hit her.
“Eva can confirm what I told you about Brian’s killer,” Merrick announced.“She can also tell us if she’ll accept the role of clan leader.”
Harmon briefly closed his eyes.He should have known Merrick would want to shock the clan.He held a grudge like no other.But that wasn’t the way to make that kind of speech, dammit.
Eva stopped moving.She stared at Merrick as the people around her started talking and asking questions.Jacob looked like he was about to jump out of his chair and rush toward her, but thankfully, he was too much of a coward to do anything like that.
“Me?”Eva asked.
Merrick shrugged.“I remember you.Unless something has changed, you’ll be a good leader.”
“And you couldn’t ask me if I was okay with this earlier?”
Harmon grinned.If Eva was standing up to Merrick, it meant she’d be capable of standing up to anyone working against her, including whatever was left of Martin’s supporters.
“I like her,” Rex said as he leaned closer to Harmon.“And the fact that Merrick seems to feel the same seals the deal.He doesn’t like anyone but Alpin.”
