She walked in and took in the round room. They’d stepped from a clinical-looking corridor into a well-organized armory filled with weapons that hummed with magic—powerfulmagic. Her skin buzzed with the energy that flowed from the swords, arrows, and daggers that adorned the walls. Also present were double-sided axes, iron-tipped whips, and ancient throwing stars that the elves were known for using in battle.
“Fae blood isn’t the only thing that adorns these weapons,” Myanin said as she walked closer to a wall where hundreds of arrows hung.
“Fae blood isn’t the only blood that can do damage,” a new voice said.
Myanin turned quickly. The pale skin was enough to give him away, but the ancient black eyes and strong, pungent smell of blood clearly belied his undead nature. “Vampire.” She couldn’t help the sharp tone in her voice. Djinn didn’t care for vamps. They were parasites, which she hated. She preferred worthy adversaries who fought face-to-face with honor instead of cowardly striking from the shadows. But she was going to have to learn to play nice … for now.
“Kingvampire, actually,” he corrected and bowed his head in an old-world gesture. “I am Sincaro, and I would like to welcome you to the Order.”
A vampire with manners? Surprising.
“This is Cain.” A man stepped out from behind Sincaro. He had the same pale skin and dead eyes. “He is one of my most powerful coven leaders and a strong believer in the Order’s mission.”
Myanin gave them a sharp nod of her head. “I am Myanin.”
“So Ludcarab was telling the truth.” Another man suddenly appeared in the room.
Ludcarab, Sincaro, and Cain all tensed. Myanin took in the newest addition. She knew he was a fae by the way he flashed into the room, but the power rolling off him revealed he was also a high fae. This male was the only one who might actually give her a run for her money in a fight.
“I am Alston,” the fae said. “I have to admit, I was skeptical when Ludcarab said he’d managed to convince a djinn to join us.”
“Who said I’ve joined?” Myanin asked. “I’m taking a tour of the facilities. It’s yet to be determined if this is worth my time.”
Ludcarab cursed in the old language of his people, which almost made her laugh. If he thought she was going to be a puppet, he’d recruited the wrong djinn. Not that any other djinn would have given him the time of day.
Alston’s features sharpened, and he stood a little taller as he looked at her. She was his equal in height, but it was apparent he was trying to intimidate her. “We aren’t here to play games, djinn,” the high fae said. “We have a purpose, and you are either with us or you are in our way.”
Myanin took a step toward him. She felt power humming beneath her skin. The weapons hanging on the walls began to shake, and there was a growing hum from the metal vibrating against each other. When she was a foot from the high fae, she stopped and looked into his eyes. He was powerful. His jaw was clenched tight, and his body rigid as if he was trying to restrain himself. If he decided not to, he could bring the building down around them. But then, so could she.
“If I join you, it will be because I want to. Not because you attempted to scare me into compliance,” Myanin said in a very controlled voice. “I am not a secret weapon. I am not a pet. I am not an asset. I am a djinn. And aside from maybe you, I’m the only one who could level this entire city. I suggest not attempting to bully me. It makes me irritable. And by the way, considering I’m the consolation prize, and I’m as powerful as I am, you didn’t have a chance in hell of recruiting the male you were actually after.”
Alston stared at her, his own power making his skin glow slightly. After several heartbeats, he stepped back, though he didn’t look away from her. He was not conceding defeat, Myanin knew that immediately. Alston was not prey. If he’d been a wolf, he’d have been an alpha. He was simply picking his battles.
“If you are still on the fence about things…” He glanced at Ludcarab as if making a point that the elf king had failed in bringing her on board.So there was a power struggle within the Order. “Then let us discuss where we are at this point and where we would like to be.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Sincaro said as he, too, looked at the elf king. “Ludcarab, would you like to fill her in on the recent victory?”
“Do you think that wise?” Cain asked. “She’s not a leader in this,”
“She is a djinn,” Sincaro snapped, cutting off his coven leader. “Whether we can trust her or not at this point isn’t important. We need her. It is as simple as that.”
Myanin’s respect for the vampire went up several notches considering he’d just been honest. “Because you need the veils open?” she asked.
Sincaro looked at the elf king. “So youdidtell her something at least?”
Ludcarab rolled his eyes. “Of course, I told her. I didn’t expect her to sign up just because I did a cheer and promised her we’d be the winning team.”
“That’s a pity.” Alston sighed. “I’d have paid money to see you holding pom-poms.”
Ludcarab shot the high fae a scathing look.
“Moving on,” Sincaro said quickly. He was obviously the peacekeeper in the bunch, which meant he’d probably be the last man standing when it was all said and done. “Ludcarab, if you will.”
The elf king stared a moment longer before finally turning to her. He began recounting to her the most recent events from theCanis lupuspack, led by the infamous Vasile Lupei, beginning with their efforts to eradicate the vampire covens across the human realm to the most recent battle that acquired the Order some wolf pups, mates, and a gypsy healer.
By the time he’d finished speaking, Myanin was seriously considering telling them to take their Order and jump into the jaws of a draheim because she might not be an elder djinn or a history keeper, but she knew of Vasile Lupei, and she also knew how the wolves felt about their mates and children. If the Order wanted a war, they were certainly going to get one.
But before she spoke rashly, she stopped and considered what she knew from the elder’s memories and from what Thadrick had told her over the years. She’d always been a little fascinated with the ways of theCanis lupus. Their loyalty to each other was powerful, and she’d always envied the mate bonds they shared.
