Roan tilted his head.“The closest kingdom is the Kingdom of Silk in the southeast.Obviously, they would be no help.I trust the spiders even less than I do the snakes.The horses control the midwest, they could be a possibility, and the wolves control the west.Though the wolves are steadfast, I’m not sure they are any closer than you all proximity-wise.”
The Prime scratched his chin.“We will put aside the questions of logistics until we know more.It will probably be your job, Roan, to handle that with the Council.”
"Just send me down there,” Callon suggested, “I'll find the proof we need and deal with any of the KOV that attempt to get in my way."
"No, Son,” Taras shook his head.“We have plenty of other warriors who can go, and I need you here.Not to mention, some decorum might go a long way.”Taras stepped up next to his son and laid his hand on Callon’s shoulder giving it a visible squeeze.“No offense, Callon, but there is a reason you are the leader of my warriors, and not an ambassador to the other kingdoms, the traditional job for a prince.”
“None taken.I have no desire to chit-chat with the King of Venom,” Callon said.“So, if that is what you wish, then you are right to send someone else.”
Taras nodded and patted his son’s shoulder before he turned to Roan.“Send Wyatt.He has a friendly disposition.Who is the Shaman assigned to New Orleans?"
Roan cleared his throat before speaking."Link.”
“What do you know about him?”
“Not much.Our paths rarely cross.If you’re asking if his loyalty to the snakes outweighs his loyalty to the Council, I cannot say.”
"I guess we shall see,” replied the Prime.“Send Callon his contact info so Wyatt can rendezvous with him in New Orleans.Thank you, Roan.If there's nothing else."He motioned toward the door.
"Actually…” Roan took in a deep breath and blew it out.“Your Majesty, there is one more thing."
"Go on."Taras motioned with his hand.
Roan cut his eyes to Callon and then to Lyra before answering."I've found ananimusmyself.”He paused as he felt the tension in the room go up several notches.“Right here in the city."
The Prime’s eyebrows rose."Really?That is excellent news.Who is she?”
"Roan!You've been holding out on us," Lyra leaned forward, practically rising from her seat."Who cares what those stupid snakes are doing?You should have led with this.What's her name?Tell us everything."
"Her name is Lola Katz, and she is nineteen years old."Roan smirked as he remembered his first encounter with her.“And she can see past our glamour.She even saw our tattoos.”
Lyra looked at her husband pointedly, raised her eyebrows, and jerked her head to their son.
“She’s very attractive,” Roan continued.
"Lola?"Callon said, sounding confused.“That’s an odd name.Probably for an odd female.”
Roan ignored the Prince’s comment.“Wyatt was quite taken with her, as was Rafe.”
“Well.”Lyra held out her hands.“They’ve yet to find a mate even from theanimithat live within our kingdom.I’m sure they’re both eager to know if she would pick one of them.”She narrowed her eyes on Callon.“Unlike our son, they see the human females as the gift from our Creator, Visata, that they are.”
“Don’t start, Mother,” Callon muttered.
She sighed.“You must have a mate, Callon.There are no more Damarian females.Whatever hang up it is that you have about the humans, you need to get over it.”
"Well, Son," Taras said."You wanted an assignment, here you go.Check out this Lola and see if you can convince her she is no mere human."
Callon’s lip curled back revealing sharp teeth and made a sound very much like a house cat hissing.
Roan chuckled and clapped Callon on the back."How do you feel about pizza, Prince?I like pepperoni myself."
“That’s the fourth group of insanely-hot guys that has been here in a week and a half.”Katy rested her elbows on the counter.It was pouring down rain outside, and the pizzeria was dead, and the girls had a moment to chit-chat.
“Go see if they all have the same mysterious, disappearing tattoos, Lola.”Maddie bumped her shoulder, and motioned toward the three males sitting in the furthest corner from them.“You said the last two groups did.Maybe they’re in some sort of cult.”
“And why doIhave to be the one to go look for the tattoos?”Lola refilled the napkin containers.She’d been studiously avoiding the guys.Every time shehadlooked at them, all three had been staring straight at her.The same way the four males that had come in two days prior,andthe four others two days before that.Part of her wanted to cover up because she wondered if they were staring at her skin, but the looks they gave her were not as if she was a freak, they were looks of interest.
“Because you’re the only one whocansee them.You, apparently are the common denominator with all these dudes,” Katy pointed out.She hadn’t told them about the weird, animal-like qualities she’d also seen.Already feeling like she needed some sort of diagnosis and medication, Lola didn’t need her friends affirming that feeling by telling her what she saw was impossible.
