She was silent longer than I expected. “If I grow in power even a tiny bit more, it’ll upset the balance we have with our shapeshifters.”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to figure out how to acquire some more power, husband of mine.”
“Always the practical one. We’ll figure it out if you grow in strength, but yes, ideally, I need to power up.” If only it were that easy.
“Why don’t we settle our daywalkers in for a long sleep on the bed, and the two of us can set up at Abbott’s desk and get some work done. We can telepath instead of talking, so they can sleep in quiet.”
It was a good plan, and I could sense Ajax’s exhaustion. It felt as if Arabella had been asleep a while, but she was still out. I answered my wife. “Right. There are always pockets of fighting the day after a war is over. Holdouts who won’t give up the fight. We’re safest down here. I’ll contact Ajax.”
We’re up. It appears you’ve already eaten?
The guards brought us food about an hour ago. Arabella woke to eat with me and went back to sleep.
I’ll open the door. If you can carry your swan in without waking her, we can put her in bed. Gwen and I are both up.
Of course.
I went to the door and opened it. He brought Arabella in and settled her in bed.
Get in with her. Gwen and I need to work. We’ll speak telepathically so we don’t disturb you. I’d like to see you sleep at least ten hours. We’ll feed once you’re both awake.
Ajax fell asleep in no time, but we couldn’t just sit and watch our wolf and swan sleep. We had work to do.
Josef and his tiger arrived about two hours later, and Gwen and I stepped into the den to speak with them. We hadn’t been home in over two months, and I was hoping we’d be able to return soon, but Josef wanted us to stay put a few more days.
We also found out some news. The Alpha Werewolf’s power had gone to Cora, Alpha of the Homewood Pack. She was fighting to keep the power, and a long line of the dark Alphas from South Carolina were coming, one after another, tochallenge her. She’d handled everything they’d thrown at her so far, but if the wolves went to the dark side, we could be in trouble again.
Meanwhile, Cora’s best friend, Kirsten, likely wouldn’t allow the dark wolves to take over, which could create a whole different set of problems if Cora looked as if she might lose a challenge. Cora sent herthirdto lead the Chattanooga Pack, a likely temporary fix until the wolves’ grief allowed space for heavy decisions. The Ringgold Pack had grown in strength, but they weren’t seen as a threat to the dark side at this time, so Patrick wasn’t having to deal with challenges. As for the lions, it seemed the Amakhosi had his hands full with personal stuff as well as Pride issues. Everything was in turmoil, but the Coterie seemed safe — at least for the moment.
When I asked if we could reserve the dungeon from four to five the following morning, I was told it was being used to house prisoners. Josef didn’t offer information about who we were holding, and I felt it best not to ask. Gwen, who almost always has to ask about that sort of thing, also decided not to question Abbott’s head of security about who he was holding prisoner.
* * * *
Ajax
When I finally awakened, I’d slept twelve hours. The vampires had five or six hours until the sun took them, but they were still hard at work. Arabella was awake, with headphones on, doing something on a laptop. A few seconds of watching, and I realized she was using educational software and appeared to be learning basic grammar. Prepositional phrases.
Gwen looked at me first, and her smile told me she was happy to see me up and awake.
She stood and walked to me, and I moved the sheet and blanket so she could climb into bed with me.
“You were awake a long time. Did you get enough rest?”
“I believe so. Did you give Arabella an assignment?”
“No. She’s working her way through a website’s lessons upon orders from her Queen. We merely provided a laptop for her to sign in.”
“I was taught to read, and how to speak properly. Also, basic math. These are skills a bodyguard needs, though.”
“She grew up speaking South Carolina slave pidgin. Sophia is requiring she make an A on all tests before moving forward with the online course. She’s also had some speech classes and a whole lot of conversational instruction. I believe triggers were put in her head so she’s in pain if she mangles the spoken language. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it can’t be a verb followed by a noun with little in the way of modifiers.”
“You’ve talked to her Queen?”
“Abbott sent some of the information he’d been given about her when she was gifted to him a few weeks ago. He wants to see us together before making a final determination, but as of now, he’s good with her coming to us.”
“We looked through her memories and yours to see what had happened overnight,” Kieran told me. “Since she shared how she lived as a slave, I feel comfortable telling you what I don’t believe she has the math skills or the perspective to explain. The farm sent a fourth of their workers to the brothel each day. When Group A was gone, Groups B, C, and D worked the farm. Group B was gone the next day, and Groups A, C, and D worked the farm. As Arabella figured out, it was a day of rest. Slaves assigned hard labor last longer if they have down time. The old Swan King figured out how to make money off their day of rest.”
