I wondered how much political clout she’d expended getting us whatever deal it was we were being offered.
“It’s the best you’re going to get, so no saying it isn’t enough,” she warned us.
“Okay.”
“The best of those downstairs can be accommodated at Wolf’s Head.Our numbers were depleted in the attack a month ago, and it’s been a bear keeping patrols up with what we have.Everyone’s surly and out of sorts from too little sleep, but we can’t risk another attack, so we’ve all been pitching in.But that means using grannies as snipers these days—”
“Some of those grannies were scary,” I recalled.
“—but they’re old and tired and their feet hurt, and I have to hear about it every damned day!”
I nodded.Sienna was the unofficial—or maybe the official now, I hadn’t kept up with it—leader of the dispossessed clans who had taken up residence at Wolf’s Head, the Were fortress in the desert where the Clan Council usually met.It had been thought impregnable and a safe place for them to ride out the war after their own homes became too vulnerable or, in a few cases, sustained attacks.
It had proven its worth in the fight, but had also been breached, resulting in more patrols being needed as everyone realized they weren’t as safe as they’d thought.Which was hard, as the attack had caused the small clans out there to sustain losses.Losses that a few hundredvargulfsmight just fill, I thought, glancing with dawning hope at Cyrus.
“Don’t look like that,” Sienna said sourly.“I haven’t said this will work, only that we’ll try it.And only with those who can be vetted!”
“Got it,” I said, trying—and failing—to wipe the smile off my face.
“How did you get Sebastian to agree to this?”Cyrus asked.“When we left, he was talking about using them as cannon fodder—”
“Yes, well, that was before a crazed Lupa got in his face—and at his neck.You really are unbelievably lucky!”she told me.
“Sorry,” I said quietly.“Would it help if I apologized—”
“God, no!We’re pretending it didn’t happen!Just—don’t do anything else crazy for a few days, okay?Give us time to—”
“Us?”Cyrus asked archly.
“Don’t,” she warned him.
“It’s just… interesting… that every time I see Sebastian anymore, there you are.The Lupa of—forgive me—a rather small clan.And yet, you’ve been in some high-level meetings lately.”
It took me a minute; that was how out of it I still was.“Oh, that’s wonderful—”
“Shhh!”she said, looking uncomfortable.
“Why are you shushing me?It’s about time that Sebastian had a little comfort.His wife has been dead a long time—”
And suddenly, I had an enraged Lupa in my face.And, damn, even for Weres, the last few days had been something for posturing, I thought, not that I thought she was.Sienna looked genuinely pissed.
“I—sorry,” I said, knowing that I’d stepped in it, but not being sure how.
“No one can know!”she said.“It’s stupid for us to even be—I don’t know what we were thinking!”
I do, I didn’t say, nor did I look at Cyrus, who I knew was hiding a grin.At least, I hoped he was hiding it.Sienna looked almost as wigged out as I’d been feeling lately.
“The Clan Council sees me as some kind of outrageous hippie,” she said bitterly, “just because I want to keep people fed and safe and—anyway.If they thought I was influencing Sebastian, there would be hell to pay!”
“But you have influenced Sebastian,” Cyrus pointed out.“You helped us today—”
“Yes!And that needs to stay between us!Sebastian is already viewed as dangerously progressive.Any rumors that he’s with me—”
“And is he?With you?”
“Cyrus!”
“Sorry,” he said, while not looking remotely sorry.“And, of course, I won’t say anything.But… I’m happy for you—and him.It’s been a long time since he had much in his life besides work.”
