Myel shimmered, a shift nearly taking him as his anger grew. I’d thought he and this elder shifter were friends, butseveral things were becoming clear to me. First, Safir was the boss and liked it that way. He’d bristled, clearly not liking it when others took control. That was going to be an issue, since Izzy didn’t like being told what to do. Second, Myel looked up to the man, followed him… in most things. But when it came to Izzy, Myel clearly didn’t like how Safir handled things.
“Safir!” Myel growled.
It was Safir’s turn to shimmer, and his beast wasmuchbigger. A tiger shifter’s beast form was second in size only to a bear’s.
“We don’t have time to argue. This is the way it must be.” He turned to Izzy. “Get your mate under control!”
Izzy slapped Safir hard enough to send the old man to the floor.
“I know Myel,” she hissed. “Idon’t knowyou. Donotspeak to me like that. Do not presume to know me or attempt to dictate how my life should be.”
And there it was. The first of probably many confrontations between the two of them.
Safir shook off the hit and rose slowly. “Of course, Izzy.”
“I don’t think I like you using my name anymore.Your Majestywill do.”
Ouch.
Safir bowed his head. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
She turned to Myel. “How long do you think we can hold out? Two days?” she asked him.
He nodded at that. “The bond is mostly settled now. If we sate it before you leave, two days should be doable.”
She nodded. “Then you stay and maintain your schedule while we go to the capital. We’ll be back in two days.” That last bit was to Safir.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What about me?” Rook asked. “If I can’t leave, am I stuck here?”
Izzy glared at him.
“No,” Safir said, before Izzy could explode on the incubus. “You should be safe if you return to your master and stick close to him. Don’t show your face in public though. If you lay low, Saldrea will probably forget about you eventually.”
Rook raised a brow. “And what doyouknow of my master?”
“The dwarf, Svokol? I know him well,” Safir said with a grin which spoke of secrets and his sense of superiority. “He’s been working for me for some time.”
I choked on my next breath and Rook sputtered.
A dwarf working for a shifter? That seemed highly unlikely.
“He doesn’t know it, of course,” Safir said, preening like a peacock. The man clearly loved controlling others. “Are you aware of a dryad named Elnori?” he asked Rook.
Rook nodded. “My master trusts her, a source of… ah… So you’rehersource of information, are you?”
Safir nodded. “She’s with me. And we’ll need your master with me fully before Izzy returns from the capital.”
Izzy growled.
“BeforeHer Majestyreturns from the capital,” Safir corrected himself. “Work with Elnori to find a way to tell your master the truth about Izzy. Sway him to our side, or at least to remain neutral. He won’t turn her in. He’s a good man. But, if he joins us, that would be the first step in gettingotherdwarves to follow us.”
Rook sighed heavily. “Fine. Sure. But let me be clear, I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for Izzy… my… friend.”
Izzy scoffed.
Safir waited to see if there were any other objections, then nodded and turned to Myel. “Please relay to Zora what’s happened here tonight. Our plans are changing rapidly. I’m hoping she’ll have a new plan by the time Izzy and I return from the capital.”
