“And I,” Crispin said.
The ayes went around the elders but stopped at a sulking Wasutke. Crispin prodded her and she finally nodded. He gave her a hard look until she spoke.
“I agree,” she said begrudgingly.
“I'll speak with the Fairy Council and return with their decision,” I nodded. “But I believe they'll consent. Choose your witches while I'm gone. The faster we can investigate this, the faster we can reach a peaceful truce between our people.”
Then I turned to Raza. His expression was unreadable as he wrapped his talons around me and lifted us into the air, heading back to the castle. Oddly enough, the return flight wasn't as fun as the one into battle had been.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
To say that Raza was pissed off about not being included in the discussion about his son would be like saying that Greenland was mildly chilly. Raza was furious. He held it together long enough to deposit me within the walls of the Council House (really it was a Council Castle) and then he threw a dragon tantrum.
Fairies ran for cover as Raza thrashed about; smashing everything within sight until I covered his body in thorny vines and tightened them around him. He went quiet then, laying his head down upon the courtyard stones to stare balefully up at me with huge golden dragon eyes. A single tear slipped over his scaled cheek and soaked into the solid earth. I sent the vines away so I could step forward and kneel beside his face. Then I laid my body against his cheek and hugged him as best I could.
He shifted beneath me, scales and horns changing back to skin and hair. His wings remained, though much smaller than they were, and they wrapped around us as he hugged me back desperately. For once, there was nothing sexual about his touch, he simply needed comfort. I realized that a man like him wouldn't get much of that, so I gave it freely, letting him bury his face in my shoulder and just take a moment to breathe in some empathy.
“Wewillfind him,” I whispered and stroked his hair. “I promise you.”
“Yes, but will he be alive when we do?” Raza lifted his face to the sky. “I can't lose him. Please, take anything but him.”
“I know,” I sat back and took his hands. “We're going to do everything we can to prevent that.”
“They should have told me,” he growled suddenly.
“Because you're such a levelheaded man?” I lifted a brow at him.
“I deserved to know.”
“Yes, you did,” I conceded. “But try and see their perspective. You nearly destroyed the courtyard with your little temper tantrum.”
“I do not have temper tantrums,” he stood and put his fists to his hips to stare down at me.
Unfortunately, he was stark naked and standing put his crotch at the level of my face. I blinked at the display as he scowled down at me. It took a few seconds before he realized why I was staring. Then a slow smile spread across his face and I shot to my feet.
“Like what you see?” He smirked.
“Do you mind?” I waved at him and then looked pointedly around the courtyard. Several fey were watching us with horrified interest. “You're making a spectacle of yourself. At least wrap your wings around your body.”
“Why would I do that?” He folded his wings neatly behind his back. “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Certainly not,” an appreciative feminine voice said from the sidelines.
I looked over and saw the one person I would have never expected to find in the Fairy High Council House; Tiernan's ex-wife. I didn't even know her name, I just knew her as the bitch who treated Tiernan like crap. But I suddenly knew why I'd thought Chief High Councilman Timberstride looked so familiar. His face was very similar to hers.
“Thank you,” Raza preened as the bitch strode forward.
“If I had my way,” the sundae slut purred, “you'd be naked all the time.”
I call hersundae slutbecause she wore her hair in this whipped cream swirl atop her head. Then there was her nut-brown skin, her icy blue eyes, and the cherry of her lips. She was a woman who looked like she wanted to be consumed and at the moment she was offering Raza the spoon.
“Wow,” I shook my head. “I don't even know what to say to that besides; slut alert!” I turned and started walking away.
“Did she just call me a whore?” The woman sounded aghast.
“Seren!” Raza ignored her and chased after me.
“No, please stay with Sundae Susan over there,” I waved at her. “You realize that she's Tiernan's ex-wife, don't you?”
