The civil patrol leader, Captain Staviz Panther, took a step toward the table. “Your honors, if I may?”
Mistress Maurielle nodded at him.
“Why don’t we just steal the guns?”
The temple masters around the table looked at each other, and I didn’t stop my little chuckle.
“That makes so much sense.” I rested my head on my fist.
“Steal?” Sona was appalled.
“Yes, steal,” the captain repeated. “With all due respect, they shot the Breaker by way of greeting after millennia of separation. I held out hope they would be as thrilled and delighted as we were to be reunited, but it’s clear”—he gestured to me—“they were not as pleased as we were.”
“We…don’t steal…” Master Argo sputtered. “That’s amoral. That’s not—”
“Oh, please.” Dorian snorted, leaning forward. “Amoral? You have no qualms about bending morality at your whim like anyone else at this table. We all have skeletons in our closets.”
“And some in our beds,” Master Bebbenel snapped at him.
I schooled my features, just barely. I knew all three had taken extra precautions when Elex had been killed. Dorian hadn’t come to bed that night—but could Bebbenel know that Dorian…?
Dorian stared at him. Rilen squeezed my hand again. My lips were sealed.
After taking a deliberate sip from the water goblet, Dorian stared him down. “And some in our beds and in our gardens. Do you really want to play this game, Argo?” He sipped the water again. “Because you know I’ll win.”
Argo grunted and sat back.
“Your honors?” Captain Staviz interjected.
Maurielle nodded. “Yes, Captain. We’ll take your suggestion. But what do any of us know of war? Or raids? Or even of these guns?”
“We have to learn as we go,” Drez said.
Dorian pointed to Drez. “Your cover is blown, Mister Orvson. I want you to work with the captain.”
The captain nodded. “I need someone to handle intelligence gathering, and I don’t know that you’ve been exposed so much that I can’t use you in more clandestine ways. And your mate, if she doesn’t mind.”
Jallina nodded. I could see the pride in her eyes, and I gave her a smile.
“Who is next on the shield?” Dorian asked.
“I am,” Argo said.
“Then let’s let Captain Staniz head out and plan for this raid,” Sona said. “And we can see just how much Master Dorian can teach us about the vampire side of our powers.”
* * *
“I’m going.”
Dorian whirled and grabbed my arms. “You are not going.”
I stared up at him. “I am going.”
“You’re not going!” Dorian’s eyes glowed gold.
“Don’t pull your magic out on me, Dorian.”
“Kimber, please, be reasonable,” he said, calming down. “You’re the Breaker. You have to stay safe.”
