As I walked to the dining hall — alone — many watched me. It reminded me of the time Ezra and I had made this trek over three weeks ago. That time, they had stared and waited for us to yell at one another, but this time, their gazes held only sympathy — the gossip had made its rounds — as they watched to see if I would break down in front of them. But I didn’t. I was stronger than that now, my three days of sobbing done. I needed to re-enter life in some way — my previous loss of my mate and, before him, my mother, had taught me that the faster I was able to get back into the swing of things, the quicker my life would turn around by force of mundane issues.

After placing on my tray a few items of my favorite foods in the hope I would be able to eat them all, I peered around the lunchtime crowd for a free seat. By habit, my gaze automatically went to where Ezra, Pearl, Jack, and I had been sitting regularly, which also happened to be the table Ezra and I had taken three weeks ago, but it was filled with Shifters I didn’t recognize.

But the large table next to it wasn’t.

All the Kings sat there, along with Antonio and his group. They weren’t staring at me blatantly, but their looks weren’t very covert. Oddly, and for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to sit at their table in the hope they may leave me in peace, compared to another table, which would be full of my subjects who might try to start a conversation. So I made my way through the crowded tables and took one of the remaining empty seats next to Elder Merrick at the end of the table. And again I did something I had never done before. I leaned my forehead against a powerful alpha Shifter’s shoulder, deeply scenting his animal — he had shifted recently — and pulling some strength from him, as many others did to me when they were troubled.

The table was quiet as he rested his arm around my shoulder, holding still so I could take what I needed from him. My body shuddered as I stuffed my face against his neck, scenting him heavily, and I felt a pulse of his power flow into me. A soothing gesture. Voice quiet, I whispered, “Thank you.” He briefly rested his head on top of mine, turning to lay a light kiss on my forehead, before I lifted away, feeling better.

Staring down at my food, the contents of my plate really didn’t appear appetizing, but I stabbed into my macaroni expecting it would go down easier than the small steak or the green beans. I slowly chewed the tiny bite as soft conversation started around the table. I had planned right. They weren’t going to bother me as my soon-to-be subjects might have. It gave me the perfect opportunity to look directly across the table.

At Antonio.

Slowly, his golden gaze lifted from his plate. To most, Antonio probably appeared no different than normal. His hair was perfectly kept, his dark clothing no different to what he normally wore, but to anyone with an experienced eye, the simple facts were there. His hair hung just a bit more over his face to hide his unsmiling mouth and lowered eyes. His muscles under his clothing were strung tight, straining those perfect clothes. And I had figured out something during my self-confinement.

He had known beforehand. He had known I was pregnant. He hadn’t stopped me from sparring with Elder Merrick. He had known I would lose my babies. That was why he had appeared as he had before the match.

I didn’t understand his ‘gift’ completely. Nor did I understand him. But there was one thing I had to know. After holding his gaze, which was empty of any emotion, I whispered, “Why?”

Lips that were already pinched thinned further. The other occupants at the table quieted, their eyes never far from me right now, even though they pretended otherwise. Antonio blinked, and when his gaze met mine again, it held sorrow and guilt and, maybe, hope. “Because I must.”

Truth.

I snorted sarcastically, pissed off, and peered back to my plate. I lifted the knife, twirling it in my fingers and watching golden sparks of light catch on the fairly sharp blade as it rotated faster through my fingers. My gaze flicked to him. “You’re lucky I love you.” My eyes went back to the blade. “Because of that, I didn’t tell him what I know.”

My gaze returned to him while everyone around the table went still. “You would be a few days dead right now if I hadn’t protected your worthless ass.” My anger was red-hot, but I kept it leashed. Barely. I stopped twirling the blade, pointing it at him. “I probably won’t ever understand you, Antonio, but what I do know is that you fucking owe me.”

No one moved around us as Antonio and I held each other’s gaze.

Jerkily, he nodded once, his eyes lowering. “I’m sorry, Lil.”

I snorted, my own gaze falling to my own plate, and stabbed into my macaroni again. “Not fucking good enough.” I shook my head, chomping into my grub. “Not anywhere close.”

“Honey, I’m not sure what the hell this is about, and I realize you’re going through a tragedy right now, but you can’t threaten an Elder,” King Kincaid murmured quietly into the silence. A pause, then, “At least, not in public, anyway.”

My grin was feral as I peeked up at him down the table. “I didn’t.”

King Fergus slowly wiped his mouth with a napkin and set it down carefully. “She’s correct. She stated she saved his worthless ass.”

I stared. The man hardly ever stated something in my defense. Eyebrows puckered, I gave him a nod of appreciation and went back to my meal, everyone else slowly following suit, seeing the fireworks were over.

Halfway through choking down my steak, I scented Ezra. Breathing deeply, I also scented Jack. I kept eating.

To my right, Cahal set his silverware down and pushed his plate away, and asked quietly, “Ms Ruckler, do you happen to know where my son is? I’ve tried to contact him these past few days, and he never returned my phone calls or answered his door.”

I lifted my fork over my shoulder, eyes still on my plate. “He’s in line at the buffet.” I resumed cutting my steak into tiny pieces. No need to explain that I knew exactly where Ezra had been the past few days.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few heads swing toward where I had pointed. I stilled for only a heartbeat, realizing I had probably given away the fact I was so in tune with Ezra’s body, but I went back to eating before anyone noticed my instant reaction. Ezra had acted only as a worried friend during our time in the medical ward, careful of those around him, but if anyone had looked close enough, they would have seen a father losing his children. It was best to be cautious for a little while, just in case.

Elder Merrick swung his large frame back to rights on his chair as I felt several pairs of eyes on me. “That’s one hell of a nose you have.”

My lips lifted as I glanced at him. “Yours is better.” He was the only one who had seen Ezra’s initial reaction. He knew. And yet, he wasn’t blowing whistles. It was another interesting fact about him.

His own lips lifted in recognition that I knew he was something else where scents were involved. “Possibly.” His head tilted, his arm sliding over the back of my chair. “I could teach you what I know if you would care to put in a few hours alone with me.”

I could smell that Ezra was coming closer. Again, it was when Elder Merrick chose to say a double entendre. Casually knocking his arm off the back of my chair, I turned back to my food. “If your offer’s honest, I’ll take you up on it.” I wanted to know how he did what he did. “For teaching.”

He leaned over, his mouth against the shell of my ear. “Oh, I’ll teach you.”

Ezra was now close enough to have heard that. And my knife miraculously found its way under the table, directly against Elder Merrick’s crotch. He stiffened as I turned my head to stare him in the eyes. Instantly, he backed off. I never thought he was stupid.

Taking my knife back, I primly set it on the table and began eating my sliced meat as Ezra and Jack sat in the remaining chairs at the table. Honestly, I was surprised they had sat at this table. I had done it because I knew no one would really bother me, but Jack and Ezra didn’t have that luxury, which was quickly proven.

King Kincaid leaned forward, eyes on Ezra. “You’ve missed your training and punishment duties these past few mornings. Care to explain why you’ve decided to ignore our rules?” A pause, then, “Again?”

Ezra took a large sip of his coffee before gently placing it on the table. “No, I don’t believe I’d care to explain.” He ignored how every Kings’ gaze but King Venclaire’s flashed in instant frustration and irritation, and he picked up his silverware to scoop up corn. “And I’d prefer another punishment.” He chewed slowly, scooting his corn around until he scooped up another spoonful.

King Nelson bristled. “What you prefer has no bearing on your punishment.”

“Fine.” Ezra shrugged. “I won’t care what you prefer, and just won’t go.”

King Venclaire held up his hands when all the Kings’ mouths opened to argue. “I’ve spoken with the day care and they filled Lily’s and his positions when they didn’t show.” He lowered his hands when their mouths finally shut, even if their eyes were still wide in shocked aggravation. Calmly, King Venclaire stated, “They’ll be helping to prepare food of a morning, instead, for their continued punishment.”

I barely stifled my sigh of relief, feeling extremely grateful this time that my biological dad was insightful, knowing who the father of the twins had been, and intelligent enough to decipher we wouldn’t want to be around children.

All of the Kings’ lips pinched tight, but they didn’t argue. Not here, anyway. I could imagine well enough that it would happen in private, though. Normally, they tried to keep their disagreements as quiet as possible.

“Thank you,” I said quietly to King Venclaire.

His lips lifted in a smile, which showed nothing near happiness. “You’re welcome.”

As everyone began finishing their meal, Ezra glanced down the table. “Dad?”

The table’s occupants paused for a moment — Ezra rarely ever called Cahal anything informal and usually addressed him as ‘Elder Zeller’ in front of others — which Ezra noticed, and he instantly rested back on his chair, appearing relaxed. Aloof. The table’s occupants pretended to ignore his small blunder, unfamiliar with how to handle familial relations…well, acting like familial relations…and resumed finishing their last bites.

Cahal set his own coffee down carefully, his eyes meeting his son’s. “Yes?”

Ezra shrugged one shoulder, sipping his coffee. “I thought we might hit the sparring ring later.”

Cahal absently twirled his empty cup on the table. “If you take it easy on me.” His lips quirked.

Ezra chuckled quietly. “Gonna bring the hurt on?”

“As much as you do.”

“Perfect.”

Placing my silverware down as I was done with my meal, I stood, wishing I had a way to relieve my own pent-up energy. But I really didn’t. Turning from the table, King Kincaid stopped me by asking, “What do you have planned today, Lily?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, shaking my head. I didn’t have a family to lean on, like Ezra, even if the others at the table were not supposed to know that was what he was doing. Jack and Pearl still had their own issues to work out, and I had monopolized too much of their time as it was. They needed to recover from their own loss in healthier ways than dealing with more loss. I had no one. “I’m not sure.”

Rolling my shoulders, I glanced about, realizing that everyone at the table was watching me. I forced my lips to lift into a semblance of a smile. “But I’ll figure it out.” Moving from the table, I kept my gaze away from Ezra and made my way through the crowd.

I was surprised when King Fergus fell into step beside me. I raised my eyebrows in question as I sidestepped someone pushing their seat back. He shrugged, opening the dining room door for me, and murmured quietly, “I’ve been alone for far too long not to recognize loneliness in someone else.” I paused, blinking in surprise at his candidness, then nodded, moving through the exit when he placed his hand at the small of my back — which also surprised me — ushering me through.

After shutting the door firmly, he kept pace beside me. “If you want to go for a run in wolf form, I could probably manage a decent obstacle course for you.” My eyes widened, absolutely loving the idea, knowing he really could with his earth magic. But I was still utterly shocked at his kindness. Again, he shrugged, his lips tilting. “It’s not a completely selfless act. It’ll give me practice.” A pause, then his eyes darting from mine with quiet words. “And it’ll give me some companionship.”

My lips lifted into a real smile. “King Fergus, I do believe I’d enjoy your company.”

He nodded, a smile lifting his own lips.

And as we walked along, I couldn’t help but stare at him, evaluating him in a different light after his honest words, and I blurted, “Why have you been alone?” I gestured at him from head to toe. “You’re not exactly repulsive.”

He grinned. “Thank you.” Slowly, he shook his head, soft neon green curls brushing his shoulders. “But that isn’t a story I’d wish to talk about.” His amber eyes darted to mine and away. “Unless, of course, you’d like to fill me in on who the twins’ father was, then I may be willing to spill details.” Instantly, my eyes narrowed as we started up the walkway. He chuckled, green eyebrows raised. “The young are always so ready to know others’ secrets, but are never willing to risk their own.”

Rolling my shoulders, I grumbled, “Fair enough.” A sideways glance toward him. “But you should really get back out there if it has been that long.” At the beginning of school last year, under Ezra’s power, King Fergus had said it had been a few years since he’d had sex.

He snorted. “I didn’t say I wasn’t having sex, Ms Ruckler.” He peered around the interior of the cave. “I’ve found many partners here.” His gaze found mine, his eyes searching. “The many acts of sex can be pleasurable, but it’s often empty pleasure.”

I held his regard as we weaved through Mysticals. I knew exactly what he was talking about. Often, the pleasure was fleeting, quickly leaving after the act. Sometimes, during. Only when you found a partner you cared about did it hold meaning. By the surety of his tone, I now knew he had once loved. Whether it had been with a mate or another Elemental, he had definitely found love once. And lost it somehow.

Guzzling my water, I grinned, pointing at King Fergus around the bottle to let him know it was his own fault. It had been a week since I emerged into the world, and every day, after helping the kitchen staff or training with Elder Merrick, we went into the woods above King Cave where King Fergus would provide one hell of an obstacle course for me. But today, at the end of our session, he had gone a little hog-wild by blowing up parts of the earth, trying to make me stumble. And it had backfired on him. Literally.

We both had chunks of dirt/mud and grass and twigs all over us as we made our way into King Cave. Swallowing my mouthful of water, I laughed outright at the scowl on his face. “Christ, I’m never gonna forget how you screamed.”

“I did not scream,” he grumbled in short, terse words.

I laughed harder. “When I had to shift to catch you, you sure as hell screamed.”

He sniffed, tucking his dirty green hair behind his ear. “I had dirt in my eyes, so I couldn’t see the ground coming.”

My chuckle was a deep belly laugh as we entered the top section of the cave, where I stopped and bent to hold said belly as it was starting to cramp from my laughing.

He actually kicked my leg. Not hard, but not exactly soft, either. “I wasn’t the only one screaming.” He paused, his own chuckle erupting. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming on to me or trying to escape.”

My head fell back, my laugh joining his. “I was naked.” I slapped at the wall a few times, shaking my head, bits of dirt flying everywhere, at remembering how he had frozen for a moment after he had freaked out at opening the ground beneath us, just as I caught him, burying us inside a dark hole of the ground.

“I noticed.” He wiped tears from his face, making the dirt on his cheeks streak darker. “You sat on my damn face at one point.” He arched back, mouth open wide in raucous laughter at my saucer-eyed glance, as I paused, realizing I had freaked out a little down there. He hooted it up, pointing at me. “Like I said, I didn’t know if you were hitting on me or trying to escape.”

My lips trembled and my chin quivered before I busted up, picturing his reaction in my mind. “Oh, God. That’s fucking hilarious.”

“What the hell happened to you two?” King Kincaid bellowed, off to our left.

Our attention swung his way, both of us wiping our eyes, making our faces look that much worse, as we continued snickering. I pointed at King Fergus as King Kincaid, King Venclaire, and King Nelson moved up the incline. “He prematurely blew a load.” King Fergus stilled, and then started snorting hard as the Kings stopped moving altogether, their eyes going wide. I blinked, realizing that hadn’t come out quite right. “Of dirt. I meant dirt.” My hands went wide. “Big explosion.” A head tilt toward King Fergus. “And a screaming King left in its wake.”

King Fergus kicked me again, almost knocking me on my ass. “Not to mention a screaming Prodigy.” He shook his head, trying to dispel some of the dirt, and pointed at King Kincaid, as I stepped away from him and out of his damn leg’s reach. “And you need to teach her where her ass should properly be sat.”

I scowled at him. “That’s just wrong.”

He grinned, white teeth gleaming through the dirt. “Revenge for your premature-crack.”

King Kincaid blinked. “So you’re both fine?”

“Of course,” King Fergus mumbled, taking a swig of his own drink. “I didn’t harm your precious Prodigy.”

I snorted. “He was too busy harming himself.”

“I told you there was dirt in my eye!” he exclaimed.

“And yet, the ground still swallowed us,” I muttered, raising my eyebrows over the rim of my drink bottle. “And still, you screamed.”

King Venclaire clapped his hands in front of our faces, his eyes still wide as he stared at us. “We were coming to look for you two. There’s a meeting planned.” His gaze darted to our dirt-streaked clothing. “There’s no time for you to change.”

I shrugged. “I’ll blame it on him since it was his fault.”

“You came out of nowhere,” he griped even as we started to move down the incline behind the other Kings. “My aim was only a little off.”

I jumped back and forth, grinning. “I was trying something new.” I chuckled. “And it worked.”

He huffed. “Won’t work again.”

King Kincaid whispered to King Venclaire, “I got a twenty that says she beats him again.”

King Venclaire nodded, glancing back at us. “I’ll take it.” His attention darted to King Kincaid, narrowing his gaze as he pointed a finger at his eyes. “He’s got that look, and I think he’s actually enjoying himself.”

I glanced at King Fergus, and right before he blanked his expression, I saw a mischievous squint to his eyes. “Oh, bring it. Please, do.” My grin was purely impish, countering his.

Entering the conference room, King Fergus and I were still bantering back and forth, barely noticing how each of the Elders in the room, all in their pristine suits, stared at us. Flopping into a chair next to him, I flicked a bit of dirt on King Fergus, which naturally flew back, straight at my forehead, without him even lifting a finger. I mumbled, “Cheater.”

He was chuckling as a certain Mage hustled into the room.

I blinked, staring at Antonio.

He had on a pair of jeans that hung low on his waist and were barely done up, his belt dangling. He brushed his tousled golden hair out of his face, showing flushed cheeks. His eyes were sparkling, and he quickly started buttoning his white shirt, which was open and showing his slim but muscular build. He muttered, “Sorry, I’m late. I only just listened to my voicemail.” He moved around the table while finishing up his buttons and tucking in his shirt.

I blinked again as he started fixing his belt.

“The message went out three hours ago,” Cahal stated, his eyebrows lowered, apparently not appreciating Antonio’s lack of decorum.

Antonio grinned down at his belt. “I was…busy.”

I blinked again. “You had sex.” It just kind of blurted out, but I had never seen him disheveled like that before.

He chuckled, moving to the bar in the corner. “Yes, I did. Many times with a very talented partner.” His eyebrows rose as he glanced in my direction, laughing at whatever expression I had on my face as he grabbed a water bottle. “Oh, Lil, your innocence is exquisite. You didn’t think I had been celibate all this time? I enjoy doing what I’m good at.”

“Stop.” I shuddered, nowhere near forgiving him yet, but… “That’s too much info for me.” No one liked to think of their dad getting it on. Nor did they want to know they were ‘good at it’.

“Alright.” He sat between King Venclaire, who had his arms crossed and his head down, and Elder Zeller, who was still scowling at him. He pointed at me and King Fergus around his water bottle. “What happened to you two?”

“Dirt boy here,” I tilted my head at King Fergus, “got a little trigger-happy.”

‘Dirt boy’ bristled. “I had mud in my eyes.” His eyebrows rose. “And that’s King Fergus to you.”

I fluttered a hand, firmly put in my place, and told Antonio charmingly, “That’s his excuse and he’s sticking to it.” I started sputtering when dirt from my shirt suddenly lifted and flew into my mouth. I glared at King Fergus, picking dirt from my teeth as he grinned. “And least I didn’t mention the premature part.”

His grin only grew. “And I didn’t mention where you prefer to sit.”

Suddenly, Ezra’s scent wrapped around me, which meant he had definitely arrived, and I felt his heat at my back just as my chair began rolling. I blinked up at him as he turned my chair to the side. “Huh?”

“I want this seat,” he rumbled, shaking my chair. “It sits higher, so it’s more comfortable for my legs.” He tilted his head to the chair next to it. “Take that one.”

My eyebrows puckered, drying dirt falling like dust from my forehead. The chair next to me appeared no different height-wise. But his mien expressed he was prepared to argue with me if I opened my mouth. He and I hadn’t really talked much this past week, both of us keeping busy, and I really didn’t want our first discussion to be an argument, so I assented and got up from my chair — leaving dirt behind — and sat in the chair directly next to it.

Which was the same height.

He brushed the dirt off my old chair and sat, turning it in my direction and resting his elbow on the table, even though his attention was over my head where Elder Camden stood next to Elder Harcourt, both of whom were waiting for the rest of the latecomers to get here. I blinked, eyeing his robe/sweater. Instead of the blue one he normally wore, he wore one that was black velvet, almost the same cut as the other one: rough patches sewn at the elbow, long enough to just skim the floor, and a few tong buttons holding the upper section together while the lower part spread to allow free movement below the waist. I peered up at his bright green gaze, which was underneath the hood and concealed somewhat. “New robe?”

He nodded, nostrils flaring. “A gift from a friend.”

My whole body stilled, but I didn’t quite know what I was feeling. “Jessica?” I hadn’t seen him with her this week, or with any other woman, and noticing that particular Vamp woman only because I had seen her enter her bedroom with four — yes, four — Vampire men.

He shook his head. “Rose.”

I blinked, turning my chair slowly to face Elder Camden and Elder Harcourt. I had no clue who Rose was, but obviously her name matched her scent since that was what was wafting from his new garment. “That was kind of her.” Liar, liar.

He grunted, and from the corner of my eye I saw him picking at the sleeve. “Have fun playing in the dirt today?”

Remarkably agitated, I drummed my fingers on the table. “It was an experience.”

A pause, then he said, “So was Rose.”

My fingers stopped thumping, only to be exchanged for my heart pounding. Truth. He had just spoken the truth. Deep hurt instantly and unreasonably rushed through me in a brutal, wounding tidal wave. I had known he would start having sex again sometime soon — he was Ezra, after all — but he had promised not to flaunt it, and I had done the same, which hadn’t been a problem since I hadn’t hit the sheets with anyone.

Turning my chair the opposite way so no one but him would see my expression, I gave him a special look. He had made a promise. And he’d broken it. To go along with all that hurt, I was pissed off beyond belief.

His nostrils flared, and his lips lifted, more of a baring of teeth, and he flicked a finger, hitting a clump of dirt on my sleeve and knocking it to the ground.

Confused, I gazed at him. He stared back, eyes narrowed under his hood. Suddenly, what Ezra thought hit me. That King Fergus and I were getting it on. We had been going outdoors for the entire week. Coming back in great moods. And now, Ezra had purposely maneuvered me to a different chair…away from King Fergus.

My laugh was quiet, full of scorn and bitterness, and I whispered, “You’re wrong.” My eyes flicked down to his new robe as he stilled. The one he had gotten from a woman he had fucked. An ‘experience’ of a fuck. Pure anger radiating through me, my now narrowed gaze met his now carefully blank one, his hand over his mouth, his elbow resting on the table. I didn’t say anything else. I couldn’t, not with my emotions like rapid fire inside me.

Plus, we both knew this day would come.

There was nothing to say.

I held his gaze a moment longer before turning my chair back around, blocking him out completely, and lifted my muddy shoes to cross my legs on the oversized chair, letting my head fall back against it and closing my eyes. I tried to rein in my emotions. He was my damn best friend. I shouldn’t feel as if I wanted to strangle him right now. I had jumped into having a sexual relationship with him just as much as he had me. It was similarly my fault for any fluctuating emotions. Time to grow the fuck up.

“King Venclaire, are you alright?” I heard Elder Harcourt ask.

I peeked and saw my biological dad lift his carefully blank face to him. “It’s a day full of revelations.”

“I remember those days,” Elder Harcourt murmured softly. “I envy you them.” He shut the door once Pearl and Jack had hustled inside and had seated themselves at the opposite end of the table. They were both out of breath and in workout attire, obviously just getting the news, as I had.

I closed my eyes as Elder Harcourt and Elder Camden began speaking of the Elders’ — our peace-making Elders — progress with the Commoners. Which was shit. They weren’t getting anywhere with the leaders, in fact, their talks with them apparently only creating more of a ruckus since they were confirming that any living hybrids could, indeed, create those Beasts, done in an effort to be honest with them for new peace. Elder Harcourt also began playing more videos produced by the men in red robes, which I did open my eyes to watch. When the third one began, I went rigid, recognizing the robe with the black and gold trimming the edges.

“He’s possibly the same man,” I couldn’t confirm because his hood was up as it had been on the beach, “we saw outside King Hall with Elly Belford.” I pointed. “Same robe.”

“We believe he’s the leader,” Elder Camden stated, all the Elders and Kings around the table leaning forward to get a better look.

And everyone went quiet, listening to him blather on about how we had lied to the Commoners, creating Beasts to destroy them — yada yada, it was all the same — but what interested me was his voice. Closing my eyes, I listened as he ranted and raved, his tone getting louder and more forceful, and a second later, I cocked my head.

My whole body jolted. “Pause it.” My eyes slammed open to Elder Harcourt. “Rewind it, and magnify the sound, please.”

He stopped the film, eyes on me. “What did you hear?”

“I’m not positive.” I shook my head, not wanting to say if I was wrong. “Just rewind it, please.” I glanced at King Kincaid, Elder Merrick, and Elder Talus — the King Shifter, and the Elder Shifters I knew — while Elder Harcourt did as I asked him. I said, “Listen close. Tell me what you hear.”

Slowly, they nodded.

The video on the golden cube started again, and I closed my eyes, listening to the magnified sound. Once more, my head cocked as the leader got to his particularly loud rant. I heard it for a second time and threw up a hand. “Elder Harcourt, stop.” The sound turned off, the video pausing again, as my eyes flew open to the Elders I had spoken with. “Did you hear it?”

As one, all three of them shook their heads.

“Shit,” I muttered, pushing up from my seat and staring at the image. I felt incredibly stupid that three more powerful men hadn’t heard it, but I knew I had. “I think…” I stalled, clearing my throat, jaw clenching as everyone stared at me expectantly. “Okay, I think I know two things about the man in question.” I stared at the image and not the intimidating Elders and Kings around me. “One, I believe the man is Philip Masterson.”

I saw everyone become still around the table, and I quickly explained for those who weren’t in the know. “He’s a Congressman in the United States. I know him personally, since he tried to rape me a few months ago. I recognize his voice.” My gaze went to King Kincaid’s wide eyes. “It’s him. I know it is. And it also explains the timing of his disappearance.”

“Goddamn mother-fucker,” King Nelson muttered, eyes solid on the screen. A pause. “Elder Farrar, you followed him. Did you see any signs that it could be him?”

Antonio’s gaze was glowing a bit as he stared at the screen. “I saw nothing out of the ordinary at the time, but Lil’s right. It’s his voice, now that she mentioned it.” Golden eyes swung to me, his grin feral. “I believe you have something else to say.”

I snapped my attention away from his scary-as-hell face, and just blurted it out there, “I heard him growl.” I fluttered a hand at the screen when everyone gazed at me blankly. “As in, a wolf’s growl.”

Pretty much the entire room stared at me, hard.

“Let me get this straight,” Elder Talus murmured quietly. “For those of us who are a bit slow.” He pointed at the screen. “You and Elder Farrar have actually been around this man, Philip Masterson—”

I cut him off. “Ezra, Pearl, and Jack have also met him.”

His eyebrows only rose. “Alright, so you five have physically met him, and none of you thought he wasn’t a Commoner?”

“No, sir,” I murmured quietly. I blinked. “But he could have been masking.”

He snorted. “No one masks so well that you can’t feel their power at all.”

I snorted this time. “Wanna bet?” In response to his startled expression at my insubordination, I held up a finger, stating slowly, “Give me a second.”

I let my head fall, closing my eyes. It was harder with the Queen power flowing through my Core, but it was still doable. Sometimes, I practiced late at night when I couldn’t sleep. My Vampire magic was a natural habit to mask, but I rolled my head around on my shoulders, took a deep breath, and reined all of my magic in, stuffing it down deep inside me, not letting any out, before slamming a metaphysical door inside my chest. Another roll of my shoulders, and I peered up at him.

Waggling my fingers at him, I stated, “Go ahead. Test me. Tell me if you feel a thing.”

I felt a rush of power hit me from all angles, not only him doing as requested. Bracing my feet, I bit my lip because so much was hitting me at once, but I stayed standing and got a first-class view of seeing everyone’s eyes go wide, except for King Kincaid, who already knew I could do this, and Antonio, who had taught me the basic idea behind it before leaving directly after my first Awakening. If they pressed hard enough, they would feel my Shifter power, unlike my Vampire magic since it was spelled to be hidden, but they would have to be searching damn hard to feel even the tiniest sliver of my Shifter magic.

“Now,” I stretched, some dirt falling off my arms, “if none of you had met me before or knew who I was, would you think Commoner or Mystical?”

“Holy shit,” Elder Merrick muttered, his eyes flying back to the screen, his reaction answer enough. “That’s fucking amazing, Lily, but I want to hear the growl you say you heard. No offense, but I’ve never met anyone who can mask the way you are, and to find two people in one day seems a bit unrealistic.”

I let my Shifter power back out of my Core, the action a little daunting since I had so much. “Elder Harcourt, just rewind it a smidge, and magnify the sound even further.” I flopped in my chair, dried dirt flying to the floor around me.

Elder Harcourt nodded and did as I had asked, every Shifter in the place closing their eyes to listen. And this time, with the sound turned up to blaring levels, every single one of them stilled at the table. And then a round of quiet growling erupted from them at the same time as when Elder Harcourt stopped the film where I’d had him do before.

“Well, that answers that question,” Antonio stated, eyes on the pissed off Shifters. He held up a finger. “But, it doesn’t explain why I can never see the leader in one of my visions.”

Everyone’s eyes, including mine, went back to the still image.

As we stared at it, Ezra’s quiet chuckle sounded throughout the room. He pointed at the screen. “The answer lies in his robe.” He cursed under his breath. “He’s a hybrid.” My head flew in his direction, as did everyone else’s. “Gold and black. Mage and Shifter. It makes sense for the war he’s bringing on everyone.” His gaze swung to Antonio. “Would it be possible for him to create a spell to deflect anyone tracking him through visions?”

Gradually, Antonio nodded, resulting in a round of curses flying around the room.

It was decided that a group, including the Executioner, were to be dispatched by Elder Camden and Elder Harcourt — they would discuss who would go and find them later — to go to Philip Masterson’s home and take him out, if he had returned from his MIA status. The news of the leader’s hybrid nature would be passed on to the Elders speaking with the Com leaders so that they could disclose this information to them, in the hope that Philip had put them under some type of spell in relation to their ongoing hostility. Then, after two rebellion videos, the meeting was adjourned.

I left immediately, not wanting to risk talking with Ezra.

I ran into Finn in my rush.

Entered his room, having all night long that pleasurable but empty sex King Fergus and I had spoken about, and not leaving until the sun rose on King Cave’s ceiling, lighting my way to practice with Elder Merrick in the fighting arena.