Page 48 of Sold Bullied Mate

Emin understands that I rely on him in moments like this. To be my right-hand-man. To offer me his clear judgment.

“I think he’s telling the truth,” Emin says, finally. “You could have killed him in that bunker, and he didn’t show any regret. He knew full well that trying to come into our territory came with a high price—and a high likelihood that he would end up paying it. I think if he had any ulterior motives, he wouldn’t have been so … resigned.”

I nod. “That’s the read I was getting, too.”

“So, what?” Emin asks, as we fall into step beside one another, heading toward the meeting room. “You going to make him stay in that jail?”

“Might talk to Claire about some sort of truth serum, a spell we can use to check his intentions. Maybe Beth could get a read on him. Don’t want to make him stay down there, but I’m not letting him out in my pack without more information, confirmation that he’s not going to hurt our people.”

Emin nods just as we turn the corner and walk into the meeting room. Kellen is there, his head bowed, likely still ashamed from the night I kicked him out of my home.

Good.

Emin takes a seat beside his father, but leaves a space between them. The rest of the room is filled with the council, plus additional heads for the heightened state of security we’re in.

“Hello, everyone,” I say, making my way to the front of the room. With this new threat coming from the Grayhides, it’s more important that we figure out our issue with the Amanzite. They all knowsomethingis going on, but the only people with specifics are Emin and me, along with the two shifters who actually captured Aidan and heard what he relayed.

“We don’t have time to waste, so let’s just jump right into what we have on the Amanzite problem. Leta? What do you have about the Llewellyn pack?”

“Not much,” she sighs, and when I glance at her, I see how this is affecting her. It’s been affecting all of us, and the bags under her eyes show how hard she’s been working at this. Clearing her throat, she shuffles her folders and says, “As youknow, it’s difficult to get information about them. We have intel that they’re looking for powdered pranxath—a rare red powder often used in potion-making—but it’s made from a certain strain of palm leaves. Not something we can easily get our hands on. Besides that, my contact in that pack has gone quiet.”

I wasn’t expecting much from that avenue, but it’s still disappointing.

“Thank you, Leta, you’ve done the best you could. What else do we have? Claire?”

Claire looks worse than Leta, thin and shaking, her voice reedy as she pushes her hair back from her face.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she says, eyes on the table. “We’re working as hard as we can on synthesizing the gem with magic, but it’s just taking a long time…”

“Understandable,” I say, clearing my throat and trying not to look as panicked as I feel. Our options are quickly dwindling, to the point where Kellen’s original suggestion—of going back to the night market—is even out.

With them looking for Kira, it’s far too dangerous for me to leave our territory. And there’s no way I’m sending any of my people onto enemy land.

“Pull all the casters from every other endeavor,” I say, and all heads snap up to me. There are a lot of things our casters work on, outside of imbuing Amanzite, like clearing the fields of pests, making repairs, and healing. Pulling them from everything else is going to cause a problem.

But unless I can come up with something else, this is our last shot. I squeeze the back of an empty chair, clear my throat, and say, “Pull the other students out, too. Same parameters—paythe same, but everyone comes out full time. Get as many people on this as you can.”

“Yes, sir,” Claire says, her wide eyes hinting at her panic. I wouldn’t suggest this unless it was necessary, and it seems like she knows that.

I hope everyone knows it.

This time, as they all filter out of the meeting room, there’s less spirit. Less belief that we’re going to be able to pull this off. With Jerrod threatening our borders, trying to come after Kira, and a fast-dwindling supply of Amanzite, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to be hopeful for.

“Dorian,” Emin says, and I look up at him, realizing the room is empty besides the two of us. Frowning, I grab my phone from the table and tuck it into my pocket.

“What?”

“I had a thought,” he says, and when he meets my eyes, I see a spark of hope there. “There’s another way we might be able to get our hands on Amanzite.”

“What’s that?”

“Figure out who took it initially,” his voice is low. I haven’t even had time to focus on the details of the Amanzite going missing initially with out stressed we are to find more.

“How are we going to do that?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. If it was easy, it would be done already.

“We have a brand-new, powerful psychic,” Emin says, smile broadening. “In fact, she saved a kid’s life the other day.”

It’s so obvious I hang my head—why hadn’t I thought of that? Maybe, if Kira and Beth worked together, they might be able to find more information and lead us to the thief. On the offchance they still have the Amanzite, we might be able to get it back.

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