Page 54 of The Alliance

“Oh. You mean skills I haven’t discovered yet?”

“I think you are using those skills already. The only thing that you need to discover is what they are. For example, I noticed you arranging for Dane to accompany you back to the Somerville territory while your Guardian is not there.”

“Oh, I’d hoped nobody noticed that.”

John smirked. “I only noticed because I did much the same thing. I arranged for Darren to visit this mage’s hospital territory once Glimmer and Kingsley have laid their protections down. He’ll add gargoyle protections, on top of the mage protections and the dragon protections.It will make Edith sleep easier to know that Georgie is protected in every way we can manage.”

As he spoke, he gestured to Darren, who had been standing across the other side of the room, much further away than he normally was. I hadn’t noticed him. Oops.

I gave him a smile.

He said, “I’ll go if Prince is happy to leave the territory. If not, I’ll send two of my cousins there instead. They are more than capable of laying the same protections I would and I trust them.”

John gave a benevolent smile and turned back to me. “Do you see now?”

I scrunched up my forehead with thought. “You mean… I should be doing more arranging? Like take on an admin role? But Rhod’s already arranged all that. I’m not sure he’d like me trying to take over.”

John shook his head. “No, no, that’s not what I meant at all. What I meant was you’d alreadydonewhat a dragon elder’s mate should do. You anticipated a pain-point for your mate and your clan, and you solved it before it could come about. You’re already watching and listening to your clan, getting a feel for how they operate and what eachof them wants and needs. That’s what a dragon elder’s mate does. Isn’t that right, Lady Evangeline?”

Evangeline gave a magnanimous tilt of her head, and I realised she had been a dragon elder’s mate, too. Ofcourseshe had! I felt stupid for not working that out before. I could have gone to her for advice.

“The clan elder must protect their clan. Their concern is physical. Territory, protections, weapons and supplies. It is their mate who must ensure the emotional stability of the clan. When they are allowed to do so.”

I thought of Alfie’s mother, who had been wound so tightly, so afraid for her sons and so cowed by her husband. She was almost a different person now.

“So if they are not allowed?”

“Then that is a failing of the clan elder. It is what their mate was born to do, and restricting them will cause the clan’s bonds to suffer.”

Evangeline saw bonds the way that Alfie did. I’d bet she had used them to sooth her clan’s fears when she’d been Lady Somerville.

Aaaand that made me realise how ill-equipped I was to do the same thing. “But I can’t see bonds!”

John shrugged. “Neither can I.”

“But I don’t doanyof this. I just talk to people and they fuss over me and make me feel special. That’s not useful at all.”

Oops. I hadn’t meant to be quitethathonest.

To my surprise, neither John nor Evangeline laughed at me. I glanced at Darren, but he was staring straight ahead, a face like stone. I wasn’t even sure he’d heard me.

“Talking to your clan is what you’remeantto do, Blaze. You enjoy it, don’t you?”

I nodded, too mortified to speak again just yet.

“A clan elder can be… intimidating,” said John. I got the impression he was avoiding the word ‘scary’ but I didn’t press him about it. “Their mate is someone that the clan can come to with their problems, someone who can speak to the elder without fear. They are the bridge between the elder and their clan.”

“Oh. How do I do that? What should I be doing?”

“Whatever it is you’re already doing. It’s working.”

Evangeline waved a regal hand. “Your bonds with the clan are very strong, Blaze. You do not need to work in order to create them. Being whoyou are was enough, and following your instinct will ensure they stay strong and supportive.”

I took a moment to consider that. I did love every one of the clan, so I supposed it was logical that I’d have a bond with them all. They were just so special, each and every one of them.

“I’m, um, not very forceful,” I said. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to take charge of much.”

Evangeline said, “That is the elder’s responsibility.”

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