Page 19 of Princess

A woman’s voice cut in before King responded, though I didn’t miss his low growl.

“Dave,” she said, firmly.“The information came from people we trust.We need the Shadow Warriors’ help.”

Silence.

Then the woman continued.

“Dave’s brother lived at the outpost that was attacked.He escaped with his wife and their youngest.Their older son stayed behind to fight.”

She swallowed audibly before finishing.

“The Federation killed him.”

I clenched my jaw.Dave’s brother should have sent his son with his wife and their other child.Inside me, Ms.Beast growled low with disapproval, agreeing fully.

King must have had the same thought I did.I could almost see his eyes gleam, because Dave immediately went on the defensive.

“Jack, my brother, lost his leg two years ago,” he said, his voice edged with belligerence.

I didn’t need to see King to know he gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

The woman spoke again.“The Federation will systematically wipe us out.Our people are split fifty-fifty on taking your help.It’s fear,” she explained.“It’s the history of our country.They fear what’s different from them.”

King’s voice remained steady.“If we send Shadow Warriors, I need to know they won’t be stabbed in the back.”

“We will feed them and give them shelter,” she assured him.“We are at war with the Federation, and we can’t handle an attack from both sides.”Then, after a brief pause, she asked, “Do you have the same poison that turns humans into hellhounds?”

I might actually like this woman.

“We don’t,” King said.“And we don’t want it either.Once we get our hands on the stuff, we’ll destroy everything we find along with the scientific data.We do, however, have a serum that keeps Shadow Warriors alive if we’re bitten or scratched.We’re working on the same for humans, but so far, we haven’t produced it.”

A chair scraped back abruptly, the legs screeching against the tile.

“So, you can save yourselves but not us?”Dave snapped.

King’s tone didn’t change.“Shadow Warriors heal faster than humans, which enables us to fight off the bites and scratches while the antidote gives us added time,” he said.“If we develop a human antidote, it will be shared freely, with or without your willingness to accept our protection.”

“Dave.”This time, the woman’s voice was sharper and more insistent.“You lost your nephew because of the Federation.They are the enemy, not this man,” she said coldly.If you can’t control yourself, step outside.”

She held authority.And that surprised me.

“Dave is my husband,” she continued, her voice settling into something quieter but no less commanding.“He’s been angry for a long time, and it gets the best of him.”There was a pause.“I am Carmen, the mayor of Tully, our outpost.It was named after Dave’s father.”

She gestured toward the others.

“Kevin is the mayor of Second Son, and Mason is the mayor of Territory Three.They also have questions.”

If this was an act, I’d eat my plastic sandal.

A man cleared his throat.“I’m Mason,” he said.“Landan mentioned you’d allow them to send their children here.Is that true?”

“Yes,” King answered.

Mason hesitated.“Would you allow us to send ours?”

“You may send your children and anyone not capable of fighting with you.”

“Why?”

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