Page 159 of Bosse
Adrian remained still. He’d rather not be locked in a Power Broker’s magical grip.
“What took you so long to appear?” Krol’s face twisted with so much anger he looked as if his head had been squashed. With Herc blocked, he stepped out into the open to face the Power Broker. “I have the Gallize mate in hand, ready to deliver. You owe me full power over the Lammogo.”
Zuzani calmly explained, “You broke your part of the agreement. You were never to say my name or speak of our deal.”
Krol said nothing at first. He looked around, his forehead lined with confusion, then turned back to the Power Broker. “Are you worried aboutthemknowing? They’ll all be dead. Simply give me control of the Lammogo, and I’ll unleash it to finish them off.”
“I think not.” Zuzani spoke in a normal tone when he said, “Lammogo.”
The creature broke free from being stuck halfway into a leap and turned to face Zuzani. The mage quietly ordered, “Kill Krol.”
“What?” Krol stared at Zuzani. “I did all this for nothing?”
Zuzani shrugged.
The Lammogo flapped its wings and lifted into the air as Krol began to shift into his lion. The flying creature landed atop Krol in mid-shift, claws digging into the body, and slammed him to the ground.
Krol’s lion and human body became very still, but his eyes bulged in panic. He tried to talk. The only word that slipped free was “mercy.”
Evidently, that word was not in the Lammogo’s vocabulary. It stood and bludgeoned Krol’s body.
Adrian had seen enough. He accused Zuzani, “You are a Power Broker. You have caused deaths here and put one of our Gallize at risk. You must face our Guardian as well as your superiors.”
Leaning casually on the faded wood railing and showing no reaction to a deadly threat, Zuzani said, “I do not possess the Gallize mate. Krol did. There is no conflict between the Power Brokers and the Gallize.”
Crossing his arms, Adrian would not back down. “You had Krol steal a Gallize mate. That is the definition of conflict.”
“True,” Zuzani admitted, straightening to his full height. “But she is being returned because of my intervention. I killed Krol. Do you not wish for that outcome?” The mage paused to turn his head, looking toward Bosse and Alifair. “Is it worth it to you for us to continue to battle when two of yours are bleeding out?”
So pissed he could hardly see straight, Adrian reminded himself his priority was saving the mate first, plus Alifair and Bosse, neither of which were moving much. He wanted all of them safe. He made what he saw as his only choice and one he believed the Guardian would expect of him.
The Gallize would always cross paths with Power Brokers. His people needed to live another day to fight.
Adrian ground out his concession. “I’m taking the women. Do not come near one of ours again. You will not receive mercy.”
Zuzani chuckled as if he found the warning funny, then he ordered his creature, “Take to the air, Lammogo.” As the bird flew up to the sky, Zuzani took a step back, opened his arms, and vanished.
