Page 8 of Suspicions on the Stage
This is going nowhere fast.
“I think the two of you are fighting over the poor kid like a possession, which he’s not.” I smirk at them, knowing that’s going to focus their ire on me, not one another. “Stop acting like this is a war for his affections when we all know he’s a grown-up who’s definitely headed for a tumble with the dean and fuck knows who else. Slade is no longer a mama's boy, Azul. Turn your creepy fixation to one of your other sons.”
“Hey!”
I chuckle at Tracer finally speaking up. “Sorry, man. All dragons for themselves. You’ll have to fend off Mommy Dearest on your own.”
“Silence!”
Heaving a long sigh, I turn back to look at Slade’s mother with a very tired, very bored expression. “Listen up, and listen well people. I have been patient and I have allowed my friends to negotiate on their terms with your leaders despite the constant disrespect shown in the presence of Prince Liam. That ends now. If your self-aggrandizing leader doesn’t share what she knows, and allow us to leave, I am within my rights as the royal guard to the Prince to act on the slights your court has committed.”
The gasps echo in the tent, but now Axel is standing with Azul, and a group of aquatic shifters that I believe to be the kid’s siblings are standing behind the throne. Two sharks, and the hybrid triplets make the ring around the leaders, but Tracer is smart enough to stay where he is.
“I promise you that taking what we are owed means very different things to storm dragons than it does to any of your kind. We do not compromise, we do not spare lives, and we leave no trace of that which we feel obligated to destroy. I would think very hard before anyone speaks again unless it is to answer theirgoddamned questions.”
Morgana’s eyes dart to mine, and I can tell she’s not happy, but it needed to be done.
Otherwise, we’d be here all night with her and the Fish Queen comparing clit size.
i’m still standing
MORGANA
Ihatethat Kaspar intruded, but the looks on the Finns’ faces tells me he was smart to do it. Azul is rattled, and despite standing tall beside her, Axel and his dumb shit progeny are practically emanating disguised fear. There’s a reason people give me a wide berth since Magnus’s death and the difficulty in killing a dragon at full strength is part of that.
Liam’s bodyguard is not only a mature, full-strength dragon, but he’s imbued with the power of the Daybreak Court. That gives him carte blanche to do exactly as he says and no one will question him. His words aren’t a threat; they’re a promise.
“Fine. It is clear you’ve chosen your side, Ezzie. I hope it makes you happy,” the leader of the gang says as she waves off her husband and the other children. “Do not come running back if these landwalkers get bored with you and toss you back to the sea.”
Kaspar growls as his wings flex. “I believe I said not to speak if it wasn’t an answer to their questions. If you’d like to test me again, I’ll pick an heir and we will dine on fried fish tonight.”
Damn. That was kind of hot in a ‘I want to kick his ass until he gets growly’ sort of way.
“Dragons are so single-minded,” Azul says with an annoyed look. “If you insist. Ask whatever it is you want to know then. I grow tired of these games, anyway.”
“Mom, we need to know if you've heard anything about groups attacking the college.”
I nod at Slade, adding, “Also whether you’ve heard about criminal groups teaming up for mercenary projects.”
Axel snorts. “That’s a stupid question, girlie. Lots of people work together when the money’s good.”
“I suppose that means you’ve chosen one of the twins, then?”
Kaspar moves as if he’s going to go for one of the boys, but I hold up my palm to stop him. “Yes, they do, dumbass, but you know that’s not what I meant. I’m looking for something more than a couple low-level scrubs robbing a bank.”
“Something like the Hand of Morrigan,” Liam interjects, his eyes glowing as they land on Azul. “Don’t pretend you have no idea who I mean, either. This tent stinks of fear and the scent just rocketed up when I said it.”
One of the triplets—I don’t know if it’s Isla, Roxy, or Coral and I don’t care— steps forward with their chin jutting out. “A Prince of Faerie knows better than to invoke the name of shadows from your land. We’re not getting involved in Fae problems, no matter how much you threaten our family. My half-brother is insane if he thinks he can force us to put prices on our heads.”
My head tilts as I study the Finns, this timereallylooking at them. They’re just a well-armed group of bullies when it comesdown to it. I’m not sure how they’ve held their position as owners of the docks in Bay City for this long, but I suspect it’s more about Azul’s powers than Axel’s. They don’t know anything substantial and this bullshit has been performance theater in an effort to bully Slade into coming home.
Knowing that helps a lot, actually.
“Mom, if you could just?—”
I walk over to Slade, threading my arm in his. “She doesn’t know. None of them do. We’ve been wasting our time playing their stupid games when we could have been scoping out information in this giant party full of bad guys. They were baiting you, and in doing so, they’ve overplayed their hands.”
Lucas grins as he leans over Slade’s shoulder, ruffling his hair lightly. “I knew it! Bunch of big fucking fakers in this stupid tent.”
