Page 83 of What Fools These Immortals Be
“If a wolf came to me accusing a vampire of killing their mate—and that’s different too, I know it is—then we would investigate and deal with the culprit. The wolf would have little hand in that justice.”
“They wouldn’t be allowed to kill them themselves?”
“No. Neither would a vampire—if a sire’s turn was killed, for example, that would still be the responsibility of me and my chieftains.”
Deacon nods slowly. “And what did you do before all that? Before the treaty?”
I shrug. “Ask ten vampires and you’ll get ten different answers. I’ve seen some small clans hold physical trials, either fighting hand-to-hand or with weapons. Some have had something more like the Council, or like human courts. Some have had the victim seek their own justice, but only to the degree that harm wasissued upon them. We’re not one people, Deacon. We never were.”
“You’ve become it, here.”
“We have, and that’s why we have this route. We marry together the customs we can and try to keep up with the times. To a certain degree, at least.”
“Yeah, some of that wouldn’t work with wolves,” he says, but he seems more understanding than he did when he walked into the room. “I worry I’m going to have to allow this challenge, and that even if Augustine doesn’t kill Quinn, this will be the thing that breaks him anyway.”
“I’ll fight it,” I say, and Deacon looks at me in surprise. “Theideaof the challenge, I mean, but also I can argue for a proxy if it should go ahead.”
Deacon frowns. “A wolf can fight a challenge for another, but it’s rare. Augustine is not old or injured. If he is capable of issuing a challenge, then he should be capable of fighting it.”
“But he is not a wolf. He is a vampire, one who is seen by the packs as a threat. If there are others in your pack who feel as defensive of Quinn as you and Kieran do, then there is every chance that his life is at risk by accepting the challenge, isn’t there?”
I stare hard at Deacon until he nods. “That won’t work if Quinn takes up the challenge, though. Then Augustine will have to fight.”
“Don’t let him.”
“It is a wolf’sright—”
“Don’t. Let. Him.” I enunciate each word clearly, never breaking eye contact with Deacon.
To my surprise, he breaks first, though I think that is more a conscious choice than any sign of submission.
“I’ll do what I can,” he says and scrubs a hand through his hair. “I’ll have to get Kieran to agree to it first.”
“He’s going to be angry for a while.”
Deacon chuckles. “Yeah, no kidding. That’s not even the half of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“You think Kieran’s angry? You haven’t seen Sam yet. I was worried he might take out half the city looking for the fae who broke his wards.”
“He shouldn’t,” I say, panic suddenly seizing my chest. “He should stay away from them.”
“I told him that. I don’t know that he cares to do as I tell him, but I imagine he’ll stick close to home for the next few days. He protects that pack as well as any wolf.”
Deacon gets to his feet, and I stand too, feeling suddenly unbalanced. I need to call Maurice. I should have done it already, and I have no doubt the Hunt will hear of what’s happened and know there are fae involved, but I want to be the one to let him know.
“Thank you for your help, crai.” Deacon extends a hand, which I shake. “I’m sorry for the way we came in here. Just because we don’t always see things the same way, that doesn’t make you an enemy, and I should have acted better.”
“Apology accepted, alpha.” I smile in the face of his small frown. “I could have done better myself, I am sure. Thank you for your grace as I get used to this role.”
Deacon snorts. “You’re doing just fine. You’re actually meeting with me, aren’t you?” His eyes sparkle, lips twitching as though he’s holding back a laugh. When I sigh, he sobers. “We’ll get through this, Njáll, and you’ll still be crai when it’s done.”
“I’m not betting on that.”
“I would.”
I see him out, and Kieran scowls but gives me a polite nod before he follows Deacon away. As soon as I’m sure they’ve left the building, I snatch up my phone and call Maurice.
