Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Tristan looked at her, assessing. He nodded and then leaned closer to Jessie to inspect her wings.
Pain filled that hole she’d developed. She put on a smile to cover it up and headed over to help. Maybe helping direct the energy could clue her in on the Elder’s strange form of magic. Worst case, it gave her something to do.
“So, I didn’t actually win at all.” Jessie sat under a cabana on the grass in the backyard of Ivy House with a glass of wine and lunch. All manner of people littered the area, sitting on the grass or standing or trying not to be noticed so they wouldn’t get kicked out for sneaking into the challenge in the first place.
Instead, they were served leftovers from the BBQ and whatever drinks Mr. Tom told them they were allowed based on what was left.
Nessa lay out in a bra and panties, soaking in the rays. It covered the same amount as a bathing suit, and no one cared about nudity anyway. She didn’t have anything else to do right now. Later on, she’d head downtown and slink around in the shadows looking for breadcrumbs left by mages who’d snuck in undetected. It would be easy to do with all the chaos.
“You did.” Austin lounged beside her, bare-chested and wearing sweats low on his hips. “She admitted it when you both hobbled out of the clearing.”
“Winning on a technicality is not winning.”
“She tried to kill you when she said she wouldn’t. You didn’t try to kill her. Therefore, you won.”
“I only barely didn’t try to kill her. I doubt I could have. I used some hairy spells, but they didn’t penetrate until I was right on top of her. Harder spells would’ve just hurt her more.”
“And maybe she would’ve tapped out.”
“There is no way she would’ve tapped out and you know it. If no one had pulled her off, she would’ve kept going until I was a meat sandwich.”
“And that is why you will never accept a challenge from her again. Ever.” His voice was light…if a growl that froze Nessa’s heart could be considered light. The command was evident. Just as evident as his determination not to take any crap from Jessie on this subject.
In the end, he’d been pushed up right next to the fight, braced and ready to jump in. The others were right there with him, very clearly wary of the power and brutality of the Elder, but ready to help Jessie anyway. Finally, though, it was the basajaunak who’d pushed through the shifters. That had started the mad dash to tear them apart.
Jessie didn’t say anything for a long moment. Her jaw set stubbornly. “Never say never.”
“Fine. But I also said ever. I mean it, Jess. I have my limits when it concerns our mateship. That battle defined a hard limit. There is danger, and then there is needless danger. That was the latter, and I cannot—” He cut off, tensed, fighting emotion.
She sighed but clenched her jaw again. “If I can’t, you can’t.”
“Great. Thank you for the excuse not to try. I can’t take her. I know my limits, and you need to start learning yours.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “She was cheating. She was drawing power from nature somehow. I asked June about it. She makes the wood feel nice, but she clammed up. She knows something. Hell, Nessa knows something—”
“Do not bring me into this,” Nessa said.
Jessie scoffed but didn’t say anything more. Nessa never would’ve known she was a sore loser, even when she technically won. It was strangely endearing.
“The good news is”—Drex walked up with a glass of champagne—“no one, and I mean no one, is willing to mess with the basajaunak now.”
“No one ever did,” Austin said.
“There is a difference between minding your manners,” Drex replied, “which only most did, and sending your enforcers home so they can’t pick a fight with the wrong basajaunak, even if they accidentally drink too much brew.”
Austin rolled his head on the lounge chair to look at Drex.
Drex nodded. “They’re in, those packs, without question, and they want to talk details. They don’t want their enforcers muddying the waters. Your people have made a strong showing in challenges. Jessie’s leadership and yours have shown impeccably. The rumors are true, and you have very powerful allies. What more is there to debate? They’re clearing their people out and trusting their safety to you and your team. That’s a damn fine vote of confidence.”
“How many?” Austin asked.
Drex laughed. “Half so far. Anyone not directly in your camp. There’s a couple holdouts, but their stance is weakening. Either they’ll quietly leave and not join right now, or they’ll hang around and hope to be convinced. Obviously there are a few who adamantly won’t join…”
“Armendale,” Austin said dismissively.