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)
Bud laughed. “Hey, more power to Alph—Austin…Steele—” He shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not used to going by first names. Seems wrong with an alpha like that. More power to him for letting you off the leash to slum it with the likes of us, huh? A bunch of no-good rogues led by a has-been.”
She huffed. “I can’t imagine anyone will call Aljoe a has-been.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised. A few of them will want to discredit him. Anyway.” He took another step back, shaking his head. “Good work—that’s all I wanted to say. This is a nice place to land after wandering, you know? We’re set for that ol’ conclave. I can’t wait to see the alphas who told me to hit the road. They were too insecure in their power to let me stay. They’ll look at Aljoe and Sue, and especially Austin, and get a right ol’ shock. I guarantee it.”
He winked at her and sauntered away like he was on a Sunday stroll. He never seemed to hurry but always got places on time. His laid-back, easygoing personality was a stark contrast to his burly frame and rough exterior. He looked like he’d demolish a person, but he acted like he wanted to make daisy chains. It was probably why Dicks had constantly gone after him…and learned their lesson the hard way. Sometimes you should judge a book by its cover.
She checked the time and then headed off toward Ivy House. She’d wanted to stop home and change, but being a bit dirty and sweaty would have to do. Tristan had mentioned in passing this morning that Sue had finally asked Jessie about storing his deceased family’s items. She’d of course said yes, and asked if they could do it this evening, after the major duties were taken care of and before the large cookout in honor of the cairns and now, probably, the basajaunak.
The time was now. Tristan knew that Sue had stopped seeing Indigo to help with the pain of his family’s passing. He was in a good place, clawing his way out of his spiritual grave and into life again.
But this…
This would set him back.
Indigo would be on hand; Tristan had made sure of it, but the trick was getting Sue to see her. He could be stubborn and withdrawn when it came to big emotions. Obviously Aurora knew what that was like. Any trained alpha would. She’d told Tristan she’d step in if he tried to handle it on his own.
They were a team now. No one should handle anything on their own, especially something like this.
12
Jessie
Still shaking from the elders’ meeting, I led Sue into Ivy House from the back door.
“I’m not sure inviting them was a good idea,” I said, picturing Cyra flying into a tree. “I mean, it was Cyra’s fault. She firebombed that gnome much too close to one of the elders. Did you see how fast that elder moved?” I shivered. “That kick had a lot of power.”
Austin’s emotions had flooded with fear and aggression, something I’d only felt from him when I was in harm’s way. And maybe it was because of me, but he’d frozen. Aljoe had, too. Sue—everyone. They’d frozen solid, scared to incite the basandere any more than Cyra already had.
Except for Sebastian, of course, who thankfully defused the situation by falling over in terror and playing dead.
Dave really shouldn’t have laughed so hard at that.
Sue didn’t answer, uncharacteristically stiff as he walked beside me.
I kept chattering, nervous I’d start crying on his behalf.
“I didn’t miss Aljoe’s look at Austin. He wasn’t sure he’d want to fight that elder, and that is saying something coming from a guy who fought more than one at a time to stay in the woods, right? I mean…she kicked a phoenix. Yes, Cyra laughed about it, but that’s probably because she recognized a creature that might be able to take her.”
We walked through the house, which was spotless. At the front door, I paused.
“I’ll be right back.” Sue continued into the front yard.
“There is a certain way things should be done in—” Mr. Tom’s words cut off as he entered the hallway.
One of the helping garhettes followed behind him, mouth open to argue, but saying nothing upon seeing me. They both turned down the way and disappeared around the corner.
“—this house,” Mr. Tom went on before they were out of earshot. They weren’t getting along, as I knew they wouldn’t, but the garhettes were well versed in stubborn gargoyles. They were not deterred, and so I was staying all the way out of it.
Sue’s new SUV waited in the driveway. He opened the back and took out two small boxes that were battered and stained, one with a partially crushed corner. It was clear he hadn’t wanted to even discard the vessel in which he’d carried his memories.