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)
Jess put her hand on Austin’s shoulder and another out to the crowd. “If you can help, and are valuable, of course we want your say and your input. Of course we want your help and expertise and guidance. We want to work together. We have no egos here. We have only the need to get our people out of this alive.”
And just like that, she deflated the bravado from the moment before. She showed her sincerity and the truth in her desire to do this for the good of all. Austin could say it, and maybe Kingsley could sell it, but Jess made them feel it. That was the magic of binding people together. She didn’t just care about all of them surviving—she could make them see it, and believe it, and trust in it.
“Shall we do the introductions?” he asked her.
She clasped her hands and half turned for him to continue. He introduced Tristan and the guardians, many of whom had come from the assembled cairns. There was clapping and waves and razzing from the gargoyles about switching cairns. The shifters were getting a crash course on how expressive they were.
Next was Sue, and he didn’t explain the name. He postured like an alpha, and Austin noticed the surprise from a great many in the crowd. A normal alpha would call Sue down. Austin just moved on in complete confidence. He didn’t bring Aljoe forward yet, looking instead at Jess.
“My crew is excellent in battle,” she began with a sheepish smile, “but we’re still working on a cohesive line for these show-and-tell moments shifters like so much.”
Another dig, and she didn’t seem to know it. Aljoe was probably holding back laughter as well.
She introduced Ulric and Jasper, noting that they were the best at anticipating her in the air, and so they needed a special place on her team. She had many that anticipated her, but this gave them honors, staving off the embarrassment of not being in the guardian line.
She got through the others and then to Hollace and Cyra, whom everyone would be the most curious about.
“If you both wouldn’t mind?” she said.
They walked toward the edge of the grass as she explained Hollace’s size and need for space.
“What does he do?” one of the gargoyles asked.
Hollace flew over everyone. Thunder rolled against the mountains…and then the lightning came. It struck with pinpoint accuracy—hopefully—barely missing people as he sailed by.
“Holy—” The gargoyle who’d asked the question grinned like a fool. “I’m a little jealous.”
“And Cyra, the phoenix.” Jess put her hand out as Cyra pushed into the sky. “She better not blast them,” she muttered. “You never know what she’s going to do.”
Amazingly, she didn’t. Cyra shot fire through the air, a big burst of it. She rolled and flames tumbled after her. Finally, she and Hollace came back to the ground and got back in line.
“What happened to Dave?” Gerard asked.
“Dave is also playing host.” Jess held up her arms. “Please meet our extended family.”
Two long rows of basajaunak stepped forward from the trees, suddenly visible. The Elder, the leader of the group of elder basajaunak and one of the leaders of the overall family as a whole, had braids and feathers and other accents up and down her body, which many of those that came with her echoed in a less flashy fashion. Some gargoyles startled, not knowing they were there, and trotted away. Some from Gerard’s cairn clapped or waved, remembering some of them from the battle at Kingsley’s.
Shifters went unnaturally still. Having not seen Dave, they’d probably thought that the basajaunak part of the rumors were hearsay. The convocation had a phoenix, fine, but that was as exciting as it got.
This, though…
They didn’t just have Dave. They didn’t even have just Dave’s mom. They had elders, a Chief Elder at that. Austin himself wasn’t sure he could handle her. This magical species seemed to get faster and more powerful the older they got, something he’d never heard. But seeing the Elder kick Cyra when they first arrived… Well, that had put manners into him.
Actually, maybe that was why Cyra didn’t blast fire—she didn’t want to accidentally set any of them off.
“They are part of the convocation and will help us keep order this week.” Jess turned her smile their way. “They are an absolute joy and pleasure to be around. Until they’re angry, obviously. That is somewhat terrifying. If you’re fighting when you shouldn’t be, it would be best to stop before one of them has to make you stop. Trust me, it’ll work out better for you that way.”
Gerard laughed, nodding.
“In town, we also have garhettes armed with potions,” Jess went on. “We have a great many ways to keep order within our town, and we will use them. This is the last warning.”