Page 60 of Blood on the Ice

“Holy shit,” Eli whispers. “You’re all ducking family obligations? Jackson ducked this shit for over a decade until his dad fucked off. I’m in actualhidingfrom my clan in Europe. Rainier joined his first paramilitary group to get away from his pride and Foley doesn’t know who his family is. Kendrick doesn’t tell anyone shit, but I assume he’s got issues, too.”

My nose wrinkles as I stare at them. “Am I the only one in this room with parents who don’t suck?”

Channing snorts. “Affirmative, Morgana. You’ll find quite a few hybrids, agents, inductees, and people involved with the Society have less than desirable roots. They find a home within the bonds with other powerful supes they never had growing up. I believe the statistics for hybrids who are left in the enclaves joining is about ninety-two percent.”

“Sounds about right,” Rainier murmurs. “And there’s a fuck ton of lost ones out there being watched by those Guardians secretly for late in life emergence. I know a witch who’s been watching awoman since elementary school that didn’t show her first signs of supe behavior until college. She lost track of her for a bit and has recently located the missing charge, only to find she’s exhibiting both magicandshifting. It’s a bit of a mess.”

Something about that makes me sit up. I recognize the tale; there was a discussion. “I think that triggered a memory. When I was waiting for the trial in holding, there was a woman who came to speak to them urgently. She’d found someone important, and they had to postpone for a few minutes while she shared the news. It was good news, I think. Something about a panther.”

The blond merc whips his head around, looking at Jackson for a moment. They have some sort of dude eyebrow conversation before the lawyer smiles. “I have some idea of what that involves, but we don’t need to worry about itnow. Some problems can stay on other supes’ plates until it’s necessary to examine them.”

I don’t like the sound of that at all.

After a few hoursof debate and a dinner delivery, we finally hammer out what everyone handles. I’d hoped it would be simpler, but honestly, with that many dicks in the room, I’m surprised no actual fights broke out as alphas wrangled for control. Both Channing and I had to intercede several times, much to the amusement of the more passive men present.

Jackson will start by visiting the precinct, district attorney, and any reasonably local officials to get a feel for their taste for prosecuting such a high-profile supe. It sounded reasonable, and since Channing’s assignment was to liaise between our group and his team, I knew she’d make sure he looped us in frequently. Eli and Kendrick had the digital and physical research angles—background, interviews, and snooping on everyone involved in the case. Iggy, Slade, and Liam are going to work on the spell shit, including figuring out what might have been used to cover the tracks of the actual murderer at the rink. Lucas and I have to go back to normal routine, keeping our lips sealed about everything as we pretend life is normal. Kaspar and Rainer will work contacts in the private security and intelligence communities—both supe and human.

It’s a goddamn lot and once more, I have the thought that I’d kill my asshole ex-fiancé again if I could. Being told he might have been involved in some broad global conspiracy and fucking this place up so badly that I’ll be digging through financials until I’m ready to die is more ambitious than I would have pegged him for.

Of course, I wouldn’t have pegged him, period, because he always had to be in charge.

Snorting, I press my lips together at the image, and suddenly, everyone is looking at me. Clearing my throat, I smile. “Sorry, something funny popped into my head. Continue, Eli.”

The hacker winks at me as if he knows where my thoughts went, and I narrow my gaze. I know Jackson said he’s a techno mage/incubi hybrid, but I don’t know if he has the mind reading shit. He might just be good at ‘vibe’ sensation—the Cubi are fucking amazing at that.

“I plan on infiltrating the local and state law enforcement databases, plus I’m going to have another go at some of the local Councils. If I find a vulnerability in a small network, I can piggyback it all the way home to the main servers. That might give me the location of the farm and then Rainier can scout it. Once we do that, Kendrick will try to get to whatever they have magically air-gapped—which will be the double secret probation shit we’re looking for in terms of bigger picture.”

Kaspar nods, seeming to understand the jargon fairly well. “You think everything they’ve done that is being kept quiet for safety, diplomatic, business, or intelligence reasons will not be connected to the web. That makes sense, and it is fairly standard protocol even for the royal family in Faerie.”

I frown at him. “I’d think everything in Faerie is kept in like books or scrolls. But I’ve never been, honestly.”

Liam grins, tilting his head. “Come now,Saaladir. We’re modern creatures, despite staying steeped in our heritage. We have plenty of tech—much of it more advanced than the humans like the Council. Perhaps when we settle this nonsense, we will all travel to my homelands for a weekend. My family is difficult, but we’ll pay our respects and then go wandering.”

My eyes sparkle as I glance at my companions. “Would you guys go?”

“Fuck, yeah, I would,” Lucas beams. “I’ve never been, either. Passports to Faerie are fucking hard to get approved.”

“I’ve been,” Iggy says with a smirk. “But I spent the entire time working. It was an undergrad research project on magical variances between species. I want to go when I’m not obligated to stay in a small hut.”

Slade gives me a shy smile. “I’m also new, but I want to be included.”

Jackson snorts at us, shaking his head. “What the hellisit with that place lately? My other client has been there for the better part of a month and I promise you, she’s pissy as hell about it. The royals arealldicks and there’s some weird shit going on behind the scenes that’s causing all sorts of shit for her.”

Kaspar and Liam exchange a look and the ‘Hand of Morrigan’ name flashes in my head.Is that possibly the root of Jackson’s friend’s issues?I want to tell him, but the Prince catches my eyes and subtly shakes his head. Whatever that is must not be something getting shared outside of his people, even if it would help visitors. I frown, but I nod imperceptibly so he knows I understand.

“Well, I’m sure if the Prince is with us, we’ll be safe,” I chirp, hoping to change the subject.

“Doubtful,” Jackson mumbles, and Eli elbows him. “Fine, fine. I’m sure you’ll be okay. But no one is realm-hopping until we deal with this LaMount shit. Cross-realm phone calls are fucking pricey and I’ve had to pay for enough of them to speak with Jojo.”

“Dude, you’re The Shark. You own seven private jets and enough property to stay in the supe hierarchy. A phone call is what you’re worried about?” Slade gives him a confused look.

Jackson shrugs, flashing pearly white teeth. “Waste not, want not, little maestro. I’m all about making every dollar count. Plus, I hate doing expenses with that snooty goblin who does the financials and taxes.”

A lawyer being a tight-fisted spendthrift? Say it ain’t so.

fuck the police

“I’m feeling much better,” I mumble around a mouthful of bagel. “Seriously. Don’t worry about it. Practice and my two classes will be fine.”

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