Page 120 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

I held up my hand. The wish to rub away the growing headache caused my hands to twitch. I couldn't show weakness. Not yet.

"Rey and his father will be excommunicated in five days. Give them enough coin—five hundred pes should do—and make them leave, never to return. Let them find their way in the world, away from us. When my dragon's attempted murderer is found, he shall be brought before the elders on trial for the attempted murder of a fellow Red."

Elder Pulma grew red in the face. "You cannot call thatcreaturea Red!"

I stared at Elder Pulma but said nothing. Then I slowly stood to my feet. "Elder Pulma, I could understand your reasoning had you notpersonallyread the Banner of the Red Knights. Has wisdom been chasing you for very long? Your endurance is quite impressive."

Elder Vera coughed as Elder Timone snickered.

Elder Pulma looked confused until his eyes cleared and he scowled. "Petty insults get a monarch nowhere good, Miss Alia. You should reevaluate your methods before leading us into an early grave."

He stood and walked out.

I stared at his back as Elder Timone watched with a sly smile.

I stalked through the underbrush,my headache growing ever bolder. The elders acted like children and got angry when youtreated them as such. After Elder Pulma left, Elder Timone asked for the right to replace those who disagreed with us.

I was inclined to agree, except for the fact that opposing opinions were not evil. Shen and I had disagreed in the beginning, and only from that had I the courage to eventually realize my vantage point was skewed. Different opinions, when regarded with respect and handled with kindness, were what challenged us to be better individuals. But those unable to change were stuck in a mire of their own creation. And those who did not listen to opposing viewpoints were the masters of their own destruction.

So I knew I needed Elder Pulma and those who had different opinions on my council.

A grin lifted my lips. That'd shock the heck out of him.

When I walked through the yard of our home, I saw her. She was standing. On her own. Watching me with the same amount of wonder in her eyes as I had in mine.

“Anna, you’rewalking?”

Doc came out of the house, his grin broad as he watched Anna walk to me. Shen... I knew it was Shen who’d sent Doc here.

My sister waswalking. On herown.

Anna tipped forward, but I was there, catching her and holding her. Laughter stuck in my throat as my soul soared beyond clouds even Ran couldn’t reach.

“So what areyou gonna do about it?” Anna asked.

She was my best friend, and she had been absent for so long that when she told me to spillallabout the hunk of werewolfwho’d been following me around like a lovesick puppy, it all came out in a rush. From the caves to the last time I saw him.

I leaned back, resting my head against my hand as I stared at the clouds dotting the sky. Fenbutt crawled over to me, laying his chin on my neck. I reached up and scratched his cute little white head. “I have no idea,” I whispered. “On one hand, part of me thinks I should hear him out. That maybe he has a good reason. But he killed him in cold blood. And?—”

“And you don’t wanna get your hopes up and be hurt again.”

I nearly groaned. “Could you not use your Gift on me?”

She laughed. “Hon, you know it’s a part of me, just as yours is you. And heck no, I am always using this on you. You carry too many secrets for a little sis,” she teased, poking my shoulder.

I rolled my head over to look at her, being careful not to upset Fenbutt, who was jumping in his sleep and releasing gas that made my eyes water. It was worth it to keep him there. His little warm body was like a balm to my soul that thawed my icy heart.

Anna's eyes were brighter since she’d been away from Rey, and even more so since he’d been in the dungeon. After the incident in the village, she'd spoken to Doc. It was as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders, one that had been slowly killing her. Her face was still gaunt and pale, her eyes still sunken, but for the first time I had hope she’d survive this and actually get tolive.

“I missed you,” I whispered, my words wobbling past the lump in my throat. Fenbutt stirred, reaching up to lick my chin as if sensing my roiling emotions.

She gathered me in her arms, holding me tight, Fenbutt right in the middle of us and loving every minute of it as he licked our faces. “I missed you, too, little sis. So what are we gonna do about this handsome hunk of love?”

“What if he’s like Rey?” I voiced at last, admitting the darkest of my fears I’d hidden deep in my soul.

Her hair swished across my forehead as she shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t allow what happened to me be what causes you to miss out on a lifetime of love.”

“But what if?—”

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