Page 131 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

I stifled a smile.

"All you Reds, always sneaking around like some sort of dragon larvae, thinking it will get you to power. But I have a surprise for you! It will not get you a darn thing from me."

I came out of the shadows. "I sneak because I know there are those who work against me. You are open in your disagreements, which gives me hope that you would tell me when I am making a dragon's flame out of things and help me see reason. We may never see eye to eye nor will we always agree, but I need that in my life. I need you, Elder Pulma."

His jaw dropped. "You.. you what?”

"Elder Pulma, I was not joking. Would you be my first councilor as Matriarch of the Reds?"

He crossed his arms, but his face was slowly growing less red. "Why have you not asked Elder Timone?"

I shrugged. "He tells me what I want to hear, not what I need."

Elder Pulma's eyes narrowed. He tapped his chin with his thumb, thinking as he watched me. "Perhaps you are not so childish after all," he said at last.

"And perhaps wisdom has caught you."

He chuckled. "You are a right conundrum, miss. But perhaps you are just what this dry, old kingdom of assassins needs. I will be your councilor on one condition."

I tensed. "Ask," I said.

"Do not blow those daggum darts at me when we disagree!"

I laughed and shook his forearm.

I trudgeddown the forest path. My bones ached after sparring with the up-and-coming sprites. They were good, but not good enough.

A tiny half-smile crossed my lips at the look of awe on their faces when I showed them how to take down a werewolf. Fen was kind enough to assist. He nearly took me out, but in the end I got him with a knife to the throat. We’d both grinned and I’d helped him to his feet as I fielded questions.

Yes, you could take down a mage; you just need to know the price of their magic before you knew how to take them.

No, I didn’t know the cost of my magic.

Yes, I had killed a mage before.

No, I didn’t hunt mages for fun.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. We’d created feral, blood-thirsty, up-and-coming Reds.

As if you’re any different,Ran said. I felt her in the trees beside me, following along, making sure I was safe.

Of course I’m different,I replied.I never asked someone if hunting people wasfun.

Didn’t you?

I winced.That was one time!

Mhmm.

Great. My blasted dragon’s calling me out.

It had been six days since I ran Shen off to help himself. A part of me wished I’d taken him up on the offer of working through everything together; the other part tried to convince me this was better. This meant I could work on things here and get my rule cemented before I had a relationship to complicate things.

No one knew I was Shen’s mate. They couldn’t. They’d likely skin us both and use our bones for toothpicks. The tribe was better about not outright killing magical creatures, but they were not quite ready for a werewolf as the matriarch’s Hunter.

And I didn’t know if they ever would be.

A twig snapped.

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