Page 37 of Myths and Shifts

It looked like I’d found my line in the sand…and judging by the way the rest of her party winced, they didn’t blame me. Neither would our audience, if I was being honest. They’d long since started rolling their eyes at her antics and were running on a lot less patience than I was.

I was pretty sure I’d even heard Kenzie at the back of the room offering up Lorne to eat her. It was starting to sound like a viable solution to the problem, which probably meant it was time for another break.

“No.” My simple response had almost everyone around the table going completely still. The only movement was the way two of the men who’d come with the angry woman slowly inched back from the table and away from her. “You had more than enough time to explain your proposal but we are not blowing up the portal.”

It was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard, and I didn’t care what her husband did for a living, we weren’t using explosives to solve the problem. “I don’t care how much research you’ve done about earthquakes. That is not my primary concern even though we are on a fault line.”

Therefore, that made it even more stupid.

Magic plus explosives equaled the eastern portion of the US becoming an island.

“So unless you can get more than half the members at the table currently to vote in favor of continuing the discussion, I am denying your proposal.” She had more than a few screws loose if she thought anyone else would think that was a brilliant idea.

When she just got silence and no one would meet her eyes, she went from being a nagging old woman to a mage who seemed to be deciding how to do something drastic or dramatic. For a moment I thought I was just being an ass because she had a Wicked Witch of the West vibe going for her even though she technically hadn’t done anything wrong.

But as I mulled over my own possible prejudices against mages since they had an amazing ability to make startlingly bad decisions, Merritt finally spoke up. “You willnotlike what I’ll do to you if you finish that spell.”

Oh, a cute little and a badass mate.

Spell?

I wasn’t a dick…shewasup to something.

A subtle pressure seemed to pop, and it wasn’t until it was gone that I finally noticed it. Judging by the looks everyone was exchanging, I hadn’t been the only one who’d missed the growing danger from the crazy woman.

For a split second, I thought we’d have trouble from the rest of her party, but their eyes went wide and I wasn’t sure they were breathing as panic seemed to set in.

So it didn’t look like we had anything to worry about from them…they were smarter than she was at the very least.

“That was a very good decision on your part.” Merritt’s quiet words were definitely a threat and the way she slowly sat back in her chair proved she understood that. “I would like to submit a motion to have Mrs. Phillip removed from discussions going forward and be advised to return home. I will not have my mate harmed because she doesn’t like to be told no.”

“How harmed?” Deputy Winslow had stayed at the back of the room like a silent and slightly bored reminder to behave, but he came to life quickly when someone said the words to activate his police instincts.

“Pierce would’ve ended up with flu-like symptoms over the next couple of days.” Merritt’s cold, firm tone made me glad I was sitting down for the meeting. It was sexy as fuck. “For most people it’s not fatal, just frustrating and inconvenient, but it can be if the spell isn’t properly done. It could just keep getting worse until the body couldn’t fight it any longer.”

He was amazing and frighteningly competent when it came to magic.

“I don’t know how good she is but I’m not willing to take any chances.” Turning back to look at the woman, who was a slightly gray color, Merritt kept his icy gaze on hers. “I want her away from my mate.”

Dangerous was a good look on him.

“Done.” The deputy spoke with a confidence that said he knew his will would be followed. “She has one hour to leave town and six hours to leave the country. I’m being generous since international flights are a bitch sometimes.”

Quiet murmuring went around the table but no one questioned the deputy’s power.

“The locals here are crazy, brilliant, and beyond powerful. I will not put up with behavior that is designed to deliberately injure another.” Still sounding remarkably dragon-like, the deputy continued. “This wasn’t a prank. This wasn’t just a bad decision. You were going to hurt someone in my town because you were pissed you didn’t get your way. Grow up and get out.”

I liked him.

“Agreed.” One of the local elders who seemed to actually have been bestowed with power when it came to local politics and common sense spoke up. “We are The Wight. We are not human. Our magic gives us great power and great responsibility. You will be disciplined by your council or they will no longer be welcome in this country.”

The room was utterly silent and we didn’t even get any good reactions to the Spider-Man reference until a suddenly startled-looking man on her right sucked in a breath. “But I have a vacation at Disney World scheduled for Christmas.”

As I sat there wondering what kind of evolutionary nonsense had led us to this level of brilliance, the elder somehow managed to take it seriously and sighed. “Then this needs to be handled quickly, doesn’t it?”

Mrs. Phillip was not impressed with the traitorous man’s quick nod or the even faster way they escorted her out of the conference room. It might’ve been the Disney threat or it could’ve been the way everyone around her started questioning how often they’d been sick.

When the still too crowded room was quiet again, I reached under the table and squeezed Merritt’s hand as I focused on the rest of the nuts. “Are we ready to proceed?”

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