Page 101 of Smoke and Lure

Well, at least, he’d only have to choke down one allegorical scavenger bird before the assistant.

He needed to ask Yeongi to radio the kitchen and have them bring over a platter.A Drahk couldn’t be expected to concentrate on boring facts on an empty stomach.

Knock.Knock.

The rapping on the sturdy doorjamb grabbed his attention.

Liekki glanced toward the entrance to find the assistant standing there.Yeongi was holding up the radio.

Liekki wasn’t sure if he should be grateful to have the distraction from the paperwork, or bemoan the fact that most likely Yeongi’s presence with the damn radio in hand meant the Thunder whining had started early and he needed to moderate a situation.

“Yeah?”

“Morning, Liekki.”Yeongi moved deeper into the office, holding the phone before him.“Sorry to disturb you, but I have the Fae Queen who needs to speak with the Mckenna.I let her know you were in place for him today.”

Liekki didn’t reach for the Sat radio, but kept his gaze on Yeongi.“She couldn’t tell you what she wanted?”

He figured the preternatural council magistrate wanted to confirm that Aodh and he would be at the meeting tomorrow afternoon.Liekki didn’t figure that warranted discussion with the Mckenna.

“No.She stated it was urgent.”Yeongi shoved the radio further across the desk.

Aodh was better at the diplomatic part of the Mckenna job because he was eloquent enough to speak in sentences longer than a few words.

Grabbing the radio, he compressed the button.“Iskah.”

He figured there was no need for the usual radio jargon.When he stopped talking, she’d either catch on that he wasoveror she wouldn’t.No sweat off his scale markings either way.

“Liekki.I’ll make this short...”

If she could make it short, she could have told Yeongi, but Liekki’s mother had at least raised him with a civil enough tongue not to be disrespectful.

He waited for her to finish.

“Chanin notified me that he had serious information to provide the council.Something possibly we’d need to act on soon.So, I am moving the meeting to dawn.I need all leaders and seconds in place by then.”

Liekki frowned.What could be so damn urgent?However, he allowed her to continue.

“Also, Marceline, Amaros’s Vice, stated an hour ago that they’d recently been made aware of potentially dangerous information to all the territories.I’m radioing Dov next.I’ll see you and Aodh at the meeting ground at dawn.Over.”

“Got it.”Liekki released the button and handed the phone back to Yeongi.

“Out.”Iskah’s closing came through the speaker.

Liekki ignored it.His mind was like a deck of cards, full of everything he needed to discuss with his brother.He already planned to share much of it when Aodh took the Mckenna reins back this evening, but now...

Yeongi lowered the radio and took a step back from the desk.Even the most mild-mannered Drahks needed their space.“What do you think is happening.Why the urgency?”

“I don’t know.”Liekki rose.“But it can’t be good for the Fae Queen to move the meeting from noon to dawn.”

“Should I go and notify the Mckenna?”

“No.I’ll handle it.”Liekki rounded the desk.If anyone were going to interrupt his brother and his mate’s honeymoon time, it would be him.

Besides, Liekki knew it was past the time for him to inform Aodh of the secret he’d been keeping from the Mckenna.

Aodh would be pissed.

But, Liekki would deal with it.

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