Page 33 of Sapphire Flame
“Why not?”
“She participated in the Fae-Wolf Wars. She’s a futurist and she provided intel about our activities.”
“Jesus.”
“Exactly. She said she only did it once and regretted it.”
Ryan filled in the real problem. “But some of our people died.”
“She said they did, and it made her miserable. The truth is, I wasn’t proud of my role in the wars either. But it’s a big chasm.”
Ryan nodded several times, his gaze intense. “All right. But I don’t think you’re going to like what I’m about to say.”
Grant sighed. “Then just say it.”
“Neil.”
“Fuck. I’m not doing that.” Neil was an Elegance warlock of great power who was on the verge of becoming a wizard.
Ryan summed things up. “Take him a bottle of his favorite cognac and make peace with him. It’s time. You and I both know we need to follow up on this invisibility thing and Neil will know something. You’ve got a ghost giving warnings to Natalie, she’s a futurist probably of some ability, and she thinks she’s been stalked for years. This isn’t a coincidence, not if Renee is involved.
“Besides, Neil reminds me of you and Alpha Warren. I suspect, if given a chance, Neil could become a real force for Elegance and for Five Bridges.”
Grant was always surprised when Ryan compared him to Alpha Warren or to Fergus. These wolves were heroes in Savage Territory. Grant wasn’t even powerful enough to take on Kryder. In that sense, Grant was still a beta even though his pack looked to him for leadership and direction.
Despite his self-doubts, he knew Ryan was right about Neil. The warlock brimmed with emerging wizard-power and he was one of the good guys.
“You were both drunk,” Ryan added. “And that vampire female you were both chasing went home with a deadtalker anyway.”
Neil had gotten under Grant’s skin and Grant still held a grudge. He’d bought the plump vampire female several drinks but had come back to find Neil with his tongue down her throat. He’d sensed the spell Neil had used and Grant still bristled when he thought about it. Neil hadn’t played fair.
There had to be someone else he could contact about the invisibility spell. “Who else do we know in Elegance? I don’t trust Neil. He used a spell when he shouldn’t have.”
“The man apologized. You’ve been an ass all this time.”
Grant’s temper caused lines of fur to rise on his cheeks.
Ryan didn’t back off. Instead, he got close and puffed up his chest. “You’re still an ass on this one. The pair of you were drunk as hell and nearly tore the White Flame apart. Make peace with Neil. He’s who you need at your back right now. You know it and I know it.”
The dominant wolf-part of Grant caused his snout to elongate and fur to show at his throat and along the backs of his hands and wrists. If a beta was going to challenge him like this, he had to answer.
“You need to back down. Now.”
The words, misshaped by his snout, sounded demonic.
But Ryan didn’t step back, didn’t lower his gaze. He did nothing to alter his challenging posture, not even when Grant started to growl.
Instead, Ryan smiled. “Yes, I know you want to rip my throat out, but I hope you don’t. Instead, use your brain and your instincts on this one. When you said Natalie was being watched by an invisible presence, I sensed you were right. I even thought Kryder might be behind it. But you need proof and Neil’s our best shot. I trust him and despite what you say, so do you.”
Grant felt the fear in Ryan. It was taking him a shitload of courage for the lesser wolf to stand up to him like this.
Grant stepped away from him and took deep breaths. Ryan had an annoying knack for being right ninety-nine percent of the time. He was also right about something else. Grant felt it as well. Every wolf instinct he possessed told him Neil was the one they needed in this situation.
“Shit.”
He heard Ryan’s heavy sigh of relief.
Grant paced and shook his head about a dozen times. Finally, he barked, “Will you set it up? I doubt he’d take my call.”
