Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Austin was giving nods or handshakes, not accustomed to hugging, and Kingsley took the lead. “Okay, shall we—”
Austin held up a finger to his brother. “Wait. I have something for you.”
A tiny line between Kingsley’s eyebrows showed his confusion.
“Ha!” I pointed at his face in triumph, then ripped my hand down in mortification. Way to go, idiot. Draw all kinds of attention to yourself when people were surely watching out of windows or in bushes or who knew where.
“She’s been learning to read body language,” Aurora offered. “She’s gotten worlds better at it. Kinda worse at not showing her own, though. Somehow.”
Mac started laughing, but Austin took my hand. “Everyone, come with me.”
Tristan waited in the parking lot with his arms at his sides and his gaze directed at a walkway to the right. His bearing suggested someone had been checking him out, and he was ready for a challenge. It wouldn’t come, but he always hoped.
Kingsley swore as Mac whistled. Aurora’s grin said she was enjoying this.
“Tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Kingsley said to Austin, stopping to stare. “Tell me that is not a Ferrari 250 Europa. Tell me this is a dream or a mirage or something.”
“Nineteen fifty-four, yeah. A classic, and in great condition,” Austin replied. “That car was owned by one of Momar’s and the Guild’s people. He helped orchestrate the attack on your territory, and now he’s dead. Sebastian and Nessa are gifting it to you. Merry late Christmas. We had it shipped to a secure location here so you could see it, and we’ll arrange transport to your garage. Tristan will drive it back to the secure location when we leave for dinner.”
Tristan lobbed the keys to Kingsley, who snatched them out of the air but didn’t step forward. “You know I can’t accept this,” he said. “It’s dirty. How they got it was dirty, I mean.”
Austin scoffed and walked closer to the car, a fine-looking thing in navy. Probably horrible to drive, I mused. I liked my plush seats and modern suspension. Kingsley followed him, his gaze hungry.
“How that mage got it was dirty,” Austin said. “That’s what they do—they kill each other and steal their stuff. It’s a mark of…whatever it is, I don’t know. Niamh is figuring all that out. Sebastian and Nessa framed us for killing this mage.”
I sucked in a breath. I really hated hearing that out loud.
“The magical world thinks we took this car,” Austin continued. “But it belongs to you. By mage rules, this is yours, fair and square. Sebastian and Nessa facilitated, we’ll take the heat, and you’ll get compensated, however shallowly.”
“Seriously, Kingsley, this is how they work,” I said. “You insist I follow your rules when I’m in your territory. Well?”
“You’re not a mage, you’re a female sorceress gargoyle,” Kingsley muttered. “Those aren’t your rules, and you never really do follow mine.”
“Maybe, but I’m in that world, and whatever the mages’ reasons for framing us, they were genuine in offering this to you. They thought of you specifically when they saw it. It was meant for you, earned by blood, sweat, and tears.”
“Dad, just take the thing so we can go to dinner,” Aurora said. “You know you’re going to anyway, and I’m starving.”
Kingsley shook his head again, circling the car. His expression was one of blind joy mixed with incredulity. “It’s really hard to do the right thing when this is staring me in the face,” he whispered.
“You need to stop thinking of shifter rules as the only rules in the world,” I told him, peering in the windows. “They aren’t. Right and wrong are defined by a society. In mage society, this is right…and I’m with Aurora. Let’s eat.”
“All right, all right.” Kingsley grinned like a little boy, then gave Austin one of their bro-hugs with much beating on backs. “Phew.” He wiped a finger along his jaw before opening a door. “Thank them. I mean…you’ll obviously have to explain this framing thing—that didn’t get past me—but for this, thank them. It really is too much. You should’ve kept it for yourself.”
Austin smiled, filled with joy. “After all you’ve done for me, and still do for me, this is a drop in the well. I’m chipping away at what I owe you.”
Kingsley gave his brother a look, pleasantly exasperated, but didn’t offer a rebuttal. I could tell it was hard for him to tear his eyes away from his new prize.
“C’mon.” Austin slapped Kingsley’s shoulder. “Everyone is hungry. Let’s get this dinner underway.”
A few hours later, Austin and I returned to the resort, aglow with family and good times. We’d had a fun and lively conversation at a delicious Italian restaurant. I’d asked after Austin and Kingsley’s mom, who hadn’t come because she’d wanted to watch over the pack in Kingsley’s absence, and they’d asked after Mimi, who’d stayed behind for similar reasons, wanting to manage Austin’s various businesses. Time passed in a flash, with no discussion about business, per Earnessa’s rules.