Chapter 15

FIFTEEN

I somehow managed to hide the state of my clothes from Logan and Ari, brush off Kes’s concern, and return to the vehicle in a nearly identical outfit only ten minutes after I’d left it.

Callum said nothing more about my secrets. In fact, he remained silent for the rest of the drive, while I contemplated my mistakes and wondered whether there were prizes for screw-ups of my caliber.

And the award for Biggest Mistake in the History of Ever goes to…

Callum knew about my people. Knew where I lived. Knew what I’d done.

He just didn’t know what I was, and that was the only thing keeping all of us alive.

“You’re brooding very loudly,” he finally pointed out, as he parked along the curb in a distinctly wealthy-looking urban neighborhood, where elaborate signs proclaimed we were now in Heritage Hills. The homes were all older, but large and well kept, surrounded by mature trees and perfect lawns. Decorative street lamps punctuated neat sidewalks that were currently adorned with fallen leaves in shades of gold, orange, and red—beautiful, if a bit surreal in its picturesque perfection.

“It’s called thinking,” I retorted. “Something I probably ought to do more often. Particularly before dealing with dragons.”

He shut off the engine. “You’re doing fine. Today was not your fault.”

“The Symposium starts tomorrow,” I argued, “and we still don’t know who is trying to sabotage it. There were three attacks today, and I was basically useless. What am I even doing here, Callum?”

“You’re not useless.” His tone had descended into that deep growl that brought a shiver to my spine and tremors to my hands. But neither of them felt like fear. “You’ve averted disaster twice now. Saved me from being hit in the back with fae magic. And the attack on our car was likely intended to deal with you, rather than me.”

Hard to trap a dragon, still harder to burn it to death. If he’d been willing to sacrifice me, he could have shifted and been perfectly safe.

“Intended to deal with me, or intended to show your hand?” I mused aloud. “If I was truly just your subordinate, you could easily have sacrificed me and protected yourself. But now no one is going to believe I’m just an assistant.”

From the way his jaw clenched, I was pretty sure he’d thought of that.

“I also didn’t display any magic in that accident. If they were trying to provoke me into revealing my abilities, it didn’t work. They may try again, or settle for assuming that the mystery you’ve built up around my identity is no more than a ruse or a distraction.”

I had to admire his forethought. Whoever his enemy was, they’d reacted just as he’d predicted—focused on the shiny object he’d dangled in front of them and tried to determine whether I was truly a threat.

But just because they’d failed didn’t mean they would be satisfied. I was willing to bet they were going to try again, and next time they might not stop with a feint.

“So why are we meeting with Leith, if you don’t believe he’s behind the sabotage?”

“Partly to test that theory,” Callum admitted. “And partly to keep up appearances. I welcomed the other delegation leaders, and it’s important to demonstrate that all of them will be treated equally.”

“Politics sucks,” I muttered under my breath, and started to open the door.

“Raine.”

I turned back.

“Be wary of Leith. There are rumors that he gained his position by using his power in unsavory ways. I don’t believe he can slip past my defenses, but it’s possible he’s more powerful than anyone knows. Watch for uncharacteristic behavior. Willingly shared secrets. If you see me behaving strangely, come up with a reason for us to leave.”

I nodded, then hesitated, unsure how to ask what I needed to know. “Can sirens… read minds? Or figure out the best way to convince others to do what they want without the need for magic?”

The dragon regarded me curiously. “That’s a fairly specific question. Have you had dealings with sirens before?”

Not a question I was willing to answer. “Can they or not?”

“They aren’t able to read minds that I know of. But the other… yes. Weaker sirens can be dangerous without any need for force.”

I suppressed a shiver as my gut clenched and my hands threatened to curl into fists. Finally an answer, but not one I wanted. As if my life wasn’t complicated enough already.

“Thank you,” I murmured. “I’ll be careful. Let’s get this over with.”

Thankfully, Callum chose to let it go, and led the way up the walk to a tall white house with columns and a wide porch decorated with potted trees. It was elegant but not ostentatious, and the black front door was unadorned except for a plain brass knocker.

We never got a chance to use it. The door opened, and we were confronted by a scowling goblin in a black suit. His braided hair was tied back neatly and his elongated canines were hidden behind his severe expression as he gestured for us to step inside.

“You may enter,” he said, though the greeting was really more of a murderous snarl. “His Majesty has most unwisely consented to meet with you. But if either you or your guard present a threat, whether large or small, our delegation will dine on lizard tonight.”

Callum raised a dismissive eyebrow, but said nothing. For a moment or two, we stood motionless in that elegant, wood-paneled entryway while they stared each other down… until Leith’s flunky finally gave up and dropped his eyes.

Hah. For some reason, I felt bizarrely pleased that my boss had won that round.

The goblin turned on his heel and headed deeper into the house. “This way,” he growled.

We followed down a narrow hall, Callum seeming utterly unconcerned by the presence of a hostile goblin butler while I kept looking over my shoulder, wondering how many more might be lurking behind the woodwork.

Which was really quite beautiful. The house had been lovingly restored and tastefully decorated, with a collection of carefully selected artworks and a vast array of indoor plants. From somewhere I could hear a trickle of water along with the gentle strains of a piano sonata.

The atmosphere was peaceful. Restrained. Unthreatening. A warm, soothing blanket seemed to settle over my thoughts. Really, there was no reason to be on my guard, not here…

Oh no he didn’t… I barely managed not to smack myself across the face as a warning. Maybe if it hadn’t been for that warm trickle of magic, I would have been taken in, but the owner had given himself away. Now that I knew what his power felt like, it would be easier to remain alert.

The goblin led us through open double doors into a sitting room that could have come straight out of a magazine. A fireplace burned on the far side, framed by antique cherry wood furniture upholstered in shades of olive and bronze.

And standing before the fireplace…

He, too, looked as if he belonged in the pages of a magazine. At least, that was my first thought as I took in the undeniably elegant appearance of the wildkin king.

He was of about average height, with a lean, athletic build that might have impressed had he been standing next to anyone but Callum. Handsome, too, his dark hair highlighted by gray at the temples, and styled so effortlessly that I suspected it had been done by a professional. His dark gray sweater was paired with black slacks and a pair of shoes that probably cost as much as my entire wardrobe, while the watch on his wrist was likely the equivalent of a year’s income for an average middle class office worker.

And when we walked in, his keen dark eyes glanced right past Callum and landed on… me.

“Welcome,” he said, “to my temporary home. I’m so pleased you’ve decided to grace me with a personal visit.”

He sounded elegant, urbane, and mildly amused… and he was still looking at me.

Suddenly, Callum took a single step to the left, placing his considerable bulk closer to the newcomer. This allowed him to partially shield me while fixing the siren with that power stare I’d become all too familiar with since meeting the shifter king.

“So this is where you decided to hide,” he said coolly. “A bit ostentatious for such a short visit.”

The dark-haired man shrugged and smiled mysteriously. “You know I prefer to avoid crowds. And the atmosphere in a private residence is so much more… restful, wouldn’t you agree?”

Callum snorted. “You mean you prefer to taunt the other courts from the shadows. You’re not fooling anyone, Leith.”

The wildkin king merely smirked in response. “Nice to see you, too. And who might your charming companion be?”

“Raine is my assistant,” Callum said flatly. “That makes her an employee of my court and therefore protected by our laws. I suggest you tread very carefully from this point onward, Leith, if you intend to participate in this Symposium without sanctions.”

Rather than appearing threatened, the siren king began to grin, and the expression was as wicked as it was worrying.

“Oh, how delightful. You’re the one everyone is talking about? The mysterious new assistant ? Or is that bodyguard… I forget.” And then he winked. Slowly, slyly, accompanied by a smug look that suggested he knew exactly what Callum’s game was.

Well, crap. Had Talia been gossiping after all?

Leith’s head tilted as his gaze shifted from me to Callum, then back again. “It’s quite curious, though. An elemental and a shapeshifter… I would ask why the subterfuge, but I don’t need my power to know that neither of you would tell me. And if I tried to wheedle it out of you, the dragon would no doubt smash half the city in retaliation.”

Was he genuinely curious, or only trying to provoke Callum? It was so hard to tell, particularly when Callum appeared utterly unimpressed by his efforts.

“Leave her alone, Leith,” the dragon warned. “She is under my protection, and I will not allow you to take liberties with my people just to keep the peace.”

I heard a sly chuckle from Leith. “You seem confused, dragon, about who exactly is guarding whom. Also, you can feel free to stop watching me as if I were a live grenade.” He spoke with an air of mild sarcasm, suggesting he was entirely used to this sort of wariness and scrutiny. “I’m about to be insulted if you believe I’m stupid, desperate, or capricious enough to use my power on your employee simply to satisfy my own inquisitive nature.”

Callum’s raised eyebrow seemed evidence enough of his skepticism. “If only I thought your inquisitiveness is where it would end.”

“I’m not sure what you intend to insinuate.” Leith sounded mildly offended.

“If there’s something you want to know, just ask.”

The smile dropped away. The two men faced each other, appearing utterly relaxed, while the tension in the room seemed to increase threefold.

“Are you here to accuse me?” Leith asked softly.

Callum remained steady. “Have you done something to warrant an accusation?”

“Curiosity is not a crime, even for a siren.”

“Someone would very much like me to believe you’re guilty of more than that.”

Leith let out an aggrieved sigh and raised his hands, palm up, accompanied by a dramatic eye roll. “Something went wrong? Blame the sirens! Everyone knows they’re evil and manipulative.”

“You’re the only delegation leader who was not attacked today,” Callum informed him bluntly.

The wildkin king did not seem notably surprised. “Even you, eh? How very obvious of them.”

With a wry twist to his lips, he moved to one of the chairs and sat down, crossing one leg over the other and gesturing to the couch across from him. “I assume you’d like to interrogate me?”

Callum gave a short, humorless chuckle. “If I thought it would do any good, perhaps I would. But this is merely a courtesy call. Someone wants to put an end to our efforts by setting us against one another, so I intend to demonstrate that all is well.”

“Even if it’s not?” Leith’s eyes were sharp and calculating. “Have any of the others threatened to back out of the Symposium?”

“Not yet.”

“So someone is getting desperate. Desperate to get rid of anyone who might be able to expose them.” His eyes widened as he assumed a theatrical expression of surprise. “Why, Your Majesty, could it be that you have a mole ?”

The dragon grunted in answer before taking a seat on the couch opposite the fireplace.

Once again, I was forced to contemplate the behavior expected of me, and decided to position myself behind the couch, between Callum and the door. Not that I would provide much defense against that cranky goblin butler, but at least I could try. And even if I were actually an assistant, I probably wouldn’t be asked to chat with two kings over tea and cake.

The siren glanced at me, and his lips twitched. “You might as well tell her to sit down. Maybe you can distract the others with this nonsense about her identity, but not me.”

“Why would you call it nonsense?” Callum’s expression remained unaltered. “Raine is very good at her job. She’s provided valuable insights into the security of our operations and recently bested Talia in a full rage. So far, she’s proven more than capable of everything I’ve asked of her, whether that’s administrative or combat focused.”

“And ordinarily, I’d be more than happy to believe you,” Leith announced dryly. “But these are not ordinary circumstances, and as such, it seems strange that your new assistant is not a shapeshifter and has no experience in court politics. Even your staff was blindsided by her presence, while bystanders have noted that you give her preferential treatment and show an instinctive desire to shield her from danger, rather than hide behind her.”

He paused a moment before adding, “And Talia isn’t admitting to anything, at least not publicly.”

I saw the muscles in Callum’s neck go rigid. “And your point is?”

“Oh come now,” the siren king replied smoothly. “We both know what the rumors are going to say, if they haven’t started already.”

The dragon went ominously silent.

“You’re in a precarious position here, Callum-ro-Deverin. Your authority is new and uncertain, and your younger sister has already stirred up controversy by abandoning the dragon court and mating with the son of Dathair. So even though your brother has ensured the continuation of the dragon royal line, there must be significant pressure on you to select a proper dragon as your own mate. To conform to rules and expectations, as you have done all your life.”

Callum still very loudly said nothing.

“Imagine the uproar if you fell for an unknown woman, one without a name or a past, without ties to any court, without even the claim of shapeshifter heritage. What might you be willing to do to keep her close while continuing to hide your relationship in order to maintain your credibility and reputation? Perhaps offer her a job in your own court? A job that would require her to remain by your side day and night?”

Wait, was he saying…

“We are not dating,” I burst out in horrified embarrassment.

Leith only shrugged and smirked at me. “I never said you were. Only that it would make sense, given the facts. Callum’s team has done an excellent job of keeping all news about the attempted sabotage under wraps, so no one knows the extent of the problems he’s faced while ensuring the security of the Symposium. Therefore, even if they see through the deliberately transparent ruse of naming you as his assistant, very few are likely to believe that the shapeshifter king is insecure enough to hire a bodyguard and allow her presence to be publicly acknowledged.”

So everyone we’d already met with had probably thought…

Kill. Me. Now.

“If I am correct,” the siren continued, eyes narrowed on Callum, “and you actually intended this woman to distract everyone from your objectives, you will need to proceed very carefully. Once these rumors spread, they may decide she will be too difficult to lure from your side, and simply stab her in the back from the shadows and have done with it. Leaving you with no clues to go along with your dead employee.”

It was not exactly comfortable to listen in while two people discussed my potential death as if it were an academic exercise. But somehow I managed not to run away or throw up on the carpet.

I could almost hear Callum’s teeth grinding as he regarded the wildkin king. “Thank you for your sage advice. Might you have any other concerns you would like me to address before tomorrow?”

“Not at this time.” Leith’s eyes were dark and wickedly amused. “Though may I say, I now look forward with much greater curiosity to how this event will play out.”

That made exactly one of us.

Callum remained ominously silent as we made our way back out to the car. I didn’t know him well enough yet to be certain of my ability to read his moods, but he was clearly upset. With me? With Leith? Or with himself?

I buckled in while he started the engine, but then he just sat there, staring through the windshield. Should I break the silence? Or wait for him to remember how to use words?

“He’s right.” The statement sounded harsh and condemning, and I tensed as I turned to look at my employer.

“What do you mean?”

“About the rumors.”

“Wait, are you agreeing with him?” It simply didn’t compute. How could people be gossiping about a romantic connection between a homeless criminal with no past and the shapeshifter king? Had they seen him?

“I mean that the rumors will eventually exist, if they don’t already. Even if Leith has to start them himself.”

I thought back to the sly grin on the siren’s face and decided that this checked out. “But why? Why would he do that?”

“To remind me that I can’t have everything my own way,” Callum acknowledged, letting his head fall back against the seat. “The wildkin court has far smaller numbers, and therefore less power. He was reminding me that he doesn’t need magic to blunt my teeth.”

“So…” I folded my arms and grimaced as I thought through the implications. “If I keep working for you, everyone will claim you’re using your position to bestow favors. The only people other than Talia who’ve seen me use magic are related to you, either by blood or marriage. So if Talia doesn’t admit to what happened, they’ll assume that I’m actually useless, and you just wanted me close to you. And that you used your authority to bypass the rest of the shapeshifter court in order to hire me.” Even saying the words made my face heat uncomfortably.

Callum groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. “That’s the short version, yes,” he said dryly.

“And you’re new enough that you have enemies,” I went on, following the painful but undeniable trail of logic. “The other sovereigns are more than willing to test you. So a scandal like this will only undermine your credibility and ensure that it’s much harder to come to an agreement between the four courts.”

His silence was answer enough.

“What can we do? Other than the obvious, that is.”

He turned to look at me, his eyes glimmering faintly from their depths. “And what exactly do you think is the obvious answer here?”

“I quit,” I said promptly. “Go back to working for Faris and you go on with the Symposium as planned.” The thought gave me a bit of a pang, but I squashed it ruthlessly.

“You can’t quit,” he said, in a tone of finality. “Unless you truly want to, of course. But if you quit, that sends a message to Leith that he can bully me with rumors. Use information to gain what he wants. It will give him an advantage in any disagreements we may have, which will make the other courts too nervous to negotiate in good faith.”

Ugh. Politics. They were bad enough when none of the participants could breathe fire, read your mind, or just plain eat you.

“Fine, if I can’t quit, then what do you propose?”

Terrible word choice, really.

Callum stared out the windshield for what felt like an eternity.

“Under ordinary circumstances, I don’t really care what they say about my personal life,” he said at length. “I don’t need to justify my choices, and I will remind them of who and what I am if it becomes necessary.”

I could only imagine what that kind of reminder would look like. Pity the fool who tried to bully a dragon.

“But for the next few days, I do have to be mindful of appearances to a point.” He turned to meet my gaze reluctantly. “Also, Leith was right that this decision concerns your safety. It might end up making you more of a target, so I will not act without your consent, but if we reveal your shapeshifter heritage, there can be no scandal, no matter how they gossip. Yes, there are those who will disapprove because you are not a dragon. But if you’re known to be a member of my court, both gossip and tradition will be satisfied.”

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. His face wore the mask of the shapeshifter king and revealed not even a hint of emotion.

My own emotions, however… Those were in full panic.

“How do I become a member of your court?” I asked through frozen lips.

“You already are, Raine,” he explained patiently, as if I should know this. As if it were obvious. “This would simply be a matter of acknowledging it publicly. Admitting you have a shifter parent. A shapeshifter is a part of the court by virtue of their magic, unless they choose to disavow it.”

He wanted to tell everyone what I was. Reveal that I had dual magics, which would mean more scrutiny. More ways to trip up. More potential for mistakes that could spell the end of my freedom—the end of our hope for a normal life.

But also… if I could walk this tightrope, it would provide future protection for myself and the kids. Callum had promised that this Symposium would mean no more experiments. No more exploitation of the weak. If ever a monster like Elayara arose again, the other courts would rise together to stop her.

Was the risk worth it?

Or was I racing headlong towards my own destruction?

“Promise me,” I blurted out.

Callum did not flinch. “What do you want?”

“Promise me that my people will be safe. That until the Symposium ends, no matter what happens, they will be protected. No matter what happens .”

He looked at me steadily. A rock in uncertain waters. Utterly confident in his place, his power, and his position.

Unlike me. All I had was a dogged unwillingness to lose, and yet somehow, fate had dropped us both here and tied us together.

He trusted me, even though he shouldn’t.

And I… I trusted him, too, even though I shouldn’t.

“I’ve spent my whole life trying to control every possible variable,” Callum admitted at last. “I don’t think I’ve told you this, but my sister disappeared when she was just a baby. Ever since then, I’ve done everything I could to prove that if I only tried hard enough, I could keep my family safe.”

His head fell back, then he turned to face me. “But I was wrong. The world is full of things I cannot control, including my family.” A smile tugged at his lips. “That doesn’t mean I don’t try. I’m hardheaded, impossible, and sometimes downright illogical when it comes to the people I care about. So while I cannot promise they will be safe, I promise that I will try. That I will do everything in my power to ensure that they come to no harm because of the Symposium or your connection to me.”

I considered his words, while my instinctive sense of panic warned me that this was a mistake.

But I’d already decided. I was going to see this through.

“All right. You can tell everyone that I’m a shapeshifter.”