Firmly in control, in a way their dad had never been his whole life. Kingsley had seen his
brother’s beast earlier, looking out of his fiery cobalt eyes, ready to be let off leash. But Austin’s cool logic had reigned supreme—he’d used the beast instead of letting it use him. His control would make him ten times more dangerous. Ten times more effective.
“Not to mention,” James started again, “that Jessie explained a mage’s countermeasures to breakins. They happen in the mage community a lot, it seems. For those that are higher-powered, at least.
We can’t let him accidentally or purposely kill any of ours.”
A weight formed in Kingsley’s middle, but he simply nodded. He needed time to work through his misgivings regarding the mages—and also what that one mage had said to them. He needed more information.
“The other housing changes?” he prompted.
“Only some of the basajaunak stayed in the park we’d chosen.”
“Where did the others go?”
James shook his head. “They just wandered away. Austin’s—Jessie apologized about it. She said she’d figure out a compromise with you once they have some idea what might work. The landscape here is much different than what they’re used to, I guess.” He paused. “They don’t seem…entirely in her control.”
Kingsley dropped his hands to his lap, allowing his fatigue to come through. They’d only just arrived and already the headaches were piling up. He would’ve liked to say this was all a mistake and to hurry Austin’s people out of here, but the growing ball of unease in his gut said that would be a mistake.
“Only one of them is under her influence, I guess,” Kingsley said, “and as you saw from the meeting earlier, with her people wandering every which way, that influence is nothing like what we’re used to.”
“Noted. I’m inclined to compromise in this case, alpha. Those creatures are massive, and I’ve heard basajaunak are incredibly effective in battle. They’ll give us an edge.”
“Agreed,” Kingsley said. No other pack in history, as far as he knew, had ever had aid from the basajaunak. It was promising and exciting, as long as everything went smoothly, but Kingsley wasn’t entirely sure it would. Not after earlier. “That it?”
“No.” James pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket. “Edgar—the vampire—has requested a shack. He’d like it put on Austin’s premises so he can watch them from a safe and nonthreatening distance. Austin and Jessie denied the request, but the vampire then asked me in an aside if I would build him a secret shack.” James lowered the paper, his mannerisms showing his befuddlement. “I denied the request. The old gargoyle, who calls himself a butler, requested to stay with Austin and Jessie, which Austin also denied. He then requested a shack, as well, because if he was going to be cast aside like a peasant, he’d live like one. That request”—James looked over the top of the paper at Kingsley—“was also denied, and prompted a razzing by the puca.”
James’s eyes were sparkling. He clearly thought the whole thing was asinine but hilarious.
“Oh, and…” He cleared his throat. “The phoenix doesn’t think the trend of wearing underwear should continue. Especially bras.”
“They’re…an eccentric bunch,” Kingsley said, not sure what else could be said to explain that sort of behavior. The pack would think them mad. And maybe they were. But they were effective in battle, something he’d seen a bit of firsthand. He didn’t have much knowledge about gargoyles, but he suspected that lead enforcer, as Austin called him, could handle a great many enemies without batting an eye. He also seemed to have a very firm handle on the rest of the gargoyles, all as big or bigger than shifters, all muscular, all hard-eyed and keyed up, ready for battle.
“Also…” James went back to his slip of paper, turning it over to retrieve more notes. “When the vampire cornered me after Austin and Jessie had gotten into the van, he talked about planting flowers in the territory.” His eyes dulled. “Weaponized magical flowers, to be precise.”
Kingsley pushed to standing. He couldn’t handle any more of this right now. This territory was a home to ten thousand people, most of whom wanted to live peaceful lives, untouched by the darker, stranger parts of the magical world. He wanted to keep it that way—a goal that had seemed doable with Austin’s help. The magical attacks on the edge of the territory thus far had been mostly manageable, with few losses. If there were mages in the border towns, they hadn’t caused any trouble.