* * * *
Eli wasn't sure what was going on.Had Thano reported him as being a gender traitor or not?Had the kiss been to prove he'd been right?And why the hell had Eli kissed him?He'd been tempted many times in his life without crossing the line.He may have crossed it a few times, but not in the middle of the day in his shop in central Last Hope with a new sheriff who wanted nothing more than to report him.Stupid.
"Take it from the beginning."Eli rubbed his neck.
"What?"
"Your day.Walk me through your day.What happened, why are you in town, what did the board say, and so on."Dizziness made it impossible for Eli to think.
"I got up, and right as I was done getting dressed, Lark came by and told me the sheriff had been in your shop and given you a warning."
Eli nodded.
"I told Lark to tell Fala I have baking powder."
Eli stared.How the hell had he managed to get hold of baking powder?"How did you get it?"
Thano grimaced."I traded with Samir, the leader of the Grave Ville coven."
Eli was aware of staring, but he couldn't stop himself."What did you trade?"It wasn't easy to get hold of baking powder.Though, he assumed Grave Ville had more regular deliveries from other big cities.There had to be factories in some of them.
"Nothing important.I got two packs of baking powder."
Packs?Like jars or like two small bags with one teaspoon in each?
"Then I went to talk to Conal about not telling me there was a sheriff, but Conal didn't know there was a sheriff.They'd sent him on his way after we'd finished the board meeting, telling him there was nothing to discuss."Thano spread his hands."And today there is a sheriff and new laws, and Conal is fired from the board."
Eli's lungs didn't allow air into them."But...can they do that?"
Thano shrugged.
"Will you allow them to?"
"I don't know.When we talked about leaving the board, people were in favor.Why should we be in Last Hope when the humans can deal with the humans?"He crinkled his nose, and it was...cute.Deadly, dangerous Thano was cute.
Eli's heart beat too fast."But..."It was a strange moment to realize he trusted the others more than he trusted humans despite knowing many of them would eat him without hesitation.
Thano tilted his head to the side."But what?"
What could he say?"Will Romeo be allowed to deliver meat?"
It wasn't what he wanted to say, but he had to think about what this meant for the shop.
"I'm not sure.He's human, so I don't know if they can stop him."
Eli nodded, but he feared it wouldn't be safe for Romeo to be in town.He feared it wouldn't be safe for anyone.
"Maybe we should postpone tonight's baking."
"What?"Eli stared at Thano.
"I think I need to discuss the development with everyone on the ranch, and I fear it's gonna take some time.Many will have things to say.Can we bake tomorrow instead?"Thano was unnaturally still, his face blank like it had been before Eli had come to know him.
"Of course.It's Saturday, so the shop is closed."It most likely wasn't safe to be seen with others right now anyway."But how will I get to the ranch when you aren't allowed into town?"
Thano smiled, with fangs."How will they stop us?"
"The sheriff has a gun."Many had guns, and he feared some would fire at crows without hesitation.Fuck, what if a crow came to the shop, and the sheriff shot them?
