Page 91 of Seas the Reckoning

“No, you all barter your offspring instead. As if the type of people who would sell their own children would so much as bat an eye if misfortune came to those same children later on. As long as you have what you want, it doesn’t matter. I’m just a means to an end. That’s all I’ve ever been or could ever be.”

I’m reminded of Seymour, and the four wives the councilman’s accountant has supposedly gone through. Maybe the Ender had the right idea. So many of these individuals are acting with apparent impunity.

Councilman Taylor makes a sound on his end of the call that tells me he’s clenching his teeth to avoid screaming.

“If you’d shown an ounce of real power, and an inclination to wield it, we could have been partners,” he says to his daughter.

Starla flinches as he continues.

“As it stands, you have been nothing more than a complication to my life.”

“Then leave me alone! Let me live my life without your interference, and I won’t bother you anymore.” I can hear the desperation in her voice, which means the councilman probably hears it as well.

“You are my child. You belong to me. To benefit me and serve my purposes. You will see this wedding through, along with the siren, or you will regret the consequences. I’m not to be trifled with, Starla. I am operating on very little sleep, having chased you to this tourist-trap nightmare that I cannot imagine anyone decent wanting to settle in, let alone the daughter of a councilman. I know the old woman is hiding you. If you don’t agree to meet me, I will simply have to start striking at those closest to you.”

The witch puts on the deepest Southern drawl possible when she responds, clearly determined to incense the warlock further.

“Are you threatenin’ my friends?”

I imagine him grinding his teeth on the other end of the phone.

“I am negotiating.”

“Do you really think we won’t report this to the Magikai? You’ll be apprehended before you can cross the pond home.”

“As if I don’t have contingency plans for something like that. Some of my best business associates have been deep in the magical government. You don’t know who to trust, and who would turn out for my side and make things even more painful for you.”

Ji-hwan waves, and Starla mutes our end of the call for a moment.

“He’s bluffing. The government was nearly overrun by some less than wonderful characters a while back, but that’s largely been handled,” Ji-hwan insists.

He was an enforcer, along with Never. He would know better than the rest of us. But that doesn’t mean they caught everyone.

Starla unmutes our end of the call as her father blathers on.

“Right now I have an enforcer who owes me a great debt looking into a location of particular interest. A certain family of hyena shifters up in the Lake District? It would be a shame if there were a reason for him to have to pay them a visit. Perhaps a case of mistaken identity? They’ve been accused of a crime, and when the enforcer shows up for a routine round of questioning, he gets attacked. Has no choice but to eliminate the threats.”

A growl rips free from Jackal’s throat, and Exos barrels into the hyena, shoving him further into the overgrown grass and brush to block him from view as his fur rips free. My mate’s hackles are raised, his voice slightly distorted by fangs as he shouts toward the phone.

“Touch my family, and I will personally rip each limb from your body before I relieve you of your head,” he promises. His tone is deadly, and I have no doubts that if his sister, brother-in-law, or, tides forbid, Lottie are harmed, he will make good on his threat. No matter what.

I’d help him.

“Is that the rabid animal you bring along with you to my events? Still following you around like a loyal dog, is he? I have people awaiting a single word from me. You can’t possibly know them all. I’ve been more than generous, coming all the way here. I’ve even brought your grooms. A beach wedding is just as good as any other. You have an hour to show yourselves. I’ll be watching your bar, and if you fail to show yourselves, I’ll burn it down myself.”

“We can’t do that; we’re not there,” Starla blurts.

For a moment, the other end of the line is silent. Then, the councilman begins to laugh. An eerie, disturbing sound.

“Oh, Starla. I gave you too much credit once again. You couldn’t even find a way out of the country, could you. Is that it? You went to ground and let me assume you’d been smart enough to make it back to the coven leader. You’re even more of a disappointment than I thought.”

She doesn’t argue his point.

“You see why I can’t meet your deadline, then,” is all she says.

“Fine. We’ll make it midnight. I am not leaving this spot until this is settled. I won’t be stuck on a plane over the ocean while you find a way out of this. The beach by your precious restaurant. Just the two of you, or you will regret it.”

“Wait! Father, there is a crest above your office. Now that I know about Claude, may I assume it’s a family crest?”