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“Don’t I always?” With a half-shrug, Zee averted her gaze. “Thank you for being here. I know it’s not easy to leave your territory.”
“It’s fine.” Meridia moved closer, hooking her arm through Zee’s. “I wanted to see that you were well. It’s been some time since I was in Appalachia’s heart. Donner came in my place when the former Prime lost his life.”
Her voice had softened, sadness in her tone.
Curious, Zee looked at the other woman. “You and Jameson were friends?”
“Of a sort.” Meridia’s gaze roamed across the people gathered in the Hollow. Nearly a half-mile away from the big house, through a thick copse of trees, the Hollow was used for weddings, parties, holiday gatherings, meetings, and the few rare challenges within the pack.
Tonight, it was the gathering space for her father’s wake.
A full moon shone its silvered light down on those gathered in the Hollow. Softly glowing lights carefully placed around the area gave additional illumination for those who weren’t Therian, and for those who were lesser in power. Even among Therians, not all were created equal. While Zee could see almost as well in the dark as in the day, as could Niko, his lieutenants and other strong packmates, there would be some who would have to rely on their animal form for the superior senses.
Plus, there were humans among their number, those married or otherwise bonded to members of the pack, as well those considered allies or friends.
Niko had also extended an invitation to the parents of several of the children saved by Samuel.
Not all though, he’d told her.
Like many Nightdweller, Therian and Atargarian leaders, Niko didn’t easily offer his trust to humans.
They had human allies, ties to families whose legacies dated back to before the war and the awful decades of rebuilding that followed. The Reformation Period had served to either deepen or further divide the fractures in too many cases.
Outside of such bonds though, trust took a long time to build. A very long time.
Each of the families would have been thoroughly investigated before an invitation was offered and if there was even a hint of friendliness to any number of the anti-human groups still infecting their world, they’d hear nothing from the Prime—and in case they heard of the wake from other means, there were Therians on patrol, and with heavier than normal numbers.
Anytime Preterns gathered in force, that was the case, their defensive measures going up, with all their numbers being reminded of the security and exit protocol in case of exigent circumstances.
Tonight, Niko had told her that his men and women were also on alert for media spies as well.
His business admin had been fielding calls and emails from reporters since Samuel’s actions became public knowledge.
It wasn’t often a member of the press was foolish enough to trespass on Therian-owned lands, but it did happen on occasion. Few made it far and most images taken happened because a drone went unnoticed just long enough to capture a few images before being shot down by the scouts.
Therians, like their water-based brothers and sisters and the Nightdwellers, protected their privacy with a ferocity that bordered on obsession.
As if sensing her thoughts, Meridia said lightly, “I nearly had to let them strip search me before I was able to enter pack lands.”
Blanching, Zee jerked her head around to gape at her friend.
Meridia threw her head back and laughed.
Again, silence fell across the crowd at the bright sound, and not because she was laughing at a wake.
No, it was because of Meridia’s laughter, this time barely shielded, and such a silvery, brilliant sound, had an impact on the unwary. The people closest to them looked dazed and a couple of humans swayed, their own mouths curving up in delight, although none of them would understand exactly why.
A couple of the men even stepped toward her with unabashed worship on their faces.
Zee noticed several of the female Therians delivering hard nudges to shatter the spell.
The voice of a mermaid was a powerful thing, in war, in sorrow, and in joy.
“Meridia,” Zee said softly, placing her hand on her friend’s arm.
The laughter faded slowly, although the power was pulled back into Meridia almost instantly. Eyes glowing with mirth, she pressed her finger to her lips and met Zee’s gaze. “Oops. I forgot myself for a moment.”
“No, you didn’t.” Zee couldn’t help but smile back. She’d heard her friend laugh often enough that the impact no longer overwhelmed. She simply smiled because she didn’t believe Meridia’s feigned innocence for a second.
