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Her eyes flashed with contempt. “I name you anarchic ingrate, churlish cretin, debauched degenerate! You are a fermented fruit, rotten from within, spreading contagion wherever you tread.”
Maria turned back to Blaine, disdain etched in her face. “Cast out this Dionysian deviant before she brings the walls crashing down around us all. I will not stand idle while you let everything we’ve built teeter on the brink of ruin.”
Erin observed as Blaine’s face tensed, but he maintained his composure. “Maria, we don’t have time for your poetic games. We need to discuss this situation rationally. The fae are here, and we need to understand why,” he stated firmly, his confidence unwavering.
“Rational? You’ve allowed this place to become a hub for creatures known to war and terrorize humanity. You’ve lost sight of what’s important for our city,” Maria hissed, her voice venomous.
Taking a step forward, Erin’s voice was steady but firm. “Maria, the fae have caused no harm yet. We’re trying to keep the situation under control. Surely, you can understand that.”
Before Maria could respond to Erin’s words, a low growl echoed through the room. The next thing she knew, there was a flash of black and the air shifted with the musky smell of cat. Blaine’s eyes widened as a large leopard entered from the gardens and prowled toward them, its golden eyes fixed on Maria. The beast circled around Erin, bumping against her legs when it passed by, before taking a seat at her side.
The beast let out a low, breathy growl, showing off its sharp teeth. Maria’s eyes went wide as she stumbled back, momentarily speechless. The leopard’s tail flicked back and forth as it continued to grumble menacingly, its muscles rippling under its spotted fur. “You’re keeping wild animals here too?” she finally choked out, her voice barely above a whisper in the face of such danger.
“I suppose I am,” Erin replied, scratching the leopard between the ears. “Good kitty, now calm down, little buddy,” she said to the cat, who quieted at her request, and then laid down on the ground. Was this animal’s appearance connected to Dionysos, or something else? When Maria cleared her throat, Erin decided she could figure it out later. She turned back to Maria. “It’s just the one wild animal. At least so far.”
Blaine took a deep breath, standing tall and resolute. “Maria, I’ll address your concerns at the council. But right now, we need to focus on understanding the fae and their intentions. That is the best way to protect our city.”
Finn came in from the gardens, saw the three of them and the cat, and came over. Erin nodded to him, but he raised a querying brow. She shook her head. He kept his distance, but was close enough to overhear everything.
Maria hesitated, her eyes darting between the leopard and Blaine. She was clearly unnerved by the beast. Finally, she shook her head, her voice strained. “No. One hour, Blaine. You better have answers by then or you can face down the council’s vote.”
With that, Maria turned on her heel and stormed away, her fear quickly transforming back into anger. Erin let out a steady breath, her gaze shifting from the retreating figure of Maria to the mysterious leopard that had come to their aid. She sensed Blaine’s unease and knew the challenges were mounting. The next hour would be crucial in determining not only his future but also the fate of the city.
As Erin looked at Blaine, she saw the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, and her heart went out to him. But they had no time to waste. Finn moved close, joining them.
“What’s up with the leopard?” Finn asked.
The cat huffed back at him, licking its lips.
“I’m calling him Enigma. And you can chill, Enigma,” Erin said, and the leopard whined, but the cat laid down his head. “I have no idea where he came from, but who doesn’t want their own pet leopard? Besides, he seems to like me.”
Blaine chuckled softly, his eyes alight with amusement. “I can see that. But we can’t let Maria’s threats distract us from the matter at hand. We need to figure out what the fae want and negotiate with them to ensure the safety of our city.”
“The fae are gone for now,” Erin replied. “Blaine, we should go meet with the council so you can defend your position.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. You can’t stop me from coming along.”
“I’ll manage the nightly cleaning crew while you’re away,” Finn added.
“Thanks, Finn. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Blaine smiled, and Erin felt a warmth spreading through her. Taking his hand in hers, she said, “Let’s go.”
They turned to go, and the leopard stood and began following them. Erin held up her hand. “No, Enigma, if I show up to the council with you, they’ll just have something else to bitch about. Be a good boy and stay here.”
Enigma shook his head like he was throwing off water, and then, to her surprise, his form shimmered and shifted, leaving a snake where he’d been standing. She bent down and picked it up, tasting magic in the air in the wake of the creature’s transformation. “You’re not a kitty, and not a snake, not really. What are you?”
“A boon from the gods?” Blaine suggested.
Erin shrugged. The snake wound its way around her arm and then flattened out, leaving a distinctive tattoo pattern embossed on her flesh. Erin gasped in shock, but she could feel the power of the animal emanating from her skin. She felt connected to it, like they shared some kind of bond.
“It looks like my new companion has a few tricks up his sleeve,” she said with awe in her voice. “Well, my sleeve. But we can figure Enigma out later. Let’s get going.”
CHAPTER51
BLAINE
