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“In recognition of services to both the crown and to the citizens of Fae Crossing, I do hereby award each of you with the Cross of the Four Corners.” One of the king’s attendants handed the king the first medal.
“Dax Carlyle, step forward,” said the attendant, in an officious voice. As Dax stepped forward, the king pinned the cross onto his lapel.
“Roland Wright, step forward,” the attendant called, as he handed the king a second medal, even as Dax stepped back into line.
The King was a slim, but tall man, who under different circumstances, Rollo could have seen as intimidating. Not just because he was Fae either. He was a king after all. And Rollo had to admit he looked every bit the part. But right now, he was all smiles.
The king went down the line pinning on the medals.
“We certainly owe all of you a debt a gratitude. And not just for saving the town from that scourge of a drug, Supernova.”
He was growing more animated and more enthusiastic as he spoke. His dark blue cape and gray locks swirled through the air as he gestured with his hands to punctuate his words.
“For far too long, the contributions of the Fae Crossing Pack have gone unappreciated. Let it never be said that the Tribunal could function without you. You have my thanks.” He even gave a subtle bow of his head.
Never thought I’d see the day a fae nods to a shifter. And the king no less.
The ceremony was mercifully a short one. It seemed the king intended to give similar medals to Nilsa and Finch, and even Rocky over at The Herald. He must be on a PR kick. Usually, you didn’t hear squat from him. Certainly, the shifters didn’t at least.
* * *
“Well,now I know why we have uniforms!” Dayton said, as they all quickly changed right there in the middle of the bullpen.
“Can we get back to work now? I though he was never gonna shut up about Fae and shifter ‘solidarity’,” Clint quipped.
“We should consider ourselves lucky that we didn’t have to break into a chorus of kumbaya,” Jack added.
“Well, for me, I just can’t believe we actually got medals. And I swear, I never thought I’d see the day the king would pin a medal on a shifter,” Rollo said.
“What is the world coming to?” Dayton chimed in.
“Just goesto show you that we can work with the fae boys. Yeah, might be a little uncomfortable, and maybe there were a few bumps in the road, but we got it done. Even Finch, Nilsa and the rest of the Fae Council are happy,” Dax pronounced.
“We done good boys,” Rollo said to the assembled pack.
”Damn right,” Dax replied. But then a moment later added, “Alright, enough. What are you all standing around for? Excitement’s over. Think you’re special now, just because we got medals? Don’t you guys have cases to work on?”
Absolutely we do.
As the others dispersed, Rollo approached his alpha.
“Hey, man. What about Frederick? Aren’t we going to get the team togetherto talk aboutthose Mossy Ridge sightings? It’s our first real lead in three years. I just want to sure we’re not missing anything now that we are getting close again.”
Dax looked him in the eye. “I know it feels like nothing’s happening, but you’ve got to be patient. We don’t know for sure if the Mossy Ridge thing is real or just another dead end. Besides, the pack is just getting settled after everything that happened.
“Yeah, that shook everyone up. You should hear June. I guess the Children of the Vortex are taking it as some kind or bad harbinger. Kind of like a ‘tremor in the force,’ or something.”
“Bloom said that Wendy and Tam were saying much the same. I don’t know, but just give it a day, okay? If it’s really him, I bet there will be more sightings to come.”
“I hear you, brother. I just want Frederick so bad I can taste it. It’s been long enough.” All the humor had left him now.
“You think I don’t want him? When everything points to him being the one responsible for Bloom’s father’s murder too? Patience, brother, patience.”
“I’ve been fucking patient,” he blurted, before he could stop himself.
His wolf was chomping at the bit inside him.
For a second, yellow flashed in Dax’s eyes as his dragon reacted, but Dax remained calm.
