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“But say we can get Cosette—” I said.
“You can’t count on that.” Mr. Dawson cut me off. He was being a real Negative Nancy and wasn’t being shy about it.
I shot Chris a look, who shrugged. “I’ve messaged her, but he’s right. I’ve said it already. You can’t count on her being able to get away, and you can’t hold it against her. She’s in a tough spot.” When I asked about finding her, Chris had pulled out his phone, saying that they’d been emailing. He wouldn’t say how often, but his cheeks had turned a lovely color of spring rose. I wasn’t sure how she had email in her fey realm, but I wasn’t going to question it or whatever was going on between her and Chris.
From what Mr. Dawson had told us over and over and over, the fey magic amped up the bond of the Seven, which in turn sealed the plane. So, it made sense that we’d need that kind of magic, but we needed to think of something outside the box and I refused to count on Eli for it. He hadn’t shown up in any of my visions. Not even one. But at this rate, I might have to.
“We might not have the support of the fey courts, but there have to be other options. What about a djinn? They’re real, right?”
“No!” Everyone one the plane and Mr. Dawson yelled in unison.
“Okaaaay.” So, that was clearly a bad idea. “Not a djinn.” There was one idea that I’d been scared to bring up.
Luciana’s spells got us into this mess. What if she left something behind that could get us out of it?
I knew even stepping onto la Aquelarre’s land was tricky. I’d learned that much from the visions that Samantha helped me have. I’d died there a few times. I couldn’t even believe I was contemplating it, but there was magic brewing there. Strong magic. That’s the only way that Astaroth could’ve come through so quickly in my visions. So, what if I could find it and use it?
There were two problems with this. Whatever magic lasted there was probably black magic and trying to go get it would probably trigger Astaroth’s arrival. Which meant I should just shove this idea where the sun don’t shine. As in it was monumentally stupid. But I kept circling back to it in my mind.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at the fasten seatbelt sign like somehow it was going to give me the answer I needed.
“Whatever you do, the bond between the new council members has to be stronger than a pack bond. I just don’t know how you’re going to achieve that. Even with witchcraft.” Michael’s voice came through the speakerphone. “I don’t see it working without using the existing bond of the Seven. It’s broken, but that was allowed in the space of the magic. It can be renewed. Holding on for a while seems like the smartest option, but I don’t know how we can hold on that long. There was another demon attack at the compound.”
“What?” Claudia yelled. “First you hold out on telling me or Tessa about what was going on while we were away. And you’re just telling us now about another demon attack after we’ve been on the phone for at least an hour with you.”
“Right?” I said. This was total bullshit.
“I did what I thought was best. That’s my job as the Alpha of this pack.”
“You can say that for Tessa because she’s in your pack, but I’m not. That land is mine, even if I want nothing to do with it. If there was an issue with the coven’s land, you should’ve come to me.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry, but what you keep forgetting is that all of you are young. I’m not. It’s my responsibility to take care of the younger pack members. Not have you rushing off into danger.”
I growled, ready to jump into what a load of horse shit that was, but Lucas stepped in for me. “But I’m older than you and more alpha. So, you should’ve at least told me.”
I clenched my fists to stop from grabbing the phone and crushing it. Mr. Dawson was driving me insane, but at least I wasn’t alone in that feeling.
Arguing with him now about what he should or shouldn’t have told us was a waste of time. “Astaroth isn’t going to wait to attack us,” I said, bringing us back to the real problem. “We have days at most, and maybe not even that. We try to wait around for a lunar eclipse, we’ll all die. Everyone.” At this point, I’d turned into a broken record, too. “If we make something new then—”
“I’m not saying you can’t make something new,” Mr. Dawson cut me off. Again. “We were already going to be struggling to try and fix the bond that’s broken. But starting from scratch isn’t a great idea.” He kept talking, but I wasn’t listening anymore. I appreciated his opinion, but he was stuck in the past. I wanted something better for the future.
What I didn’t get is why it had to be just werewolves in the new council. If we added in some witches and some fey, then maybe we’d be better off? More magic seemed better to me. And diversifying meant that the safety and well being of every soul on this plane wouldn’t be the responsibly of the Weres alone anymore. The fey and witches would be forced to work together with the werewolves. That seemed like a good thing. But apparently I was wrong.
I don’t think you’re wrong, Dastien said. Michael really is on a tear.
Right? What do you think would happen if I just hung up on him? You think we could get everyone to say it was a bad connection?
Dastien laughed. Probably.
“What are you guys talking about?” Claudia asked as she motioned between Dastien and me.
I rolled my eyes and pointed to the phone. Mr. Dawson was still talking, but I was still fully ignoring him. It was time to hang up. He wasn’t bringing anything new to the table.
“I think I can explain why Michael is so against leaving the framework of the Seven entirely,” Lucas said.
I shrugged. “Please.” Because clearly I was missing something.
“My pack has the benefit of having a few non-werewolves with us. We’ve looped them into our pack bond, kind of how I’ve done with Claudia, but bonds between unlike supernaturals are not necessarily as strong as the ones between like.”
