“Master of Monsters,” Fallon greeted as they approached her.
Rule inclined her head, a queen’s graciousness in the gesture. “Dragon Slayer. It is good to see you again.”
“And you. What brings you here? We only knew to expect you, not the reasons for your arrival.” Sometimes Fallon could be as subtle as Laire. The nice thing was, Rule would take no notice to the bluntness of the question. Though she never displayed any overt crassness, the woman never worried whether she was getting or giving offense, though whether that was because she didn’t know or didn’t care was often debated.
As expected, Rule didn’t even give an arched eyebrow over the question. “The Seven Houses have asked for my assistance. I do not know the details yet, only that I am to meet with Lord Kyo.”
Aislynn cleared her throat and spoke up. “I’m to take her to Wulver so they can speak with Kyo together.”
“Oh, you’re going to be working with Wulver,” Fallon said, while behind Rule’s back, Laire gave a fist pump and then a told you finger pointing at Fallon.
“It would seem so,” Rule replied, and when she turned to look at Laire, Laire’s hands were behind her back and she had the Laire version of an innocent expression on her face. Which meant it wasn’t, but thank gods Rule was not strong on the social cues.
From above them dropped a creature the size of a pony, which landed in front of Rule. All three women made to grab their weapons before the creature wound around Rule’s feet and settled in front of her. As Rule didn’t seem surprised at this, in silent agreement the three went back to staring at it in horrified curiosity. After twenty seconds of dead silence, Laire exclaimed, “What in the four hells is that?”
The creature which guarded the Master of Monsters was lion and raven and reptile, all feline grace and carrion cruelty, with the scent of magic seeped into its skin. Rule’s pale eyes warmed, the first hint of emotion since her arrival. “My Thantus. He was a wizard’s experiment before I found him.”
“Where is the wizard now?” ventured Aislynn.
“Digested.”
Before any further questions could be asked, Wulver came into the room, stopping short as he took in their guest. His blue eyes snapped, and the good humor he always carried around with him washed out of his face. He drew in a deep breath that was pure shoring defenses before coming farther into the room. “Rule. I wasn’t expecting you until tonight.”
This time there was no bow of her head, and while the words were still polite, this time the challenge in voice and tone was unmistakable. “Alpha. I received word to come earlier.”
They were gunslingers at high noon, facing off as tumbleweeds rolled by. “I hadn’t heard that.”
A new voice spoke up, so curt it edged on harsh, though the words contained the expected courtesy. “My apologies, Wulver. It was a sudden change in my schedule that prompted this switch.”
The energy around them became charged as Kyo entered the room. The Japanese man radiated power so strong that for those not used to it, it was hard to breathe around him.
His near-black hair was long enough to touch his nape, the fringe falling over his forehead and face, but it looked in no way unkempt. His dark eyes shown from behind the bangs.
He was six-foot with a medium musculature, but even next to Wulver who was bigger than him in both height and mass, something about Kyo made Wulver seem small. Kyo wore a traditional yukata in a midnight blue, and though the garment resembled a robe, on Kyo it might as well have been the most ornate and majestic of outfits.
Next to him was a Japanese woman of about five-four, taller than Laire but shorter than Aislynn, and far shorter than both Fallon and Rule. She carried herself the same way Kyo did, spine vertical and chin lifted high, eyes watching for the tiniest sign of weakness. She wore a white sleeveless top with a high collar, the tailoring resembling a vest, and white flowing slacks.
Kyo looked over the group, including Laire who was studying her nails again, but this time her body was a story in distinct uncomfortableness.
Tec’s voice filtered through the air. “Fallon?”
Taking in Laire’s small breath and subtle shift of her shoulders downward, Fallon answered, “Yeah?”
“The Dream Crafter has contacted us. She has what we requested.”
“That sounds like my cue to miss this little lovefest.” Fallon cuffed Laire on the back of her neck, which caused the mage to jump and give Fallon the side-eye from hell. “Come on. I might need your help.”
Without any goodbyes, Fallon ushered Laire away to Tec and their mission.
Chapter Eleven