“Settle down, pup.” Grayson growled, rather testily, but, to Natividad’s relief, without real anger. “I hardly intend to beat answers out of your human brother.”
Natividad almost laughed in nervousness and surprise, but bit her tongue and choked it back to a strangled-sounded cough. Ezekiel tilted a sardonic eyebrow at her, but she couldn’t guess what he was thinking. She looked away from him.
“We didn’t know Vonhausel would come after us,” Miguel protested, but without any great conviction. “Anyway, we really didn’t know you would have so few wolves here to meet him.”
Alejandro fixed the Master with a brief, hard stare and put a supportive hand on Miguel’s shoulder. Natividad said quickly, trying not to sound too anxious, knowing she wasn’t able to pull that off, “If anybody can stop Vonhausel, it’s Dimilioc. That’s still true. Isn’t it?”
“I’m not quite confident he thinks so,” Ezekiel said, light and sardonic and amused. He glanced sidelong at the Master. “I must admit, I’ve become quite curious about this Vonhausel.”
“Long before your time,” growled the Dimilioc Master. “Somewhat before mine. The man I remember did not have the strength we saw this morning. One gathers he has become more than a typical vicious hot-blooded stray black dog.” He sounded disgusted, but no longer angry. He gave Alejandro a hard look, but added a curt nod when Alejandro looked down. “Got your shadow under control, pup, do you?”
Natividad gave her brother an anxious look, wondering if he had recovered language enough to answer, but Ezekiel said smoothly before Alejandro could try to answer, “Master, I agree we may wish to discuss many things, including our interesting new enemy and the possibility of revising Dimilioc law to match this brave new world of ours. But possibly of more immediate importance, you may want to, ah, welcome, our newest guests. I believe they are in the dining room. Zachariah is making a second breakfast.”
“How industrious of Zachariah,” growled Grayson. “I presume this is his subtle method of reassuring our… guests.”
“Exactly,” Ezekiel agreed. “Which they may need, after the welcome they’ve already had. No doubt it’s hard to believe Dimilioc’s facing an existential threat when it’s stuffing you with biscuits and eggs. Nevertheless…”
“Indeed,” said Grayson. He turned his shoulder to Alejandro and gave Miguel an impatient wave. “Oh, get up, boy. Got any more silver ammunition?”
Miguel jumped to his feet. “No, sir. I only had a little–”
“You used it to excellent effect,” said Ezekiel. “Which I’ll also remember.”
Grayson gave Ezekiel a sour look, but only asked Miguel, “Got any more surprises tucked away? Bazooka in your back pocket? Grenades tucked inside a stuffed animal? Rocket launcher wrapped up in frilly petticoats, right along with its rockets? Well?”
“No, sir,” Miguel repeated, very meek.
“Then come to breakfast,” Grayson said. “We’ll hear your story, boy, and no equivocations.” He turned toward the door, jerking his head for Ezekiel to go with him.
The young Dimilioc executioner turned to follow, but over his shoulder, he said, “You, kid. Miguel. That was good shooting.” He added to Alejandro, with casual authority, “We’ve all seen now you can keep your head when you’re fighting, which is admirable. Keep it now, hear me? Don’t be rough on your brother.” He walked out without waiting for an answer.
Once they were gone, Natividad lifted a theatrical hand to her brow and pretended to collapse into the nearest chair. Alejandro ignored her. He glared at Miguel.
His younger brother dropped his gaze, but he also said stubbornly, “I’m sorry, Alejandro, but I did save your lives, you know. Grayson Lanning knows it, too. So, I was right to bring the gun – and you wouldn’t have let me, so I was right not to tell you.”
Alejandro was not prepared to admit this, though Natividad knew they all knew it was true. He glared harder. “Lucky fool,” he said in Spanish. “What if he’d killed you?” He’d gotten language back, obviously. Natividad was almost sorry, although he was going to yell at Miguel eventually and she supposed they might as well get it over with.
“He wouldn’t have,” Miguel said, unfortunately using that patient tone of his that drove Alejandro wild. “For saving all your lives?”
Alejandro bared his teeth in an expression that was not a smile. “He’s the Dimilioc Master! Estúpido! You don’t know what he’ll do! We’ve led an enemy to his doorstep, haven’t we? And now you defy him to his face, and you may say, ‘Oh, it’s all fine,’ but what if it hadn’t been? If he’d tried to hurt you, if he had, I’d have fought him, Miguel, but I couldn’t have won, and then Natividad would have been alone here! Did you think of that?”