Grayson met the younger black wolf’s eyes for a long moment. Neither looked aside, but Ezekiel said easily, “If that’s alright with you, Master.”
Grayson lifted heavy shoulders in a minimal shrug. “That might be best. Yes, very well. I’ll have instructions for you before you leave, however. See me tonight. Benedict, since Ezekiel will be otherwise occupied, book an early flight for him.” He looked at Alejandro. “You’ll go to Chicago with Ezekiel.”
“We’ll be leaving early,” Ezekiel said. “Be ready to go an hour before dawn.” His voice, light and mocking, made it clear that he knew perfectly well that Alejandro wanted to protest Grayson’s order but did not dare argue with the Master.
Natividad gave her brother a quick look. Of course this was a test of his obedience, and maybe of Ezekiel’s, and probably of the black dog girls as well. She didn’t like that at all. She trusted Grayson – well, mostly – but not Keziah. And what if Vonhausel brought his shadow pack back against Dimilioc while Alejandro was gone to Chicago with Ezekiel? What then?
She could see the same questions had occurred to Alejandro. He wouldn’t like to go anywhere and leave her or Miguel behind in Dimilioc – he didn’t even want to let her go anywhere alone with Ezekiel and Keziah right now, whatever Grayson said. At least she could help with that. She said quickly, “You can come with me, you can help me, ‘Jandro, alright?”
“With the Beschwichtigend?” Ezekiel said, amused.
Natividad tried to look astonished, as though every Pure woman needed her black dog brother to help her work magic. “Of course!”
Ezekiel lifted his eyebrows, but merely stood aside, looking expectantly at Keziah. The girl rose with graceful poise. Amira stood up reluctantly, keeping her sister between herself and the Dimilioc executioner. Ezekiel appeared not to notice. Natividad wondered if he was actually trying to be kind to the little girl, or if he just didn’t care about her at all.
Ezekiel led the way into the hallway and lifted a hand, directing them all toward the stairs. “You’ll find the brown suite comfortable,” he said easily, speaking to Keziah. “Or if you don’t, simply tell Grayson so. I’m sure we have rooms that would please you.” He added without a pause and in exactly the same pleasant tone, “If you touch Natividad while I’m gone, I’ll make you into an example for the ages.”
Alejandro’s jaw tightened – he was offended, Natividad knew, because he thought it was his place to make threats like that on her behalf. But he said nothing. She wasn’t a bit offended. She was relieved and even flattered, because if Ezekiel would defend her even after looking at Keziah, well, wow.
Amira flinched, but Keziah just smiled and tossed her hair back over her shoulders, the crystals in her earrings ringing against one another like tiny bells. She looked very beautiful and elaborately sexy. “Will you?”
Ezekiel turned and strode up the stairs. As he walked, he shifted to his black dog form and instantly back to human, then the black dog, then human again – shifting completely with each step, a sharp blinking strobe of alternating forms, impossibly smooth and fast. The steps creaked every time he shifted to the massive black dog shape. His claws scored the wood, smoke and ash swirled with his movements; then the next step would be a light human tread. He turned at the first landing and leaned negligently on the banister, a slim human youth. But his shadow pooled at his feet, so dense even Natividad could see it clearly. He said softly, straight to Keziah, “Do you think Thos Korte made me his executioner as a joke? You can challenge me, if you like. I wouldn’t mind at all.”
Keziah smiled and said, her tone amused, “Well, perhaps not today.” But she also looked aside.
“As long as you’re sure,” said Ezekiel. “The brown suite?” He turned and walked up the stairs, not at all concerned to have the black dog girls at his back.
The brown suite consisted of five interconnecting rooms, all in taupe and gold, brown and warm ivory. The largest room, with a beautiful fireplace, soft chairs and lovely wrought iron lamps, had plenty of space to do the Aplacando. Alejandro helped Natividad roll the thick rugs out of the way, then, at her gesture, opened a window to let in unfiltered daylight and air – the air was freezing, but that was alright. She gestured for the girls to stand several feet apart in the middle of the bare floor and drew a separate pentagram around each with a handful of sunlight and the whispered words her mother had taught her. Amira cowered when her sister gave her a little push away, but Keziah gave her a stern look and said something in Arabic or whatever language it was they spoke, and the little girl obediently crouched down inside her own pentagram. Natividad wished she could say something to reassure Amira, but of course there was nothing she could say that would help. She hurried a little so Amira would feel better as soon as possible.