“You’ve got a very good team of males in the nest, Jes. I’m impressed.”
Jes smiled and leaned against the table, crossing his arms. “Our people’s safety is important to everyone in the nest, especially those who can’t protect themselves like our fledglings.”
Jantha gestured to the bank of monitors. “It’s been quiet all night. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I tried to contact Adriel to find out what was going on with the other den, but his phone went straight to voicemail, and I didn’t want to involve any other were-houses in your business.”
“I’ll try Adriel in a little while.”
Jantha yawned and stood, stretching. “I’m going to find the room your man Ley told me about and take a nap.”
Jes nodded.
Before Jantha left the room he said, “We should talk. Later.”
“Of course.”
Jes knew that it would be about the prophecy and the fact that overnight he had basically invited a new were-group to move into the nest.
When the doors shut behind Jantha, Jes said, “Frost, would you put out a blast message to the nest and tell them that I expect every member of the nest aged eighteen and older to report to the garden at eight a.m. today. Attendance is mandatory.”
“Right away, Sire,” Frost said.
Glacier turned in the chair and looked at Jes with his icy blue eyes. White stripes wove through his long, black hair, the same as Frost’s. “There will be some who will protest, Sire.”
“I’m aware of that, Glacier.” He softened his tone. “Things in the nest changed overnight. They can protest all they like, but it doesn’t change what’s happened.”
Frost, who kept his striped hair short, looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I’m glad you found your mate, Sire. You deserve happiness.”
Jes left his best techs to their work and headed up to his office. Even though his dad liked to tease him about being an early riser, he was one as well, so Jes Skyped him, taking a drink of coffee while he waited for his dad to answer.
“Good morning, Son,” his dad said, raising his mug in greeting when his image appeared on the screen.
“Good morning, Dad.”
His dad hummed. “I can tell by the look on your face that you’re not calling to ask me my opinion on rankings or where to buy the best steel for swords.”
Shaking his head, Jes said, “I found my mate last night, Dad.”
His eyes widened in surprise. He put down his mug and said, “That’s wonderful news!” Jes paused long enough that his dad asked, “Perhaps it’s not?”
“No, it’s great news of course, but there are some issues with the mating, and I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“I’m all ears, Son, you know that.”
Sitting back in his chair, Jes’ dad picked up his coffee mug and waited for Jes to explain what was going on. When he finished the tale, his dad said, “The meeting is a good start. Some of the older falcons will take issue with making a non-falcon their Queen, and then there’s the issue of the tri-mating. Even if they were both falcons, there are those who would take issue with a polyandrous relationship. The important thing, Jes, is that you don’t bow down to pressure. If someone wants to challenge you for the right to lead your nest, then he may feel free to do so, but he’ll have to fight his way up the chain of hierarchy, and only the most determined could do that and none would get past your brothers.
“If they want to secede from the nest, then they’ll do so without honor and no nest will take them.”
Jes frowned. He hadn’t considered that anyone would leave the nest because of it. He expected some complaints, especially from the members who wanted Jes to mate with a female falcon. But for some to actually leave over it made his heart twinge. He didn’t want to lose any of his people. He’d fought hard to be a good and fair leader.
His dad tapped his finger on his desk and
Jes smiled and leaned against the table, crossing his arms. “Our people’s safety is important to everyone in the nest, especially those who can’t protect themselves like our fledglings.”
Jantha gestured to the bank of monitors. “It’s been quiet all night. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I tried to contact Adriel to find out what was going on with the other den, but his phone went straight to voicemail, and I didn’t want to involve any other were-houses in your business.”
“I’ll try Adriel in a little while.”
Jantha yawned and stood, stretching. “I’m going to find the room your man Ley told me about and take a nap.”
Jes nodded.
Before Jantha left the room he said, “We should talk. Later.”
“Of course.”
Jes knew that it would be about the prophecy and the fact that overnight he had basically invited a new were-group to move into the nest.
When the doors shut behind Jantha, Jes said, “Frost, would you put out a blast message to the nest and tell them that I expect every member of the nest aged eighteen and older to report to the garden at eight a.m. today. Attendance is mandatory.”
“Right away, Sire,” Frost said.
Glacier turned in the chair and looked at Jes with his icy blue eyes. White stripes wove through his long, black hair, the same as Frost’s. “There will be some who will protest, Sire.”
“I’m aware of that, Glacier.” He softened his tone. “Things in the nest changed overnight. They can protest all they like, but it doesn’t change what’s happened.”
Frost, who kept his striped hair short, looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I’m glad you found your mate, Sire. You deserve happiness.”
Jes left his best techs to their work and headed up to his office. Even though his dad liked to tease him about being an early riser, he was one as well, so Jes Skyped him, taking a drink of coffee while he waited for his dad to answer.
“Good morning, Son,” his dad said, raising his mug in greeting when his image appeared on the screen.
“Good morning, Dad.”
His dad hummed. “I can tell by the look on your face that you’re not calling to ask me my opinion on rankings or where to buy the best steel for swords.”
Shaking his head, Jes said, “I found my mate last night, Dad.”
His eyes widened in surprise. He put down his mug and said, “That’s wonderful news!” Jes paused long enough that his dad asked, “Perhaps it’s not?”
“No, it’s great news of course, but there are some issues with the mating, and I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“I’m all ears, Son, you know that.”
Sitting back in his chair, Jes’ dad picked up his coffee mug and waited for Jes to explain what was going on. When he finished the tale, his dad said, “The meeting is a good start. Some of the older falcons will take issue with making a non-falcon their Queen, and then there’s the issue of the tri-mating. Even if they were both falcons, there are those who would take issue with a polyandrous relationship. The important thing, Jes, is that you don’t bow down to pressure. If someone wants to challenge you for the right to lead your nest, then he may feel free to do so, but he’ll have to fight his way up the chain of hierarchy, and only the most determined could do that and none would get past your brothers.
“If they want to secede from the nest, then they’ll do so without honor and no nest will take them.”
Jes frowned. He hadn’t considered that anyone would leave the nest because of it. He expected some complaints, especially from the members who wanted Jes to mate with a female falcon. But for some to actually leave over it made his heart twinge. He didn’t want to lose any of his people. He’d fought hard to be a good and fair leader.
His dad tapped his finger on his desk and
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