big.”
“Time passes,” Zoë said. She looked up at Taylor, who didn’t move a muscle, but still Mordi was sure some silent communication passed between them. Zoë cleared her throat. “Listen, you can come by any time if you want. I mean, if you want to see the baby or something. We’d like to see you and all.”
“Building bridges?” Mordi asked.
Her eyes flashed. “At least I’m trying.”
She was, and Mordi had to give her credit. He nodded. “Well, thanks. I’d like that. Really.” He drew in a breath, then cast around for a distraction. He wanted to talk about this committee thing. Wanted to get it over with and get out of there. But he’d brought it up twice now, and it was obvious Zoë intended to take her own sweet time.
He glanced around the room. “So, who’s here?” Over the years, Mordi’d had run-ins with many of Zoë‘s friends.
She
might be gunning for a reconciliation, but he wasn’t certain about the rest of them.
“Well, Hale, of course.” She frowned as she lifted up on her tiptoes and scanned the room. “But I don’t see him.”
Mordi exhaled, relieved. Hale was Zoë‘s half brother and also Mordi’s cousin. Unlike Zoë and Mordi, though, Hale was a full-fledged Protector. He was also arrogant as hell and had a tendency to be unforgiving.
Considering Mordi had given Tracy—Hale’s wife— a bit of a rough time a few years ago, Mordi rather hoped Hale didn’t suddenly appear.
The clatter of toenails on the hardwood floor drew Mordi away from his thoughts, and he looked down as Elmer skittered up. The little ferret glared at him and started bouncing up and down, his tail straight up and his sharp teeth gleaming.
“Come on, Elmer,” a disembodied voice behind Mordi said. “He’s okay...
now
.”
As Mordi turned toward the voice, the air seemed to shimmer. And then, without any fanfare Hale appeared, looking picture-perfect as usual.
The ferret scurried to Hale’s pant leg, then climbed all the way up until he perched on Hale’s shoulder, chattering wildly.
“Where’s his collar?” Zoë asked. “I can’t understand a word he’s saying.”
“Didn’t wear it,” Hale said, nodding to Mordi. “We were running late. He’s saying he doesn’t trust our cousin.”
“For the love of Hera,” Mordi began. “I don’t care what the little rodent—”
“No, no. It’s okay.
I
trust you.” He rolled his shoulder, and Elmer struggled for balance. “This one will just have to get used to the idea.”
“Why?” Mordi asked.
“Why? You mean why do I trust you?”
Mordi nodded.
Hale shrugged, then grimaced as Elmer’s claws dug in. “Zephron says you’re one of the good guys now.” Hale’s steady gaze met Mordi’s. “He’s always right. Are you saying he was misinformed?”
“No,” Mordi said firmly. “He’s right.”
“Well, then. You’ve got my vote until you screw up again.” Hale held out a hand. “Welcome to the party.”
Mordi purposely didn’t shake. “Thanks.”
Hale pulled his hand back and shoved it in his pocket, his eyes fixed on Mordi’s. “See you around,” he said, then turned and headed across the room. There Tracy was laughing with a woman with short dark hair.
Mordi turned back to Zoë. “I really didn’t come here to—”
“I know. You came to discuss business.” She shrugged. “Don’t worry about the negotiations. I imagine Zephron will only expect you to sit there and look friendly and cooperative. After all, he only wanted us for our blood.”
He had to agree with her. They were both Halflings, and Zephron wanted Halflings at the negotiating table. Someone with whom mortals would feel a kinship.
Well, if Mordi’s blood made him useful, then so be it. For that matter, it would be the first time in his life his mother had ever done anything for him. Other than giving him birth, that is.
He frowned, Zoë words finally registering. “Expect
us
,” he said. “You meant to say that Zephron will
“Time passes,” Zoë said. She looked up at Taylor, who didn’t move a muscle, but still Mordi was sure some silent communication passed between them. Zoë cleared her throat. “Listen, you can come by any time if you want. I mean, if you want to see the baby or something. We’d like to see you and all.”
“Building bridges?” Mordi asked.
Her eyes flashed. “At least I’m trying.”
She was, and Mordi had to give her credit. He nodded. “Well, thanks. I’d like that. Really.” He drew in a breath, then cast around for a distraction. He wanted to talk about this committee thing. Wanted to get it over with and get out of there. But he’d brought it up twice now, and it was obvious Zoë intended to take her own sweet time.
He glanced around the room. “So, who’s here?” Over the years, Mordi’d had run-ins with many of Zoë‘s friends.
She
might be gunning for a reconciliation, but he wasn’t certain about the rest of them.
“Well, Hale, of course.” She frowned as she lifted up on her tiptoes and scanned the room. “But I don’t see him.”
Mordi exhaled, relieved. Hale was Zoë‘s half brother and also Mordi’s cousin. Unlike Zoë and Mordi, though, Hale was a full-fledged Protector. He was also arrogant as hell and had a tendency to be unforgiving.
Considering Mordi had given Tracy—Hale’s wife— a bit of a rough time a few years ago, Mordi rather hoped Hale didn’t suddenly appear.
The clatter of toenails on the hardwood floor drew Mordi away from his thoughts, and he looked down as Elmer skittered up. The little ferret glared at him and started bouncing up and down, his tail straight up and his sharp teeth gleaming.
“Come on, Elmer,” a disembodied voice behind Mordi said. “He’s okay...
now
.”
As Mordi turned toward the voice, the air seemed to shimmer. And then, without any fanfare Hale appeared, looking picture-perfect as usual.
The ferret scurried to Hale’s pant leg, then climbed all the way up until he perched on Hale’s shoulder, chattering wildly.
“Where’s his collar?” Zoë asked. “I can’t understand a word he’s saying.”
“Didn’t wear it,” Hale said, nodding to Mordi. “We were running late. He’s saying he doesn’t trust our cousin.”
“For the love of Hera,” Mordi began. “I don’t care what the little rodent—”
“No, no. It’s okay.
I
trust you.” He rolled his shoulder, and Elmer struggled for balance. “This one will just have to get used to the idea.”
“Why?” Mordi asked.
“Why? You mean why do I trust you?”
Mordi nodded.
Hale shrugged, then grimaced as Elmer’s claws dug in. “Zephron says you’re one of the good guys now.” Hale’s steady gaze met Mordi’s. “He’s always right. Are you saying he was misinformed?”
“No,” Mordi said firmly. “He’s right.”
“Well, then. You’ve got my vote until you screw up again.” Hale held out a hand. “Welcome to the party.”
Mordi purposely didn’t shake. “Thanks.”
Hale pulled his hand back and shoved it in his pocket, his eyes fixed on Mordi’s. “See you around,” he said, then turned and headed across the room. There Tracy was laughing with a woman with short dark hair.
Mordi turned back to Zoë. “I really didn’t come here to—”
“I know. You came to discuss business.” She shrugged. “Don’t worry about the negotiations. I imagine Zephron will only expect you to sit there and look friendly and cooperative. After all, he only wanted us for our blood.”
He had to agree with her. They were both Halflings, and Zephron wanted Halflings at the negotiating table. Someone with whom mortals would feel a kinship.
Well, if Mordi’s blood made him useful, then so be it. For that matter, it would be the first time in his life his mother had ever done anything for him. Other than giving him birth, that is.
He frowned, Zoë words finally registering. “Expect
us
,” he said. “You meant to say that Zephron will
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