Page 57 of Final Shift
Dread tightened my stomach. “She had a vision of what's coming.”
“For you, specifically.”
I went straight to the fancy espresso machine Rowan bought for me and started making us each a cup. “Is she okay?”
Dad sank onto the recliner and let out a heavy sigh. “Your mother has worried about you the second you became a seed in her womb.”
Erm. Okay. Gross, but I understood the sentiment. Amusement trickled through my bond with Rowan.
“There will always be challenges to your rule, but this is a challenge to all of us. If we are to keep peace with the other supernaturals, we can't go around trying to re-take all the land we've agreed to share before.”
“We all knew the fae would try something sooner or later. They've been sniffing around for far too long. Caelan's grip on his territory has been weakening for a while now, even before he pursued Evie. His was the obvious place to start.” Rowan accepted the espresso I handed him. He brushed a kiss over my cheek. “I'm going to call the others.”
But as he walked away, his phone rang. When he brought it up to his ear, and his face went blank, I knew our evening was just beginning.
Chapter
Twenty-One
In total, the United States was supposed to have seven Shifter Lords, their territory divided somewhat equally. With our marriage, Rowan held the most territory as I'd taken Donovan's when he died. The former Lord ruled over the Great Plains area, territory that bumped against Ethan's. Now, with our grip on Donovan's land, Ethan was our closest ally.
It was him on the other line.
Rowan put the phone on speaker and set it on the coffee table. Hope and Declan had come inside and sat on the floor while Ethan briefed us.
“Fae are surrounding all Keep properties,” Ethan's crisp, deep voice sounded serious but not too concerned.
“Yours as well?” Rowan asked.
Ethan made an affirmative grunt. “We are unable to leave without getting into a conflict.”
Magic versus shifters never ends well. Every Lord retained mages, but a human mage would never be able to perform the same feats of magic a fae could.
The uneasy peace held between shifters and fae was on the brink of collapse, and I didn't understand why. Was this just a small population of fae pissed off they couldn't have it all?
I said as much. Dad cleared his throat and gave me a mild look of disapproval. “Over the years, the Lords have pushed against their set boundaries and expanded their territories without seeking the approval of the fae.”
Rowan's brows went up at that. “Recently?”
Dad shook his head. “You are a relatively young Lord and peaceable. Other Lords who've come before you have not been so content with what they've been given.”
Declan swore under his breath. “So we're being punished for the mistakes of our fathers.”
“In some regards,” Dad said. “There are other matters at hand.”
He leaned over closer to the phone. I hid my smile. Thousands of years old and still not great with technology. “Tell me, Lord,” Dad said. “Have they tried to breach the lines?”
Ethan's low chuckle sent a shiver down my spine. Sometimes I really could see (or in this case hear) why he revved Moira's engine. “They've all tried. If Evie hadn't circled our land with her power, I suspect we'd be having a very different conversation right now. None of them have been able to get through.” He paused. “But on the other hand, it's keeping us in as well. All the Lords should have plans for long-term occupation in an emergency, but after a few weeks, this could become a problem.”
“This won't stretch into weeks,” I assured him. “But Caelan's lands could be a problem.”
“Ah yes. We all know you've taken pity on the poor bastard.” Amusement colored his tone. “We aren't sure if you did it because you have a tender heart or you decided to throw him to the metaphorical wolves.”
Rowan snorted. “Evie warned him multiple times. The stubborn mule decided to take his chances.”
Ethan sighed. “I suspect if Caelan doesn't already have a problem, he will very soon.”
Danu was playing with him right now, giving Caelan just enough rope to hang himself with. I could take his land. Ihadtaken his land. But I knew if I did, we would shatter the tentative peace between us. I couldn't do that to him. Convincing myself not to pop over there and take it anyway felt like an angel on one side and the devil on the other riding on my shoulders and whispering in my ear.
