Page 17 of Dewpoint
“You have it. You always have it, Myriam. I checked in as your father because you’re in a strange country we don’t have the best relationship with, not as the head of the Metcalf family.”
She swallowed loudly. “Glad you’re coming back to the man I knew and loved.” She cleared her throat and hurried on. “The fighter is a guard for the queen. It’s an investigation I’m helping with because I can.”
He was quiet again. “I find that surprising.”
She snorted. “Sagan issmartand Thovudin is much more sexist than the world has understood. You’ve seen that from her press coverage here.”
“Yes, quite despicable, and I know I’m still a sexist knuckle-dragger too. I think you’re all more fragile than us and yes, sometimes need more guidance, but the way they talk of her—it worries me you’re near that.”
She gave a soft smile but moved on. “They’re starting to run girls thinking she won’t be able to keep the level of policing up that her father did.”
He snorted. “Fools. She’s already making smart, sweeping changes that show she’s all in. Absolute fools.”
“I find too many people are,” Myriam drawled. “But tonight we got the answer that it’s the actual owner because they want tonab my fighter and keep her as a sex slave.” She nodded when he snarled. “Yes, so that’s what’s going on.”
He chuckled after a moment. “You’re still making some money on the side though, right?”
She snorted. “I’m a Metcalf.”
“That’s my girl. What can I do to help?”
Her eyes went bug wide and I couldn’t hide my shock either. “Papa?”
“I’m not switching sides or—I want you safe, Myriam. I always have. If there’s anything I can do to keep you safe—I’m always your father.”
“Thank you, Papa,” she whispered. She shot me an apologetic look. “I had a tail tonight.” She nodded when he snarled. “I handled it. If you’re offering one of your investigators here to find out who this owner is and how deep this really goes, that would be amazing. Sagan thinks she knows, but she’s being blocked at every turn already.”
“I’m glad that she understands she can’t always be in the light to make the world better. It was a complaint I had with her father.”
“I think no one knew the real story, and I’m learning too much was bullshit just from the little I’ve seen,” she grumbled.
“As is always the case and makes sense. He couldn’t have been dumb for her to be so smart. I’ll make it happen and not even ask for anything. She saved your life and all she ever asked for was a meeting if she needed it. That’s someone of honor when she could—she is someone who should be in power. I’m assuming she wants to stay out of this?”
“She doesn’t know I’m asking this far. She wants to trust her people to step up instead of assuming they’ll fail.”
“Good leader, but I won’t take that risk with you.” He cleared his throat. “She’s treating you well otherwise?”
She was quiet a moment. “She’s having her guards train with me so I know how to handle myself better against a dragon. She’s offered to hire private security for me since Princess Treena has her own detail.” She snorted. “She had contractors update a large room in the royal family residence wing with a huge balcony as if I didn’t know that was for my tiger.”
“She’ll grow into a fine leader taking care of her people like that. I wasn’t completely for this, and part of that was my own stubbornness, but watch her back, Myriam. The world needs more good leaders, and being allies with Thovudin is good for Protesia. Just make sure you’re not linked to anything in the end.”
“She wants to legalize it,” she admitted, chuckling when he went dead silent. “She said Rhys did too but was blocked at every turn.”
“Meaning the people who were supposed to help him own the fucking gambling dens and fights,” he drawled.
“A point she’s brought up but won’t commit to without evidence. But part of my investigation is that she doesn’t know the world and wants to do it right, not make it go deeper.”
“Her thoughts so far?”
She seemed to give a mental shrug like she wasn’t going to give away big secrets. “Limit how much agents can take. Fighters have to have something in writing about how much they’re fighting for instead of what we know happens. Also, medics on hand and fighters getting checked before and after each fight.”
“All fair and done when the people in charge aren’t morons,” he muttered. “She doesn’t want to change it to be more like the legit fights? I find that surprising.”
“No, she’s fine with all-out fighting. Her only change on that is rules for when someone is on the ground. She’s not a fan of kicking people when they’re down so they can’t come back for a rematch. And it seems the lowlifes egg fighters into stomping onbacks and legs to take them out of commission for a while. Even when they’re unconscious.”
“And we’re animals?” he drawled. “Good, keep me updated.” He sighed. “I didn’t mean like that. I won’t use this information. I just…”
“You worry and you want to make sure I’m always working for someone smart enough to keep me safe.”
