“The reports of rogue magic aren’t Floromancy related,” Thorvin said quietly. “They are divine in nature. Did you sense any presence of the divine in this Evie woman?”
Ethan gritted his teeth. “No. But that doesn’t make her innocent. Divine beings can disguise the truth in their blood.”
“It doesn’t make her guilty either,” Rowan said mildly. He glanced at me. “Care to chime in, Caelan?”
“Evie has not posed a danger to my people.” If my people heard this, they would beg to differ, but she’d hurt none of us. All she’d done was fight for her independence and embarrass the hell out of me. The flytrap wasn’t her fault either. Not technically. She did warn the others to keep away from it.
What the fuck was wrong with me? I should be siding with the other Lords. Evie was dangerous. I knew it in my bones, and yet, she’d done nothing violent. I’d been the one to launch through her window and terrify her. I’d been the one to react each time. But I was dangerous, too. We all were.
Every mage was dangerous, and we didn’t put them down, did we?
“We have a professional working relationship. She occasionally acts as a florist for Keep events. The eyesore, as Soren so eloquently put it, was merely a misfire of her power.” I smirked. “I hardly think an oversized tropical tree is cause enough to merit a meeting of the Shifter Lord Council.”
“If she is not the cause of the magic, then we must know where it’s coming from before we leave,” Ethan said.
Fury slid through me. “You are welcomed into my territory for one week and one week only. You’ve already been here too much this month.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “And why is that? Are you hiding something you don’t want us to see?”
A bark of laughter escaped me. “Every one of us has secrets no one wants revealed. We are not friends, Ethan. Do not pretend to be. One week and you’ll vacate based on the rules of our Accords.”
He flicked a dismissive hand at me. My power rumbled through the room at the insult. Rowan stilled and gave me awarning look. Soren chuckled under his breath. Halvar, who’d remained too silent, merely lifted a brow.
“And you, Halvar?” I questioned. “You’ve been silent both times we’ve met. What is your opinion?”
Halvar merely stared at me, the deadness in his eyes sending a chill down my spine. “I’d like to meet this Floromancer and make my own determination.”
“Then we will visit her shop tomorrow,” Soren said, still looking at me, his eyes sparkling in challenge. “I’m sure our Floromancer won’t want to turn down business from any of the Lords, would she?”
“Do not terrorize any of my citizens,” I growled, the threat in my voice clear.
Halvar smiled, showing too many teeth. “Relax, Caelan. We merely want to gauge what we’re dealing with. Your precious Floromancer is safe.” He rose, nodded, and headed for the exit.
The other shifters all did the same, except for Rowan who stayed behind, a contemplative look on his face.
The doors opened, revealing Garrett and Simone, both armed to the teeth and guarding the door. Once all the Lords had passed, Garrett poked his head in, spotted Rowan, and gave me a questioning look.
“Close the doors. We will be out shortly.”
Garrett nodded and obeyed.
When we were sealed behind the doors again, Rowan spoke. “Is she a threat?”
I gauged how much to say, but Rowan sighed. “Caelan. Cut the shit. You and I have been through too much together not to trust each other now. Tell me about the woman.”
I rose and gestured for him to follow. We went out through a secret door in the War Room, bypassing the normal exit. Without a word, Rowan followed until we were in my study.
I didn’t have to say a word. Rowan let out an exclamation and headed right for Seymour.
“Careful. He bites,” I warned.
The Lord grabbed a chair and placed it a few feet away from the plant. He sat down and studied it. “You’ve been bitten?”
I shook my head. “It took out one of my shifters, though. He was down for a few hours.”
His eyebrows rose. “Down?”
“The damn thing is poisonous. A paralytic.”
