I imitated King Zeller’s voice, trying not to laugh. “There had better be no damn videos!”
Leric grinned, chuckling gently. “It appears knowledge outweighs a lifetime of servitude to you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Or their curiosity.” I shook my head, sitting back on my chair. “I’ll just have to distinguish which one it is.” Because who I picked, I wanted them to have the knowledge, the trust, I would need here, exactly as Leric had mentioned. But…that wasn’t all I was looking for.
King Collins poked his head back into the room, stating hurriedly, but gruffly, “This doesn’t mean you get out of your power training with your guards, my Prodigy.” His head disappeared.
I sighed, staring where he had been. “I’d hoped he’d forgotten.”
Picking Lajaks…was exhausting.
Physically, I was starting to wear down from my few hours of sleep, plus two hours of training this morning, so when I entered the conference room—by myself—around ten o’clock with a sandwich and a few cookies, I had hoped to be able to catch a few winks. Which, I did. For, maybe, an hour, only to wake and see three files already sitting beside where my head rested on the table, each one color coded for their faction or Element. And they weren’t thin. Fat…damn…files sat there. Although, intelligently as I drank a Coke a house staff member had grudgingly brought me, and started in on the first one, I realized the Elder was intelligent enough to make it easy reading with bullet points—and a few bloody photos I could have done without, but definitely gave me insight to his handiwork—to make the reading easier, the file also beginning with a simple reason for his wanting to be a Lajak…also with swift instructions to “disintegrate” the file—not the photos, he wanted those returned—as soon as I was done.
Lord.
Elder Farrar strolled in with a file that was twice as large as the others, not saying a word, flopping it down on top of the others, but I stopped him, asking, “Elder Farrar, can you tell me something?”
He turned around, brows quirked. “I was told you didn’t want outside interference.”
Yes, but…I waved an absent hand. “Who is the most powerful Shifter?” Their strength was a given.
“He’s old. Too old for what you need.” He chuckled quietly, appearing mighty amused. “And an ass.”
“Aren’t they all?” I drawled, because Shifters were notoriously cocky. “The second most powerful, then?”
He hummed. “You know, I’ve never thought about that.” His brows quirked. “So, you’re looking for power?”
“It’s one of the things I’m looking for,” I stated elusively. The Temple was almost always peaceful, but if there was ever an uprising, power would be needed. “Any clue?”
“Just a moment.” Instantly his eyes glowed, and his head cocked very slowly, staring up into something I couldn’t see. It wasn’t instantaneous, which meant it wasn’t easy for him to assess through the vision of individuals. His brows eventually slammed together, his eyes widening, saying dreamily, “Well, damn.” He blinked, coming back to himself, and he appeared a bit wide-eyed, muttering, “Fuck, if I shouldn’t have already known that.” He shook his head, and turned on his heal. “It’s Elder Merrick. Go figure. He always controls it so well. Now I know why.”
I blinked slowly. “Elder Farrar?”
“Hmm?” he asked, still appearing pensive at his own lack of knowledge, standing at the edge of the door.
“What about a Vampire and an Elemental?”
“Oh.” He nodded once. “That’s easy. King Zeller’s your pick for power, even though he’s second because of his youth.” He stared pointedly. “If you can believe it, the Vampire with the most power is even more of an ass than the Shifter powerhouse, and the Elemental would be Elder Lincoln.” He nodded once solidly. “Now, he’s a good man who didn’t let his power go to his head, and he’s young enough to be what you need.” And with that, he left the room.
I had no clue who Elder Lincoln was, so that didn’t help a damn bit, not really wanting to bring in those who were strangers…not to mention an Elemental who was already a decent man.
Sighing, I went back to my reading, making my own notes periodically about Royals on a pad of paper, Royals coming into the room, silently handing their file over, each varying in thickness, which I learned the thickness had no indication on their skills, one of the smallest files the most gruesome and deadly.
Elder Merrick arrived somewhere in the fray, quietly putting his file next to the others when it appeared my tower-of-killing reading was about to tip, although, he stalled at the door, glancing over his shoulder, his lips parted.
But, his mouth slowly shut.
I waved a hand. “Go ahead.”
His lips pinched, and he nodded once, and he stated simply, “You know I’ll do my job.”
My own lips thinned. “Yes, I do know that.”
He left, and I went back to reading in the silence until Queen Ruckler placed her file on the desk, not letting go of it, and she stated brusquely, but on a whisper, “I know another spirit.” Her head tilted to the file. “It’s in there, and I’d appreciate you making sure the information doesn’t get out.” A pause. “To anyone.”
I hid my shock. Barely. “It won’t get out.”
She nodded once, and released the file, leaving.
And so, I read…and read…made notes…took two very interesting phone calls…read some more. Ate my dinner at the conference table, my ass long ago numbed to the chair I sat on. Reviewed my notes. Drank a pop while leaning back to debate my options.
Eventually, I destroyed the files—minus any pictures, more than one Royal had included those—and then started writing letters on my pad of paper, my decision set finally well into the dark of night. After sealing them in envelopes—with any photos they wanted returned, I had a house staff member, a Mage I knew Sin trusted here, spell each one—one for each of the Elders and Rulers and Prodigies who had asked for the position, plus Sin—and sat back on my chair. Waiting, cracking my neck, hoping those who received my heartfelt, grateful, but so-sorry-I-didn’t-pick-you letters weren’t upset. The few that I had chosen, I had asked to meet me in the conference room.
Sin was the first to arrive with Isolde trotting after him, green eyebrows lifting, squeezing my shoulder before sitting next to me. “You’ve chosen?”
“Yep.” I yawned, and I knew I appeared as beat as I was. “It’ll be interesting.”
He appeared extremely entertained. “I’m sure it will be.”
It was late, bedtime late, so more than likely, they had no clue what my answer was, everyone probably having been tucked away in their rooms, hopefully not in bed yet, and it didn’t surprise me when some walked in wearing their pajamas, but still, coming quickly. No one said a word, sitting quietly, eyeing one another calmly, but a bit guardedly, until the last arrived. I stood, and walked to the door, stretching my aching muscles before shutting the door. Instantly, they all went still, their attention swinging about the room…because there wasn’t eight in here, and I knew they thought I was doing a group kiss off, but I yawned and trudged back to my seat, flopping down on it like dead weight before stating, “First, I want to say I appreciate you letting me read into your lives, and I want you all to know my lips are sealed about anything within your files, which have been destroyed.” Again, I cracked my neck. “And, also, look around you, because these will be the individuals you will be working with.” I nodded once at their mute countenances. “I’ve chosen each of you to protect me. You’re my Lajaks.”
Instantly they relaxed, but they did eye one another again, seeing who they would be paired with.
Brann cleared his throat. “Caro, thank you for the opportunity, but…” Black brows scrunched as he glanced at the other occupants.
Yep, the room was two shy.
King Zeller glanced to the door. “Are the others coming?”
Elder Farrar’s lips twitched.