My eyebrows came together as Ezra snatched the crouching male off the table, holding him against his chest. Before Ezra turned his back to everyone, gently scolding the cub, I saw that his cheeks were pink. Dazed and confused, I most definitely was.
I jerked and gasped as the female took a flying leap and bashed into Ezra’s side where he was resting his hip against the table. She didn’t claw him, but she most definitely batted at his arm before landing in a crouch, growling at him. Ezra stopped rebuking the male and peered at her. She sat straight and looked at him harmlessly, then made a whining noise, rising on her hind legs and placing her front paws on the male cub’s hanging limb.
Ezra’s lips twitched, and he said softly, “You can play with him later.”
And so help me if she didn’t actually listen to him. She dropped, and with one last glance at the male cub, she moved in front of me and started growling again, this time at the Kings and Elders.
“Maybe,” Elder Jacobs said into the quiet, appearing thoughtful, “they’re friendly when they know we mean them no harm.” A pause. “Not all of our eagles hated each other in the beginning.”
Cahal blinked. “Pet her and see.”
Elder Jacobs rubbed his chest, acting nervous. “Alright. I’ll test the theory.” He moved down the table and reached a hand out to the female cub.
I jumped when she attacked. I didn’t even have time to make a startled noise before Elder Jacobs shouted and jerked his hand away. Two of his fingers were sliced so badly from her bite that bone was showing, and he had long, deep scratches on his wrists that were bleeding profusely because she had caught him under his wrist at the veins.
“Mother-fucker!” Elder Jacobs hissed, holding his hand to his chest protectively. He glared at the female cub, which was licking her bloody chops and hissing at him. “She’s fucking viscous.”
I could have sworn the female cub grinned and made a chomping motion in his direction.
King Kincaid’s chest rose. Stayed that way. “Of course she is.”
My eyes about crossed. “What the hell am I missing here?”
Ezra was actually chuckling at the female cub, and with a quick glance at me, then back to her, he asked, “Didn’t you pay any attention in history class?”
Um, no. I had slept through most of it, only passing the class because Pearl had provided me with study notes. “It went in one ear and out the other as soon as I took the tests.”
Ezra sighed and carefully placed on the table the male cub, which appeared to have listened to his direction. He didn’t try crowding the female again, only squatting and watching her. “When Prodigies are in times of war, or when there will be a war during their ruling, they receive an animal of protection.” He gestured toward the cubs. “Vizoacs.”
I eyed the cubs, which would currently be lunch meat for any Shifter. “Vizoacs?” Ezra nodded, petting his cub, and I muttered, “I don’t remember anything like that.”
Ezra grunted. “They magically recognize where to find us. No one really knows where they come from, since they appear before the Prodigies are crowned. They’re only loyal to their owner. Anyone else who touches them will get an ugly surprise.” He blinked, and amended, “Well, they’re supposed to, anyway. That’s why it’s remarkable that he let you touch him and she let me touch her.”
King Venclaire interjected. “He’s forgetting to tell you a crucial detail.” He grinned, patting his full pocket. “Whichever of the four Prodigies is the powerhouse of the group is how the Vizoac is determined.”
Ezra explained at my blank expression, “If the Shifter is the most powerful, the Prodigies receive wolves. If the Elemental is, they receive hawks. If the Mage is, they receive eagles.” Ezra’s lips twitched as he glanced at Cahal. “A Vizoac lives as long as its owner, so Dad’s still got his eagle. And he’s a crafty, mean bastard.”
Huh. That meant Antonio was the most powerful of their four.
I deduced the rest. “And if the Vamp is, the Prodigies get lions.”
Ezra nodded once and shrugged.
I barely withheld rolling my eyes. It might have worked for him to underplay being the ‘powerhouse’ if his eyes weren’t gleaming with satisfaction. As if the man needed anything else to be cocky about. A bit irritated, I crossed my arms. Just once, I would have liked to have been the best at something.
He watched me as I processed this, and like it couldn’t be contained, a smile of smug delight lifted his lips, and he drawled, “Was there ever any real question?”
I scowled, instead of pouting like I really wanted to.
King Kincaid rubbed my back. “Who needs another wolf when you can control them all?”
I blinked. “Good point.” A quick glance at him, smiling gratefully. “Thanks.”
He kissed my forehead, giving me a quick squeeze before backing away rapidly when the female cub had a hissy fit on the table.
“What are you two going to name them?” King Nelson asked.