“Earlier today, I informed Ms. Dupre, who is carrying my son, that I’d made arrangements for her to spend the rest of her pregnancy living in Elfheim, under the best medical care and with a life much more luxurious than the conditions she lives in now, which are deplorable. She washes other people’s hair.” His snarling Elvis lip told what he thought of that occupation.
What a horrible thing. She made more money than I did. She had a house with working heat and a car, which was more than I could say.
When he began talking, Rand had let go of Eugenie, and now that he no longer touched her, awareness seeped back into her eyes. She turned her head wildly from side to side, finally spotted the door, and made a run for it.
Alex blocked her way, and she ran into him with an oof. He leaned down and put his arms around her, whispering furiously.
She looked at him, her brows drawn together in uncertainty. She trusted Alex, liked him, had been one of his biggest cheerleaders. Our world might be getting pulled apart, but bottom line? He was a good guy. If push came to shove, he’d protect her. I was sorry I had ever doubted that.
Alex led her to a seat, pulled it out, and pressed on her shoulders until she sat. Finally, she spotted me. Help me. She mouthed the words.
I nodded and gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
“I repeat, Mr. Randolph, please explain yourself.” Zrakovi was pissed. “This is a closed meeting of approved Interspecies Council members. We do not allow uninvited guests, especially humans. It is part of our bylaws, adapted at the meeting on Nove—”
“I realize that,” Rand said, wincing when I screamed at him: Rand! What the hell are you doing?
I felt his mental wards go up, which was strange. I shut him out all the time; he’d never done the same to me.
“Ms. Dupre not only refused my overture to improve her life and ensure the safety of my child, but she ran away. My fellow Synod member and new council member, Mr. Stoneman, found her hiding in the Hotel Monteleone, where I believe she awaited a chance to reach asylum in the Beyond. I know for a fact that there are those who have encouraged her to abort the child, including some in this room tonight.” He looked pointedly at Zrakovi.
“Should anything happen to my son before he is born or after—anything—I will hold the wizards personally responsible, and will advise those on the Synod and among our people that our long-standing truce is at an end.”
Holy crap. Rand was threatening Zrakovi with war, and he was doing it in a way that threw me under the Ittoqqortoormiit-bound bus. He’d made it clear he knew Zrakovi had threatened the baby, and the only way he could possibly know that was from me. I’d be in Greenland until I hibernated permanently.
As if he heard my thoughts, Zrakovi turned to me with a look that would’ve curdled Christof’s gallon of Blue Bell pralines and cream. I didn’t need my empathy to read the promise in that expression. It promised I would live badly and die worse.
“Mr. Randolph, those are harsh words. I’m sure when you’ve had a chance to calm down and realize someone has given you false information, you’ll—”
“My words aren’t idle, Zrakovi. My information wasn’t false and you know it.” Rand reached toward Eugenie, and she edged away from him so fast she’d have toppled off her chair if Alex hadn’t caught her.
“There’s only one way this situation can be rectified.” Rand’s voice dropped into a smooth, reasonable timbre. “Only one, and I request that you make it tonight, right now, or else I will consider the elves no longer a participant in any interspecies negotiations. I have already obtained the support of my fellow Synod member Betony Stoneman for this move, and as the air clan is currently without a leader and the water clan leader is not yet an adult, that is all the approval I need.”
Shit. Rand had Zrakovi over the proverbial barrel and he knew it. Z was fidgeting so badly he was practically dancing in his chair. “Well, there’s no need for such measures, of course, Mr. Randolph. What is it that we can do for you?”
Zrakovi might never recover from this humiliation, and when my gaze met that of good old Uncle Lennox, his delight couldn’t be more obvious.
“I demand that Eugenie Dupre be turned over to me for the duration of her pregnancy. She’ll be placed in protective custody in Elfheim until the child is born, at which time she will be free to return to her little life of washing hair and painting fingernails.”
I’d hated Rand before. I hated him when he treated Eugenie so badly before we bonded. I hated him when he’d taunted her with it afterward. But never like I hated him now. All this scene needed to be perfect was him to trot out the nonsense about me helping him raise Eugenie’s child.
“Well, of course, that seems perfectly reasonable.”
“No! You can’t do that. DJ, help me.” Eugenie jumped to her feet and Alex again tried to soothe her, whispering, rubbing her back.
Rand, this is wrong. Please let me talk to her. We’ll find a compromise.
He ignored me.