“I think it would be smart to ask a human male if that’s the way human females typically respond to mating before assuming a story provides useful information.”
Well, of course. Something scary had happened to Meg in the compound, so a naked human male was still a confusion for her. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t come into season someday and want a mate. No reason not to gain some understanding of what would make one male more attractive than another when a female wanted to do more than take a one-night walk on the wild side.
“Why is Stavros coming here?” Simon asked, changing the subject.
Another long look from Vlad. “He has things to discuss with Grandfather—and the Business Association.”
? ? ?
He’d been the leader of the Lakeside Courtyard for several years, but until tonight, Simon had never set a paw inside the Chambers, the part of the Courtyard where the Sanguinati resided. Plenty of game made use of the land and water—deer, ducks and geese, wild turkeys. The Hawks, Crows, and Owls might fly over that part of the Courtyard, but fly over was all they did.
Meg had been the first to receive permission to enter the Chambers, to walk up to the door of Erebus Sanguinati’s home to leave a package. Because of Meg, Simon’s nephew Sam had been inside the Chambers, protected by Erebus while Meg led the enemy away from the pup—an act of bravery that had almost killed her.
They drove up to one of the gates in the ornate black fences. Simon, Elliot, Tess, and Henry got out of the minivan and waited by the gate. The full moon was waning, but for a Wolf’s eyes, it was enough light to see the smoke flowing toward them. Four of the Sanguinati moved to either side of the gate. Only Vlad shifted to human form. He opened the gate, a silent invitation.
Tess’s green hair coiled tighter, a sign she felt uneasy.
I guess that means even a Harvester couldn’t survive a fight with this many Sanguinati, Simon thought as he followed Vlad down a curving path and across a footbridge to a weathered pavilion sheltered from sight by the surrounding trees.
Stavros Sanguinati, the Toland Courtyard’s problem solver, was already inside with Erebus Sanguinati.
“Welcome,” Erebus said. “Sit. Be comfortable. We have some refreshments. Vladimir?”
<Can we decline refreshments?> Elliot asked Simon.
<No.> Being there at all was unprecedented. They would consume whatever was offered.
“None of us enjoy the soda beverages humans are fond of, so I’ve brought along bottles of apple juice and made a pitcher of lemonade,” Vlad said.
“You know how to make lemonade?” Tess asked, eyeing the pitcher.
“After enduring a vigorous debate between Merri Lee and Ruthie about how many lemons and how much sugar make the best-tasting lemonade, I can’t say I know how to make it, only that I followed the instructions I eventually received.”
Tess laughed. “I’ll try some.”
“Sure,” Simon said.
Vlad poured glasses for all of them. Erebus and Stavros took a polite sip and set their glasses aside. So did Henry. But Tess seemed to enjoy the lemonade, and while it would never replace the good taste of water, Simon decided it was tolerable—and something he would drink if Meg decided to make it.
“Stavros has things to tell us,” Erebus said.
“About the Sanguinati?” Simon asked. He couldn’t think of any other reason they would be meeting within the Chambers—unless Stavros wanted to be certain that no one would overhear what he had to say.
“About many things, but, yes, about the Sanguinati and the Toland Courtyard,” Stavros replied.
“And the Toland police?” Scaffoldon, a police captain in Toland’s Crime Investigation Unit, went missing shortly after the murder of Lizzy’s mother, Elayne. Elayne’s mother also disappeared around the same time.
Did Lieutenant Montgomery realize yet that Stavros was the reason the humans who had posed a threat to his daughter were no longer a threat?
“They are not our concern.” Stavros made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “There have been no reports on the radio or television about bison being shot. This isn’t surprising; such a thing is not of interest to humans, especially in a city on the East Coast. Some stores and shops in Toland, particularly ones who do business with our Courtyard, were targeted by vandals, just as some places were targeted here. Broken windows, writing on the walls and remaining glass. Stores that showed an HFL sign the next day had no difficulty finding replacement glass or getting repairs done. Store owners that refused to bend aren’t doing as well.”
“The impression I had from speaking with some of Lakeside’s government officials is that this difficulty is the same everywhere,” Elliot said.
Stavros nodded. “Tolya and I have been monitoring the television and radio news as well as reading the human newspaper. Nicholas Scratch has been oddly silent about the vandalism. He has not made any speeches about it or spoken to reporters. This is curious because he has voiced opinions about everything else that connects a group of humans with any of the terra indigene.”
“Not so curious if he knows the Humans First and Last movement was behind the vandalism,” Elliot said. “Maybe he left Toland?”
“No, he’s still there, and he’s still meeting with members of the HFL.” Stavros took a sip of lemonade, then set the glass down again. “I’ve already discussed this with Grandfather, and it has been decided that we’re going to abandon the Toland Courtyard.”
Simon stiffened, while Elliot, Henry, and Tess made wordless protests.
“The humans are driving you out?” he asked, shocked.
“Not the humans,” Erebus replied. “But Toland is a city filled with humans. Too many humans. They covet the land we hold in that city.”
“They covet all of Thaisia,” Henry rumbled.
The hair framing Tess’s face turned red. “If they aren’t held to the land they already infest, they’ll swarm the continent and consume everything.”
“No, they won’t.” Simon looked at Vlad. “Show them the letter.”
“I’ll read it.” Vlad took the paper out of his back pocket, unfolded it, and read Jean’s prophecy about the human cities in Thaisia.
“Fools,” Henry said. He looked at Erebus and Stavros. “If the humans aren’t driving the terra indigene out of Toland, who is?”
“While the terra indigene were distracted by the bison being killed, and while humans were distracted by the vandalism of stores not affiliated with the HFL, a dozen ships left three human-controlled cities on the East Coast. Five of those ships left from Toland; the other ships sailed from the other two cities. I don’t know what cargo they carried, but we think it must have been some kind of contraband because each ship carried barrels of poison that they dumped into the water, killing all the fish that came in contact with the stuff.”
“Sharkgard?” Simon asked.
Stavros nodded. “Oh, yes. The poison killed sharks and Sharks. It killed dolphins. It killed the schools of fish sought by fishing boats. Some of the Sharkgard survived long enough to send a warning. The ships were avoided to prevent further deaths, but they were followed until they reached the Mediterran Sea and Cel-Romano.”
“What happens now?” Tess asked.
Stavros laughed, a bitter sound. “Ocean is going to vomit the dead fish onto the shores of those three human cities. She will vomit the poisoned water into the streets of the cities responsible for killing the terra indigene who live in her domain. And then she will give the humans a taste of her wrath.”