Lupi 09 - Mortal Ties

harder.”
    “Not on Rethna’s level, thank all the gods,” Cullen said, “but a good, workmanlike
     job. I couldn’t untangle it in the time I had.”
    “Which is why,” Rule said dryly, “he knocked me aside—damn near knocked me off the
     bloody roof—so he could make his heroic dive.”
    “Because you were about to do it,” Cullen said promptly, “and you are
not
good with fire.”
    Lily shivered at how close it had been.
    “You’re all right?” Rule asked again.
    “I’m good. Sore here and there, but good. What about…do we have any casualties? From
     last night or now?”
    “Minor wounds, nothing serious. I think we managed to keep one of the other two elves
     in here alive.” He turned his head. “Scott? Is your captive going to make it?”
    “I think so. He’s still out.”
    “Duct tape,” Lily said. “We’ll need it for him, too. And we have to send someone to
     the apartment with Alycithin’s ring so Argolian will release Sean Friar and come here
     to help Alycithin, and—” She broke off to smile. “Grandmother.”
    Todd had opened the door. The tiger who slinked in was as huge as Grandmother was
     small in her usual shape. Herhead reached Todd’s chest. Her tail lashed as she stalked forward. Flecks of blood,
     drying now, marred her beautiful coat.
    Lily didn’t ask if any of those outside had survived. Tigers, Grandmother had said
     once, see no point in disabling an enemy.
    The tiger came straight to Lily and rubbed up against her. Firmly. Lily would have
     fallen if Rule hadn’t caught her. “Hey.” She grinned and knelt on one knee and ran
     her hands through the great cat’s ruff, scratching where she knew it felt good. Grandmother
     purred. She was a lot more demonstrative as a tiger. “Thank you,” Lily told her.
    She got a tiger tongue in her face in return. Tiger tongues are about 120 grit. She
     laughed and gave Grandmother a last rub along her cheekbone, and the tiger turned
     and lay down next to Benessarai. She laid one huge paw on his chest—pinning her prey,
     maybe, but she was still purring, so Lily was pretty sure she wasn’t going to rip
     out his throat.
    Lily stood. Rule immediately slid his arm around her waist. He needed the contact,
     she thought. She did, too, so she leaned into him.
    “I have never even imagined seeing anything like that.” Jasper had come in behind
     Grandmother. He watched her now with wide, wondering eyes. “A were-tiger.”
    “Not exactly,” Lily said. “You’ve been told that you aren’t to speak of this? Ever?”
    He nodded and tore his attention from the great cat. “Have you seen—”
    “Jasper.”
    Adam King looked a bit wobbly from the aftereffects of the charm, but his eyes were
     clear. Alan was steadying him with one hand, but he pulled free. “Jasper!”
    Lily got to see joy all over again, on two faces this time. The two men were struck
     motionless by it for a second, then Jasper ran and Adam wobbled forward and they hung
     on to each other, talking and crying…about like she was doing with Rule, except for
     the crying. Though maybe hereyes were a bit damp. She leaned back to look at Rule’s face. “We’ve got a lot to
     do. Alycithin needs care we can’t give her. We need to free Sean Friar, too.”
    “I know.” But he didn’t let go. “Tell me something.”
    “What?”
    “When I…when you seemed to want to go to find Hugo, and I…did you know what I was
     doing? Trying to trick you to keep you safe?”
    She snorted. “You are not that sneaky, Rule.”
    Behind her a tiger huffed in what might have been amusement.

FORTY-FOUR

    O N New Year’s Eve, at three thirty, Lily said goodbye to her new friend of the fifth
     degree. Alycithin had healed almost completely from her terrible wounds. She was going
     home via the gate in D.C. The powers that be had decided the least embarrassing thing
     was to agree with Alycithin that she could take custody of the criminals and return
     them to their realm.
    They might not have come to that decision, diplomatic immunity or no, if Lily hadn’t
     edited her official report carefully. If she had not, in fact, left some things out
     completely. Sean didn’t object. He’d grown to like Alycithin, too.
    Sam had returned to his lair without speaking to her.
    Lily knew now why he’d shut her out so abruptly. Grandmother had explained. Part of
     Benessarai’s payment to Robert Friar had included three psi bombs—something she’d
     never heard