Lupi 09 - Mortal Ties

for your prototype?”
    “Congruence, first of all, plus bone has useful properties. There’s an element of
     theater, too, of course. Themagically ignorant require a touch of showmanship to believe something is working
     the way it should. Skulls impress the hell out of them.”
    She shook her head. “You’ve got a weirdly malfunctioning magical device. It’s made
     from a human skull. You don’t think there might be a connection?”
    He frowned. “That’s what Cynna said, but there is no theoretical support for the idea.
     The skull tests neutral in every way that matters—mortal ties, transference, elemental
     imbalance—”
    Her phone ran through the opening bars to the theme from
Jaws
. She grimaced. “Hold on a minute.” She pulled it out.
    Cullen grinned. “If your mother ever finds out what ringtone you gave her, you are
     toast.”
    “If anyone ever tells her, he’s toast. Remember that. Hi, Mother,” she said. “I guess
     you got my text.”
    “Of course I did, though I’ve told you I don’t like text messages. They’re too impersonal.
     I wanted to make sure you talk to your sister while you’re in San Francisco.”
    “Oh. I probably will go see Beth, but I’m going there on a case, not for pleasure,
     so—”
    “You have to talk to her about this man she’s seeing. He’s older than she is. A lot
     older,” Julia Yu said ominously. “I don’t know why she had to move there in the first
     place. I said it wouldn’t work out well.”
    “She’s seeing someone in particular?” Lily said, surprised. Beth dated a lot, but
     she hadn’t mentioned anyone special. A whiff of guilt drifted in when she realized
     she hadn’t talked to Beth lately. A few texts, yeah, but she hadn’t called in…three
     weeks? Maybe more. Given the way Beth flamed through relationships, that was plenty
     of time for her to be head over heels. “Beth falls for someone every other month.
     I don’t think we need to worry.”
    “This one is different. She didn’t tell me about him.”
    “What do you mean?”
    An impatient sigh. “She’s mentioned him, but she doesn’t say she’s in love. It’s there
     in her voice, but shehasn’t said it, and when I ask, she says he’s just a friend. Clearly this one is different.”
    “What’s his name? How much older is he?”
    “Sean something-or-other. He’s over forty.”
    That was a pretty big age difference. Not as big as the one between her and Rule,
     but Lily’s mother didn’t know that. Rule looked about thirty. Still…“I’ll ask her
     about him if I get the chance. I can’t promise. I don’t know how this case is going
     to go, but…” The study door opened. “I’ve got to go, Mother.”
    It wasn’t that easy. Things never were with her mother. While Julia Yu explained how
     necessary it was for Lily to find out everything she could about Sean something-or-other,
     Lily listened with half an ear to Rule ask if the car was waiting. Cullen assured
     him it was, stood, and cocked an inquiring eyebrow. “Anything we should know before
     we leave?”
    Rule raised both brows. “You couldn’t have heard us.”
    “I didn’t. That’s why I’m asking.”
    “There is news, but it’s for Isen to speak of.”
    As he said that, Isen joined them. “Got to go, Mother,” Lily said hastily. “Bye.”
     She disconnected quickly.
    Isen was looking cheery again. The twinkle was back. “Lily, you’ll like this part
     of my news. Young Hank acted on his Rho’s orders, so Nokolai does not hold him responsible
     for his misdeeds. He won’t be allowed to remain here, but he will be released without
     further punishment.”
    “You’re right. I do like that.”
    “You’ll also be pleased to hear that I decided the situation did not require Leo’s
     death.”
    She’d bet he was pleased about that, too. Isen could be ruthless if he thought it
     necessary, but he preferred to be devious. “Good.”
    “Leo was under the impression he was being clever. He thought I’d appreciate his,
     ah, sneakiness. In his mind, by selling worthless information—he knew the prototype
     had problems—he benefited his clan, thereby benefiting Nokolai as well. I explained
     the flaws in his reasoning.”
    “You did more than that.”
    “True. However he may have justified his actions to himself, he deceived and betrayed
     Nokolai. I can no longer trust him. I required him to pass Laban’s mantle to his heir—”
    The quick “son of a bitch!”