Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
“Oh, really? And how do you think we started working with him? The basajaun we know, I mean. Do you think Austin ran all hotheaded onto his mountain and demanded something? No. He showed the basajaun the respect due to a territory holder. The same respect he’s trying to show you now. But I’ll tell you what. How about you let that kid at me? Why don’t you let him try to knock me around? I’m a mom. I’ll take an unruly child in hand, no problem, I don’t care whose it is. In the sandbox, while camping, whatever. I’ll handle it.”
Jess stared them down. Magic throbbed in the air, and Austin had no doubt it was beating into them. All of them bristled, their hair puffing out from their bodies. The kid stood up. Dirt clung to his fur. He sagged, having lost the bravery of youth from being tossed to the side by a matriarch. He didn’t intend to take her up on that challenge.
“It is agreed,” the basandere said before turning and walking away.
“Wait…what is agreed?” Jess asked Austin. “What did I agree to? Leaving?”
“It’s agreed that they won’t allow younger basajaunak to instigate. If there are to be more challenges, they’ll leave it for the older village members.”
“Oh. Well, that’s okay, then. To a point, obviously.”
He allowed himself a smile and squeezed her close.
A few of the others lingered for a moment, watching them, before fading into the trees as well. The younger basajaun turned and started running in the opposite direction. He’d had his fill.
“Well.” Jess rolled her shoulders, but her power still throbbed in the air. “That got the blood flowing.” She shook Austin off before grabbing his hand and pulling him along. “I’m really riled up. Seriously, that’s bull. Who lets a teen bully a grown adult? What were they thinking, letting that happen?”
“They probably thought it would be the fastest way to break me,” he replied, entwining his fingers with hers. “I wouldn’t have, but I’m glad you stepped in. That sort of stuff is never pleasant.”
“Well…yeah.” She scoffed. “I would be so pissed if I found out Jimmy did something like that.”
“How is he, by the way?” he asked to try to distract her.
A little smile crossed her face. “Really good. He still talks about Easter. He’s desperate to be here for the holidays. I don’t know how I’m going to convince him to spend some of that time with his dad.”
“How’s he liking school?”
While she talked about her son, they wound through the village and took in the lovely day. More and more basajaunak stayed visible, making things or chatting. Some, though, disappeared quickly upon seeing them, clearly not comfortable around strangers.
He thought back to how Jess had stepped up with him. She still didn’t totally get shifter culture. She certainly didn’t get basajaunak culture, not that he could claim to be an expert. But from what he could gather, the basajaunak must think pretty highly of them to have allowed the youth to make his challenge. They’d trusted that Austin wouldn’t lose control and hurt one of their young.
Now they also knew, however, that Jess was protective. She could take charge when she wanted to—and would do so if she felt it necessary. Moreover, Austin would let her. He wouldn’t try to dominate her any more than he had that kid. Not when she was taking command. They’d seen the give and take of their co-rulership, and also that Jess could assert her will in an effective way without resorting to violence—or, at least, what the basajaunak would think of as violence.
She’d done well. They’d all done well, even Sebastian.
Pride glowed through Austin, drawing Jess’s notice.
“What?” she asked.
“Just…” He shook his head. “We have a damn good team. Even though your crew lacks any real structure, we always work together seamlessly.”
“Have you forgotten Edgar loitering around, staring at us while we’re sleeping?” she asked with a laugh.
“I had to post Cyra outside the tree hole, as she called it,” Sebastian said, “just to block out Edgar. At one point in the night, I woke up to him leaning into the hole with his mouth open, exposing those big canines. Just staring. Do you know what he said when he caught me awake?”
“No,” she said, laughing harder.
“He said, ‘Lovely evening, isn’t it, friend? All is well. Sweet dreams. I’ll just stay and watch you a little longer.’” He ran a hand down his face. “I had to pretend to go to the bathroom just to drag Cyra over. I wasn’t even sorry about waking her up. Had to be done.”
“How have you gone through life afraid of everything?” Austin asked as they rounded a turn and started back.
“I haven’t! I realize that’s hard to believe, but I honestly haven’t. I had a really rough childhood. I kind of lost the ability to care about most things, I think, and then my sister died, and I got tortured. I didn’t think I had any room left for fear. Don’t you remember my saying that when I first met you?”