Eileen Wilks - Ritual Magic

Shit.

Susan finished by emphasizing the need to have more information before making a decision. Deborah stood and began meandering through a teary account of an event from Julia’s childhood.

I speak to you now in your dual capacities as Lu Nuncio of Nokolai and as second-in-command of the Shadow Unit. You are aware that I monitor my territory in ways unavailable to those who are not dragon. You are not aware of various defenses I have in place, or of the matrixes I have established to alert me to sudden shifts in the probabilities. While I am treating Julia I will be unable to monitor my territory, any magical defenses outside my lair, or those matrixes. I will pass to Li Lei the monitoring of my territory. I do not explain the mechanism, which would be meaningless to you, but the senses involved in such monitoring are ill suited to her current form. She will change to her other form and she will be at my lair. I expect the procedure to take between fifteen and twenty-two hours. She will need to eat far more than usual during this period. She tells me she would prefer deer—whole but skinned, as she dislikes the hair, and freshly killed. You may leave the antlers on. She enjoys gnawing on them. Two small deer should do. The carcasses should be left immediately in front of my lair. Arrange this.

Ah . . . all right.

Deborah finished by surprising Rule. After wandering through various tales, ending with the story of how Edward and Julia first met, she sniffed and said that of course they would allow the dragon to do what he could for Julia, and she for one was very grateful to him.

If you consider any debt to be incurred for arranging for the deer, Sam informed Rule, that is between you and Li Lei.

There could be no debt where Madame Yu was concerned . . . although finding, killing, and skinning two deer might take awhile.

I recommend haste.

Deborah’s husband, Feng, profoundly disagreed with her. No one should be allowed to go messing around in his sister-in-law’s head, however good their intentions might be, and how could a dragon know enough about human minds to tinker with them, anyway? He continued to say much the same thing for some time.

I also wish the use of Cullen Seaborne. Note that I make no request of you and will incur no debt. I offer you the chance to act in defense against our common enemy, Robert Friar, by providing me the use of your man. You can agree to this, in your capacity as Lu Nuncio of his clan?

He could, but why Cullen?

I wish to pass to Cullen Seaborne the monitoring and control of some of the magical defenses in my territory. He will not be able to carry all of them, but I judge him able to accept those sites I deem most vulnerable to attack. He will not be damaged by this task, but he will be incapacitated both during and afterward. I estimate that he will be unconscious for at least twenty-four hours and is likely to experience depletion for two or three subsequent days. If you agree to this, understand that I will not allow him to retain full knowledge of my defenses. I may permit him to retain some of what he learns if he does not annoy me too badly.

In spite of everything, Rule’s mouth crooked up. Cullen wouldn’t just be okay with this—he’d be furious if Rule didn’t give him the chance to drain himself into oblivion in exchange for learning something, anything, about Sam’s mysterious “magical defenses.”

Precisely. Sam’s mental voice was, for once, not wholly unflavored. A whiff of wryness came through.

At last Feng stopped repeating himself and sat. Madame Yu did not stand to make her case. She looked at Edward. “You know my counsel. I have offered it to you already. I add only that there is no benefit in delay and much danger.”

The room was silent as everyone looked at Edward.

He will not agree, Sam said coolly. He is very torn, very muddy. He is aware of his muddiness and will delay, hoping for clarity in the future. Julia’s condition deteriorates too quickly for such delay.

Rule looked at Madame Yu. She met his eyes and again gave a small nod. Maybe Sam had directed that last bit at her as well as Rule. Or maybe Sam had been talking separately to her all along. He was capable of carrying on multiple mental conversations.

Edward looked down at his hands, clasped on the table. He looked at his mother, then away. “I thank you all for sharing your thoughts,” he said slowly. “I appreciate Deborah’s reminder that we must be grateful for what Sun Mzao has offered and I understand why some of you urge me to accept that offer. I may do so later, but at this time I agree with Susan. I do not have enough information to make a decision. I will ask Dr. Babbitt to continue treating Julia here for now, and also to give me the names of other experts who may be helpful. Sun Mzao, you said . . . earlier you told me that sleep offers her mind some protection. If you can keep her asleep for now . . .”

I can.

“Thank you. I . . . she is confused by my presence, but I can at least be with her when she sleeps without upsetting her.” Abruptly he stood. “Dr. Babbitt, if you would get those names for me . . . but you can give them to me later. Text me or . . . I’m going to stay with Julia awhile.”

“Father?” Susan said. “Do you want me to—”

“Not now,” he said. “Not now.” He left quickly.

Chairs were scraped back. Voices were kept low, as if they were at a funeral. Paul began talking to Dr. Babbitt. Feng and Deborah formed their own little knot of disagreement as Rule made his way to Madame Yu. He quirked an eyebrow and spoke very softly. “Are we kidnapping her, or do we do this openly?”

“Openly.” She glanced at the door that had shut behind her son. “This will be difficult enough on Edward. I will be sure he lies down somewhere here to rest in an hour or so. Sam will need that long to prepare. Then it is up to you to convince Julia.”

“In the meantime, I will arrange for deer.”

“Good.” Her eyes were troubled, but her voice was as crisp as ever. “Skinned.”

“But with the antlers.”

She nodded, but he didn’t see the flash of mischief in her eyes he’d expected. “He is shutting me out,” she said abruptly. “Sons must do this with mothers sometimes.”

“Mothers don’t have to like it.”

“No.” The faintest of sighs. “I will speak with Mequi now. She is more vulnerable than the others.”

Mequi was more pigheadedly certain than anyone else in the room.

As if she’d read his mind—which he was almost positive she couldn’t do—Madame Yu patted his arm. “Certainty hides many things. You should know this. Mequi raised Julia after their mother died. She needs something to do.”

Mequi wasn’t the only one who needed that, he thought as he watched Madame Yu head for her daughter-in-law’s sister.

He took out his phone. He’d speak with his father about the deer. There were three herds that included Nokolai Clanhome in their range, so the clan should be able to accommodate Madame’s requested menu. Then he’d call Cullen. But where was Cullen supposed to—

At my lair, Sam said. I will be there. I will now complete my warning.

There was more?

My territory and some of the defenses will be monitored. There is no one who can monitor the probability matrixes. As second-in-command of the Shadow Unit, you need to be aware of this. There will be an increased vulnerability to attack by Friar and his organization while I am incapacitated.

Rule wondered if Sam had told Ruben . . . Lily’s boss at the FBI, the head of Unit Twelve, who was also the creator and first-in-command of the Shadow Unit.

Mika has informed him.