Page 23 of Truthfinder’s Promise

“And I don’t need help,” Meredith continued, “because nothing is actually happening.” Aside from Julian. But Julian was her problem. Of the previous councilors, he had suffered the least fallout. He was generally well-liked in Aspect Society, and most popular opinion was behind the idea that he—being a temporary member of the previous council—hadn’t known what all they were involved in. Julian had fostered that belief diligently.

If Meredith told Valkyrie she thought he was the hand behind the sword, she and Siren would use the Council’s resources to hound him. He would notice, he would make sure other people noticed, and then everyone would say that Siren was on a personal, prejudiced vendetta, and it would hurt her position.

Meredith had no intention of jeopardizing the new, better direction Aspect Society oversight was headed in by opening her mouth where Julian Astor was concerned.

Valkyrie pointed at her father’s sword. “That isn’t nothing.”

“It was an isolated event.”

“Or the beginning of a pattern of escalation.”

“If the fifteen-year-in-the-making sword is the start of the escalation, what’s next? The Infinity Gauntlet?”

Valkyrie’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know what that is.”

“You know, Avengers? Powerful glove of Thanos, embedded with infinity stones?” When this didn’t erase Val’s look of confusion, Meredith turned an accusatory look on Random. “Don’t you ever take her to the movies? You’re supposed to be teaching her to have fun.”

“She doesn’t like the ones with magic in them,” he said defensively.

“I don’t know if the infinity stones can be properly classified as magic. We don’t fully understand what they are. They could just be advanced technology or something.”

“For all intents and purposes of the viewer, they look like magic,” Random argued. “If you consider—”

“She’s doing the distracting thing to you again,” Valkyrie said.

“Huh.” Random gave Meredith an appraising look. “You’re really good at that.”

Meredith shrugged. “It’s easy with lawyers. You like to argue and you’re bad at letting things go.”

“I’m putting a security detail on the house,” Val said.

And, here we go. “No, you aren’t. This isn’t a matter for Council security.”

“If someone is trying to break through someone’s wards, it is absolutely a matter for Council security.”

“If I weren’t your friend and something of this nature occurred, Council security would take a report and look into the matter. And only then if the homeowner asked to file that report in the first place. I don’t want to file a report and I don’t want a security detail.”

“You know, when I was hellbent on doing everything on my own, you literally stalked me until I accepted your help.”

“I hung out outside Random’s house one time waiting for you to sneak off on a suicide mission. It doesn’t qualify as stalking. And this is different.”

Monster shifted to rest his head on her thigh, as if resigning himself to being here for a very long time. In that moment, it was difficult to remember that he was not a dog, and this therefore wasn’t cute. Ignoring the urge to stroke his fur, she glared at him.

“How is it different?” Valkyrie asked. “And why are you looking at that dog like it’s going to eat you?”

Jensen was wholly confused about just what the hell he’d gotten himself into. The scene playing out before him was more like something out of a soap opera than ordinary life. Then again, he didn’t know if anything involving Aspect or Shifters could reasonably be termed “ordinary.”

He’d settled in for the long haul, which Meredith didn’t seem to appreciate.

“We’re in an uneasy truce,” Meredith said.

“He’s a dog, Meredith. All you have to do is feed him and he’ll be happy. He’s practically in your lap.”

“I’m aware,” Meredith muttered. Jensen grinned and licked her hand. She jerked it away. “Gross, Monster. Licking me is not the way to my heart. Anyway, are we done here?” she asked Val.

“Not until you agree I’m putting a security detail on the house.”

“Are you trying to undo all the work we’ve done regarding the Council? How do you think people are going to take it if it looks like Siren’s playing favorites where her friends are concerned? The security teams are understaffed as it is with all the people she’s had to fire in the corruption investigations, and you want her to have to explain why she’s wasting around-the-clock details on my house over one incident?”