The wolves remained circled around Luce’s quiet form, but their ears and eyes made it clear they were on high alert.
“What do we do now?” Becka asked.
“The chief is sending out a team to process the site and a crew to transport Caeda and Luce. After they get here, we should head back to the manor.” His expression was dark and stormy.
“What are you worried about?” she asked.
He looked at her, and Becka had the impression he was choosing his words carefully. “I’m surprised we have another Shadow-Dweller after you just months after Woden’s death.”
“Woden said they had a network.”
“Yes, but I now suspect there are more of them than we’d estimated.”
Becka let that sink into her consciousness, the added weight of the books in her backpack especially heavy at this moment.
“Mimir took Alvilda, presumably so we wouldn’t see her body, but then why leave the books?” she asked.
He nodded. “Exactly. They would know we’d identify that script as used by Shadow-Dwellers.”
Tightness gripped her chest. “They want me to know they’re right next door. Waiting for me.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. But what do I know? You’re definitely not safe at House Rowan. And maybe not anywhere.”
Chapter 31
Fae Territories - House Rowan
Becka paced the length of the council chambers, for once alone in the opulent room. She crossed to the windows and opened a pane, breathing deep the fresh air drawn on the crisp fall evening breeze.
The door opened behind her, and Becka glanced back to see Maura close the door behind herself. As glad as she was for this private audience, her stomach was doing flip-flops. The fist clenched around her chest hadn’t abated since earlier in the day when she’d realized the poisoning had been directed by a Shadow-Dweller.
“How are you holding up?” Maura asked, coming to stand near Becka.
She took a moment to consider how to put her thoughts into words, but she appreciated Maura starting the conversation by showing concern. “It’s been a rough day at the end of a series of rough days,” Becka replied.
Maura appeared to take her measure. “Would you like to have a seat?”
“I’m too on edge.”
Maura took her gloved hand in her own and walked her over to the table. “All the more reason to sit. No one will interrupt us, I made sure of it.”
Becka relented, sitting in her chair, but then turning it to face Maura’s.
“Not even Calder?”
Maura rolled her eyes. “He wouldn’t let off his ranting and wild accusations towards the enforcers and shifters over losing Alvilda. I sent him on a walk to work out his anger.”
Becka wrung her hands. “It would have been nice if he’d been reasonable, but I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Maura shrugged. “No worries. I have thick skin, and he couldn’t say no, so off he went.”
“Have you heard from House Birch yet? I’m worried we may have upset them.”
Maura nodded. “We’ve had runners going back and forth all afternoon. They aren’t upset at Rowan because enforcers crossed into their territory without warning, but they aren’t too happy to hear that someone killed a shifter on their lands, home to the House of Healing.”
“The irony…”
“I don’t think it’s lost on them. They claim the Shadow-Dweller can’t be hiding within their territory, that all fae are accounted for.”
“The enforcers’ investigation will confirm or deny that fact.” Becka supposed she should be grateful they weren’t accusing them of making up boogeymen, but was exhausted by the immediate denial, nonetheless.
“As you say,” Maura replied. “But I had the impression you have other things to speak of?”
“I do,” Becka replied, steeling herself. “My civic duty letter arrived.”
Maura’s brows raised. “That was fast, but certainly a good next step. It’ll give you the opportunity for a change of pace to distract you from all of this mess. Who’ve you been placed with?”
A breath hung in the air between them.
“As a consultant to the enforcers,” Becka replied, hearing the trepidation in her tone.
Maura blinked. “We can protest. The last thing you need is to be exposed to more traumatizing events like you saw today!”
Becka held up a hand, and Maura frowned. “I don’t think Rowan should protest.”
A silence settled between them as Maura digested her statement. “Why would you want to work with them?”
Becka didn’t want to offend her mother, but now, of all times, she needed to stay strong and be direct. “You must realize I’m not safe here. Alvilda might have delivered the poison, but the Shadow-Dwellers were behind the attacks.”
“But if you work with them in the city, it can’t be any safer. Here we have guards. Magical defenses. Measures we can take,” Maura replied, her expression concerned but her tone terse.
“Sure, but more requests will come in for my civic service and I could get pulled around fae and human locations alike. A longer-term assignment will surround me with enforcers. I can’t take fae guards with me everywhere, but I can be side-by-side with enforcers for the foreseeable future. It’s a much safer option until the Shadow-Dweller threat is managed.”
Maura sat back in her chair. “What if your next requested assignment sends you right into the lion’s den?” She pursed her lips. “But I understand you want to take on the Shadow-Dwellers head-on, and there will be risk no matter the assignment. At least we assume the Enforcers would be able to protect you.”
Becka let out a nervous laugh. “I never thought I’d hear you say something nice about them.”
Maura sighed. “That may be the first and last time. But they do have their uses and they didn’t try and overstep during the interrogations, which was a pleasant surprise.”
Encouraged by her mother’s positive shift towards the enforcers, Becka pressed forward. “I’ll also have access to portable scanners for checking my food, and self-defense training.”
Maura tapped her fingers on the table. “It sounds like you’ve had time to think this through.”
Becka shook her head. “I just got the
