take her years to straighten it all out. Kelts, Phelps & Associates will be no help. They’re under enough strain of their own thanks to us.”
Nodding, Kahtar smiled. There were so many ways to win a battle. Christian pulled out a piece of paper and frowned as he stared at it.
“The problem is she has enough inventory and access to cash that these things won’t stop her anytime soon. Just yesterday she bought two new cell phones with money from an account I hadn’t known about, and from what we can see she’s moving along, planning to open for business.”
“We’ll see about that.” Setting his mug down, Kahtar stalked up the long driveway, towards his vehicle.
“WHAT DO YOU mean she’s giving it away?” Sitting in his office at the police station Kahtar stared blankly at the rookie, trying to make sense of his words.
Dark haired Honor Monroe wistfully fingered a cardboard box of tea, repeatedly lifting it to his nose for a whiff.
“I was next door to her shop, at Cerulean Blue for breakfast, and they were talking about it. She’d given this tea to them and it is divine. It is really good, clean but somewhat addicting. I’ve never had anything like it before.”
Kahtar glared, and Honor cleared his throat.
“Anyway she’d told them since the town wouldn’t give her a license to open her shop, she was just going to give things away.”
Consider Drake lumbered forward—strong, compact, and extremely hairy. His police uniform only enhanced his thug-like appearance.
“She’s following the way instinctively. It’s inspired. Like she knows that we don’t use money. I think she just knows—you know in her heart—that is how it is supposed to be.”
Kahtar leaned forward to pluck the box of tea out of Honor’s hands and reminded Consider.
“She’s not part of our clan, and you don’t follow the way by adhering to one rule.” Lifting the box to his nose, his mouth watered and he almost groaned. Brack tea. Where on El’s Sweet Earth did she find brack tea? Even the Old Guard can’t get it anymore.
“Honor? Why did she give you this?”
“She ran into the street to nick a cat that almost got hit on Main Street. So I gave her a ticket for jaywalking. She rolled it up and tossed it on the sidewalk. Then she told me to give her one for littering, and I’d probably get promoted.”
Kahtar closed his eyes and asked, “Did you?”
“Yeah, I know it sounds cheeky, but she is so candid it wasn’t even sarcastic. Then I was getting in my cruiser and she waved me down, came running over. She had a big bag of stuff, said thanks for arresting her so politely the other day and that she thought I’d like this.”
Kahtar looked from Consider to Honor, both obviously champions of Beth White.
“How nice. Let’s ignore the fact that you accepted what could be construed as a bribe, Monroe. Do you think she’d fit in with our clan?”
Both warriors nodded, watching him with sudden interest.
“How would that work? Would we just brew a cup of this and invite her over? Mention that we belong to an ancient cult and how’d she like to be part of the club?”
“Well why not, Chief?” Honor’s blue eyes were bright. “Surely she has shades as well as any of us. She’ll know it’s true.”
“Oh I’m sure we could make her believe us, at least eventually. I could stab you, Honor, and she could watch us heal it—or even more convincing—we could stab her and then heal it. That would surely win her loyalty, make her want to spend her life living in a cave, and hiding out from the rest of the world.”
Consider made a sound of protest, but Honor covered his own mouth with a hand, thoughtfully rubbing. Consider argued.
“We are her people! Once she understood that, those bonds would hold her as well as they hold all of our clan!”
Leaning forward Kahtar drove his point home.
“Loyalty, good point, Consider. What of her loyalty in the world outside of ours? Do we make her choose
Nodding, Kahtar smiled. There were so many ways to win a battle. Christian pulled out a piece of paper and frowned as he stared at it.
“The problem is she has enough inventory and access to cash that these things won’t stop her anytime soon. Just yesterday she bought two new cell phones with money from an account I hadn’t known about, and from what we can see she’s moving along, planning to open for business.”
“We’ll see about that.” Setting his mug down, Kahtar stalked up the long driveway, towards his vehicle.
“WHAT DO YOU mean she’s giving it away?” Sitting in his office at the police station Kahtar stared blankly at the rookie, trying to make sense of his words.
Dark haired Honor Monroe wistfully fingered a cardboard box of tea, repeatedly lifting it to his nose for a whiff.
“I was next door to her shop, at Cerulean Blue for breakfast, and they were talking about it. She’d given this tea to them and it is divine. It is really good, clean but somewhat addicting. I’ve never had anything like it before.”
Kahtar glared, and Honor cleared his throat.
“Anyway she’d told them since the town wouldn’t give her a license to open her shop, she was just going to give things away.”
Consider Drake lumbered forward—strong, compact, and extremely hairy. His police uniform only enhanced his thug-like appearance.
“She’s following the way instinctively. It’s inspired. Like she knows that we don’t use money. I think she just knows—you know in her heart—that is how it is supposed to be.”
Kahtar leaned forward to pluck the box of tea out of Honor’s hands and reminded Consider.
“She’s not part of our clan, and you don’t follow the way by adhering to one rule.” Lifting the box to his nose, his mouth watered and he almost groaned. Brack tea. Where on El’s Sweet Earth did she find brack tea? Even the Old Guard can’t get it anymore.
“Honor? Why did she give you this?”
“She ran into the street to nick a cat that almost got hit on Main Street. So I gave her a ticket for jaywalking. She rolled it up and tossed it on the sidewalk. Then she told me to give her one for littering, and I’d probably get promoted.”
Kahtar closed his eyes and asked, “Did you?”
“Yeah, I know it sounds cheeky, but she is so candid it wasn’t even sarcastic. Then I was getting in my cruiser and she waved me down, came running over. She had a big bag of stuff, said thanks for arresting her so politely the other day and that she thought I’d like this.”
Kahtar looked from Consider to Honor, both obviously champions of Beth White.
“How nice. Let’s ignore the fact that you accepted what could be construed as a bribe, Monroe. Do you think she’d fit in with our clan?”
Both warriors nodded, watching him with sudden interest.
“How would that work? Would we just brew a cup of this and invite her over? Mention that we belong to an ancient cult and how’d she like to be part of the club?”
“Well why not, Chief?” Honor’s blue eyes were bright. “Surely she has shades as well as any of us. She’ll know it’s true.”
“Oh I’m sure we could make her believe us, at least eventually. I could stab you, Honor, and she could watch us heal it—or even more convincing—we could stab her and then heal it. That would surely win her loyalty, make her want to spend her life living in a cave, and hiding out from the rest of the world.”
Consider made a sound of protest, but Honor covered his own mouth with a hand, thoughtfully rubbing. Consider argued.
“We are her people! Once she understood that, those bonds would hold her as well as they hold all of our clan!”
Leaning forward Kahtar drove his point home.
“Loyalty, good point, Consider. What of her loyalty in the world outside of ours? Do we make her choose
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