Chapter 63: Bargaining With the Councils

Jiro POV

"Out of the question!"

"Alpha Jiro, this is madness!"

"Alpha Dane would NEVER suggest such a thing. Nor would any other Alpha in his right mind. And no sensible Luna would agree to it." 

Cyran had, apparently, teleported the Crimsontail Shadows council members over to Evenhide to hold a joint session, so Jiro was getting hit all at once. The council members were all arguing as Jiro and Garnet observed them through astral projection, which took a great deal of Garnet's strength.

Jiro addressed the council. "I'm not just going to stand before the entire royal court, especially at this hour, and say, 'Oh, by the way, we're wolf shifters and we've existed for thousands of years without telling you.' Does anyone on this joint council really believe that's what I'm proposing?"

He sounded a bit too hard-edged, and Garnet said soothingly, "No one thinks that. At least, I hope not."

Crimsontail Head Councilwoman Valentina responded. "We all know how cautious our Alpha and Luna are."

Crimsontail Beta Barrett agreed. "Evenhide, you ought to know better."

Evenhide Head Councilwoman Sinapu sounded apologetic. "Now, now, I'm sure we're just all worried for the safety of three Alphas and three Lunas, not to mention valued pack members and witch allies. Alpha Jiro, you can understand that we don't want trouble with humans."

"We already have it, because our good intentions have gone wrong," Garnet replied. "But we couldn't just let the rogues kill them!"

"That was a no-win situation," Councilwoman Sinapu admitted.

Kyon weighed in bluntly. "The only thing that I don't like is you getting captured, but it was the fog of battle. Things happen."

"Can't you just arrange to escape?" one of the Crimsontails asked.

"We have to think bigger," Jiro responded. "The humans might come back, and they'll all be killed. It'll be even worse for the shifters than this mess. Besides, we may need the humans' help."

Another Crimsontail council member, Redfearn, growled, "The whole point is to stay invisible–"

"And we will," Jiro said neutrally. "Only two soldiers and a mage were left alive. If they haven't shared the story with the entire kingdom, we can keep this whole incident quiet–with Their Majesties' help, of course."

"That's a lot of 'ifs,'" Councilwoman Valentina pointed out. 

Although one of Jiro's staunch supporters, she had a level head on her shoulders and was always alert to any potential problems. He admired that about her.

Garnet was logical. "I doubt the king and queen would want to alarm the court and their people by sharing tales of rabid wolves killing royal soldiers and mages. Not before they had a chance to craft their message, anyway. And we can help with that."

"It's a crazy plan," Scipio argued.

"It is risky," Cyran said evenly. 

Naomi added, "But it's not the first risky plan, is it?"

"I don't want humans coming after us, if it's all the same to you," Councilwoman Sinapu said. 

"So glad you agree," huffed Councilman Scipio.

She shot a glare at him. "I do, which is why I say that if Alpha Jiro and Luna Garnet can prevent that, they have my vote."

"Are you both just howling at the moon?" Councilman Scipio snarled.

"I'M certainly not," Councilwoman Valentina said "You have my vote to do this, Alpha and Luna. But once you do, you'll be stepping into a dragon's nest. Shifters everywhere could find their tails in a trap."

Jiro sighed. "I know. But we don't have a choice. It's Hades' descendant involved, and she's acting exactly like he is. We're all in great danger."

"We'll take full responsibility, whatever happens," Garnet added softly. 

Jiro took a deep breath. "I'll answer to both packs and the Shifter Federation if this ends in disaster. I'll even step down as Alpha."

Stunned silence met his statement. 

"And I'll do the same as Luna," Garnet added. "We'll spend our time with our children and our family, and devote ourselves to writing our books."

What a woman. He adored her.

Cyran's voice was strong, and sounded suspiciously like the Alpha he used to be. "That's honorable of you both."

Jiro shrugged. "We're the Alpha and Luna of the Crimsontail Pack, and we'll conduct ourselves fittingly."

"Do we have your vote?" Garnet asked directly. 

* * * * *

Naomi POV

She'd seen the council members go at each other, and yell at Jiro and Garnet, but Naomi Tenebruso Sinsworth had never seen an emergency meeting so fraught with tension. It hadn't even been this bad in all the joint sessions between the two councils that she'd attended over the years. She suspected there'd be more than a few council members sparring with each other afterward. Hopefully, they would work off all that frustration and self-righteous anger. The council chamber in New Moon City smelled of it–like fire and pepper.

What Jiro was proposing had never been done before. Revealing the existence of the shifters to ANY human leader was radical! Maybe a few humans had bred with the shifters over the centuries, including one of Cyran's and Garnet's ancestors, but the idea of an Alpha exposing his throat to a king and queen was something Naomi had never even considered!

Leave it to Jiro Cresta, supposedly the most rule-bound Alpha, to shake the ground–and leave it to Garnet Sinsworth Cresta to jump with him, feet first, into the unknown.

Jiro's and Garnet's shimmering forms hovered above the council table. It almost looked as if their skin had turned brown. It took her a moment to realize they wore clothing in earth tones. Probably prison clothes! It didn't matter. The most splendid wild creatures sometimes camouflaged themselves to blend in.

She glanced at Cyran and felt nothing but love and support for his brother-in-law coming from him through the bond. The friendship between the two was another radical development–and yet they were twins under the fur. He also thought his sister hung the moon. 

Azandra, Tulaska, and Crimsontail Wise Woman Roslynn Rossa had all been quiet, which was telling in itself. Kyon gestured to them. "You three have yet to give us your opinion."

"This is the will of the Moon Goddess," Tulaska said simply.

Roslynn agreed. "Three nights ago, both of us, separately, saw two red wolves wearing crowns and standing beside a king and a queen with the moon shining down upon them through a skylight."

Gasps and murmurs from the council. Everyone's eyes were huge with shock.

Looking sleepy, Azandra backed up her mentors. "They were surrounded by magnificent stone walls, and the floor was littered with jewels."

Naomi raised an eyebrow. "Jewels? Could they represent royal favor?"

"They could indeed, Regent Luna Naomi," Azandra said respectfully. "As well as resources that Jiro and Garnet, the red wolves in question, don't know they possess."

"And nothing dangerous in this vision of yours?" Kyon asked timidly.

All three Wise Women shook their heads. "There's plenty of peril in this undertaking without us adding to the joint council's anxiety," Tulaska said with a touch of humor.

It was a ringing endorsement from the Wise Women. Naomi grinned at Tulaska, who smiled fondly at her. The woman was like another grandmother to her pups.

Kyon stood, as did Cyran. "As acting Alphas of our packs, we call for a vote," Kyon declared. 

"I move that Alpha Jiro and Luna Garnet make allies of the King and Queen of Lugdunum," Beta Barrett announced.

"And I say enough discussion. Those humans are impatient. I second," Tulaska added.

Cyran studied each face in turn. "All those in favor?"

"Aye," over half the joint council shouted, including the Wise Women, Beta Barrett, and the heads of the councils.

Kyon asked, "Opposed?"

"Nay!" The animated voices included Councilmen Scipio and Redfearn. 

Kyon cleared his throat. "Well, there you have it. Alpha Jiro, Luna Garnet, what you're attempting will change the destiny of shifters everywhere, one way or the other."

"You have our blessing," Cyran added with deep respect. "Our hearts are with you. We're all behind you. Let the humans hear it in their cities and their villages!"

He threw back his head and howled, and the entire council joined him in a passionate, full-throated chorus. 

Jiro and Garnet smiled, overcome with emotion. "Thank you–" Garnet whipped her head around. "The guards!"

They vanished, leaving the council in stunned silence.

Reaching out to Cyran, Naomi sought the warmth and comfort of his touch. His arm was wrapped around her. Taking a cue from them, Azandra held Kyon's hand.

Cyran cleared his throat. "Shall we wait here to hear the outcome?"

"You couldn't drag me away from here." Councilwoman Valentina's eyes were filled with fire. "I don't suppose there's any goldenberry cobbler or Krichinda bread in the kitchen to munch on while we wait?"

* * * * *

Garnet POV

She held her breath as the key turned in the lock. A moment later, Lieutenant Cristo and Lance-Captain D'Azur stepped into the cell.

"You're to come with us at once," Lance-Captain D'Azur said. 

Garnet squeezed her mate's hand. "We mustn't keep Their Majesties waiting."

They walked behind the two guards out of the cell, through the dungeon with its torches on the walls, and up a long flight of stone steps. Garnet gasped as they emerged into a wide hallway covered in gold and lined with paintings and statues. Together, she and Jiro walked down that splendid corridor and took several turns. Up another long flight of stairs, down a richly carpeted hallway, then up another staircase. The royal palace was beautiful, no doubt about it. The smells intrigued her. Jiro tried to put on his dignified face, but gazed around him in childlike wonder.

Finally, Lance-Captain D'Azur stopped in front of a carved wooden door and knocked. The door opened, and Garnet and Jiro passed through it.

Inside a private library, King Odo and Queen Giselberthe awaited them. Mage Pascalline stood beside them. Jiro and Garnet bowed.

"Your Majesties, Head Mage Pascalline, Jiro and Garnet Cresta to see you," Lance-Captain D'Azur said.

Garnet reeled. Head Mage Pascalline? They'd saved Lugdunum's chief magician!

Straightening, Jiro cleared his throat. "Your Majesties, I am Alpha Jiro Cresta from the Cresta royal family of the Evenhide Pack. I'm King of the Crimsontail Shadows Pack in the Shifter Federation to the north, an alliance of the wolf shifter packs on the Northern Continent. This is my mate, my queen, Luna Garnet Sinsworth Cresta, daughter of the Alpha of our pack. We mean you and your kingdom no harm. We were saved by your people while trying to stop the rogue shifters that attacked them. We represent the wolf shifters that have been living quietly and in peace for thousands of years without humans knowing we exist. We come to you now because your kingdom, and all the kingdoms, are in great peril. We offer you our help, and ask for your aid in return in rescuing our family from Abandonnado Island, from the rogue shifter wizard Hades Ombra and his witch descendant Melisande Bracknell, and from their master, the demonic Dark Goddess."