Page 22 of Prey It By Ear

Felix fumbles as he tries to bluster out how to respond to my extremely on-point response. It’s obvious he will not get there, so I lean back a little to look down at him fondly. “We’re all hypocrites sometimes, my King, but as long as we can see it and admit our BS, no one is judging you. However, I think we’ve peeled back enough skin for tonight. Maybe we should move on to what Rennie and Chessie found on their missions?”

The relief in the room is palatable, and Aubrey clears his throat as he says, “Yes, that feels wise, lunchable. This trip has helped relieve some burdens, but also exposed raw wounds. We needn’t pour salt in them.”

“Okay, who’s first?” Fitz grins as he rubs his hands together. “I’m ready to be wowed since you wouldn’t let me do one of my favorite games with Baby Girl on a goddamn train. Amaze me, people!”

I can always depend on him to help me bring the others out of the K-hole; it’s fucking amazing.

Renard sits up a little, tilting his head. “The CEO does not appear to be following us. I used contacts in the lower tier bar to find his room, and once I got in, I saw quite a few business papers that I took photos of for later. They seem to show some financial malfeasances, which maybe we can use, but I also found a folder with the Society symbol on it. All it contained was an email about year-end financial reports being due from what is likely an encrypted email address. I captured all the info I could so Fitz can do his thing when we get back to the school. I doubt it’s a trail that will pan out, but who knows what idiots they have doing things. It seems to confirm that businesses for the suspected families have to report income and then probably pay a tithe to the Society’s coffers.”

My brow furrows as I think about that for a moment. It makes sense to me—sort of—that they’d need a pool of money to get things done. I can’t say if I were a member I’d trust anything the others provided, so there must be a system in place to catch anyone who tries to cheat. But the money itself is probably how they fund the schools, bribe officials in the human government, and deal with enforcing their laws—with a bit of embezzling on Lucille’s part, I’m sure.

Am I going to have to call my mother and go fishing? Ugh, I really don’t want to do that when we get back.

“You know what this means, Princess.”

Sighing as I snuggle into Felix, I pout a little. “I don’t wanna.”

“If it makes you feel better, big bro will have to deal with our dickhead dad, too. I’m sure he’ll call if he’s gotten wind of us traveling about, especially if the Society asshats are conducting ops on this continent while we’re moving around. You know?”

Felix grunts, looking irritated again. “Damn it, Fitz, you had to say that, didn’t you? Fuck him and the goddamn shitheads he has working for him, especially now that we know what we just learned.”

“Raj, you must understand that if you remain angry, it will be difficult to make rational decisions.” The dragon pulls off his glasses, cleaning them before he puts them back on. “I realize I’m offering that when I have not faced my demons yet, and that may make my words sound like I’m talking out of my ass. However, I’ve watched everyone else go through this one by one, and I believe you know that I’m right.”

The tiger holding me lifts one hand to wave it. “I know. It’s just fresh at the moment. Go on, Ren.”

“Non, Raj. That is all I found, except that Vesper is messy and should use a maid. He was not the font of information we hoped for.”

“But not a total waste,” I muse as I think about it. “Well, we’ll have to look at the pictures when we get back and Fitz can do his thing. Vesper may go on the ‘not right now’ portion of the leaderboards. Chessie, what about you?”

My cheetah scoots up onto Fitz’s lap, his eyes bright. “Besides it being extremely fun to be around sort of celebs, I think I got a decent amount of intel.”

Aubrey arches a brow, clasping his hands in front of the smirk he’s now wearing. “Did you? Elaborate, Chester. I am still unsure how the ramblings of gossip hounds and C-list heirs will help—which is not your fault—when we’re looking at geo-political issues.”

For fuck’s sake, big guy, let him enjoy this.

I don’t say that. Instead, I give Chessie an encouraging smile. “I’m curious, too. If you say it’s gonna be useful, I believe you. I just don’t know these people well enough to connect the dots.”

“So, India is traveling with Wyatt Duskstride, Hawthorne Hanson, and Daisy Faust. I believe they are a mated family group as we are, but that fact is being kept on the down low. I’m not sure how I know as much as it was something I could feel the moment I sat down. The cohesiveness of their conversation and how they acted, maybe? But if I’m right, the Shirdals are definitely going to come for Henny, so they can name India as heir. It’s murky right now, as you all know, with her exile.”

Renard scratches his chin as he asks, “How does that change things? Henny isn’t running Apex because it’s still being de-toxified or whatever. Elle ne pose pas de problème.⁠* Why do they need to replace her now? Being a second banana at Capital Prep is easier on the family, I’m sure.”

“Maybe they need India for her connections to famous preds,” I say. “If this entire campaign of theirs is to allow a war, they can use it to stomp out any remaining support for magicals and Fae, someone who can get celebrities to back their play in public would be good for them.”

“Straight out of the handbook,” Aubrey mutters as he shakes his head. “But perceptive of you, snack size. I believe that could be part of the reason. The Barringtons would have significant pressure points to use in their media empire, but if India can sway people without threats, she would be useful. Why are they hiding her mating status? It’s part of why they cast Henny out.”

Fitz snorts. “Because look who it is, dummies. First, it’s a lynx who isn't from the Society family, a female from a European bear line, and a Hanson. The Hansons aren’t elite, and the Fausts are a little dim. Baby Girl beat one of their heirs in the Games at Cappie. The Shirdals waited too long to decide about Henrietta and now their touted option has found unremarkable mates.”

I wrinkle my nose as I ask, “Really? That’s why they’re hiding it? Because of stupid family ties? No wonder those idiots are going to lose. Discounting potential allies and weapons for ancient bullshit reasons is insane. The Fae Lady isn’t kicking people to the curb like that, I bet. She’s using every fucking tool she can gather.”

“It's a bad strategy, for certain,” Felix mutters behind me. “Not something we employ since our princess makes useful friends as easily as she makes random enemies.”

Smacking him on the arm, I give him a dirty look. “Shut up. I can’t help it that crazies flock to me like flies to shit. I try hard to ignore them, but they just won’t go away.”

“They’re so obsessed with you!” Fitz says in a high-pitched, girly voice.

The humor was exactly what we needed—yet again—and I jump up to walk over to the younger tiger. “So are you, buddy. What does that say about your sanity?”

“That he doesn’t have any?” Chessie grins a bit as he makes room for me. “But you knew that before you even asked. It’s why you love him.”