Zola's Pride Read Free

though she could guess the end. “They targeted her
because she was a Seer?”
    “ They call themselves the
Scions of Ma’at,” he answered. “They’re
mercenaries who work in basic pair groups—a shifter and a spell
caster. They train together, live together, you name it. Each pair is
considered one entity. One fighter. They’re all about balance
and order, and Tatienne’s nature offended that.”
    The name tugged at a memory, but it
slipped away before she could grasp it. “But they’ve
killed her. They’ve killed so many. Why are they still hunting
you?”
    “ Because they haven’t
settled the score yet. We—” Walker rose and paced to the
other side of the room. “We killed even more of them.”
    “ And they seek vengeance?”
    “ An eye for an eye,” he
muttered grimly. “That’s their idea of balance. Of
justice. Maybe they’re not wrong in theory, but the people I
brought over had nothing to do with what happened.”
    And only six yet lived. “How
many lives do they demand?”
    He turned and met her gaze. “All
of them. All of us .”
    Her lips parted to give voice to the
protest growing inside her, one borne of instinct and ancient
feelings, not logic. Years might have passed, but she remembered what
it was like to feel the familiar press of his power and know he was hers .
    She shielded herself with logic.
“Surely they’ll be cautious about chasing you into this
country. The wolves’ Conclave might not always be efficient,
but they can be ruthless against outsiders.”
    “ I’d hoped as much.”
he admitted, “but I can’t rely on the Scions’
willingness to shy away from pissing off the wolves. For all I know,
they don’t give a damn.”
    There was one way to find out, and
it was probably the reason he’d come to her in the first place.
“You want me to call Alec Jacobson.”
    “ I hear he’s the one in
charge around here.”
    “ He’s the one in charge
of the wolves.” A distinction Alec didn’t always
understand, but one she had no intention of letting anyone forget.
    Walker scratched the back of his
head in a familiar gesture. “Then he’s in charge, Zola.
The wolves run the States, or have you forgotten?”
    He’d been gone a long time,
long enough that he might not know how petty the leaders of the
wolves had become. “The Conclave might unite against an outside
enemy, but they’re weakened. Not what they were. As long as I
don’t confront them, they do not try to rule me.”
    He shrugged. “Then I’ll
leave it up to you. All I care about is getting the ball rolling. I
need to make sure my people are safe.”
    “ I’ll call Alec
Jacobson.” A concession, but not as big as the one she was
about to make. “You should stay here tonight.”
    Walker tilted his head to one side.
“You don’t have to do that, Zola. I know it isn’t—I
have a place to go. I’ll be fine.”
    She wouldn’t be. She couldn’t
close her eyes to sleep, knowing he roamed the city and might
disappear before she’d pried the truth from him. Before he’d
given her the closure she deserved, the final balm to the heart he’d
broken so long ago. “Stay. We have things to discuss. You owe
me this, in exchange for my help.”
    Some of the tension faded from his
stance. “Are you sure?”
    Zola couldn’t help but smile.
“Sure that you owe me? Yes.”
    “ Sure that you really want me
to stay.”
    Yes. “You’re sleeping on the couch.”
    A slow smile curved his lips. “I
expected nothing less.”
    The smile spoke of wicked confidence
and lingering heat, evoking a strong enough reaction to drive her
from the couch in search of her phone. Calling Alec would give her
time to catch her breath, to find her balance. Perhaps time to fool
herself into believing that she’d invited Walker to stay in
search of closure when the truth seemed so much more damning.
    Her rebellious heart wasn’t
trying to close the chapter of her life dominated by Walker Gravois.
It was trying to start a new