Page 90 of Magical Midlife Conclave

Austin shook his head at me, stood, and walked away. The bonds were a swirl of emotion and no help.

“Crap,” I murmured as Indigo sat back. “Did they seem pissed?”

“Austin was really scared when he was trying to get through the magic to get in to you.” She grimaced at me. “And that usually makes him really angry.”

Yes, it did.

“Dude, but why?” I glanced around at the circle closing us in. All types of creatures were present, looking on quietly. “Can someone help move him to the sidelines, please? He’s out of danger, but we don’t want his wounds tearing open again.”

“Here.” Tristan pushed through the crowd in his purple muumuu. Sue moved in to help, currently nude. He’d obviously shifted at some point. I hadn’t paid attention to any of that.

Aljoe grunted as he tried to sit up.

“No.” I pointed at his face, making him freeze. “What did I say? Stay still. We’re healing you. Moving will hurt, and for what? It’ll just make our job harder. Let them carry you.”

With a huff, he lay back down. Tristan, Sue, and a couple of basajaunak helped. I stood with them, making sure they were gentle.

Niamh hadn’t moved the chairs back even though she’d clearly known Aljoe was being brought over here. She’d pushed the cones forward.

Aurora sat in my chair. She had dirt on her face and blood down her arm and peeping out of the neck of her muumuu. She held up her red cup. “Ulric is grabbing another chair for you.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll sit on the ground. Healing works better when I touch.”

“Then Ulric is grabbing a chair for himself.”

I waited for Aljoe to be laid on the dried grasses before lowering down next to him. “I could use another glass of low-calorie mimosa, though. Aurora, are you drinking mine?”

“I already drank yours. It was getting warm. I’ll get you another.”

“Since when do you drink on the job?” I put my hand on Aljoe’s leg. They’d positioned him with his stomach toward me and I didn’t want to lean to touch his shoulder.

“My job is done. I took out Alpha Noah from the Greenwich pack.”

Aljoe huffed. His chest expanded for a moment before deflating again.

“Thanks.” Aurora’s lips twisted in pride. “My dad told me to go for someone a little lower in power, but, I mean, I get beat up by you. I figured I could handle Noah and get the job done.”

Clearly, she was talking to Aljoe.

I turned to her, running my hand down his leg to his big paw, and whispered, “Do you think his sister and him are mad?”

“Not a-t’all,” Niamh drew out. “Do ye hear her? How could they be mad when ye rode him around the field like a little horsey?”

I bit my lip. So…yes, then. That was way too far.

Aurora put her fingers on my shoulder and shook her head. “Firstly, he challenged you. He gets whatever comes. You could’ve magically tied him up and had Edgar braid flowers into his hair while talking about his favorite types of doilies. He doesn’t get to be mad at how you handled his challenge.”

His paw moved in my hand. I glanced down at it.

“He’s agreeing,” Aurora told me. “Second, he proved how mighty he is by taking on those other shifters. One was a beta. The other has good standing in the community. The gargoyles are—well, who knows. Guardians, at any rate. So that’s good. He handled them ruthlessly.” She glowed with pride. “His prowess was called into question, and he answered in exactly the way he has always been known for. Anyone who wondered if he can fight no longer does.”

“Oh.” I took a sip of my champagne. “So, he’s okay, then. I didn’t ruin his image.”

Aljoe huffed.

“Tristan is up.” Niamh pointed that way.

“Oops.” I half stood, catching his eye as he took the field. “Do you need me to ref?”