Free Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks Page B

with only a thin scattering of mage lights overhead. Most of the cheery little balls had come from Cynna and Cullen. Still, a few remained. Lupi, with the exception of Cullen, didn’t perform magic; they were magic. But their female children were sometimes Gifted, and a handful had learned the new spell that produced mage lights.
    At Lily’s request, most of those bobbing lights were concentrated where she stood now, facing Rule’s father. She straightened with her shoes in one hand. “You won’t question them. I will. You’ll tell me if they’re lying.”
    “You misunderstand. The clan is accustomed to their Rho acting as judge, not as a policeman. You might be asking the questions, but if I’m present, they’ll believe they are being judged.”
    “I’d say that it’s up to you to handle that.”
    “I am. I’ll send Shannon to retrieve my Lu Nuncio—who knows better than to leave at this time.”
    “Fine. I won’t be needing Rule, however, nor will he be allowed to question anyone on his own, since I’m being forced to hand this case over to the local cops.”
    “Almost,” he said thoughtfully, “I could believe you are threatening me.”
    “I’m giving you facts. You want me to conduct the investigation. Rule can’t participate in questioning witnesses when he’s been implicated by one of the witnesses. If I let him do that, any information I get will be tainted, and I’ll be pulled off the investigation.”
    “Your superior is Ruben Brooks. He has confidence in you, and he’s shorthanded. Very few could take over the investigation.”
    “Which is why the case will land with the locals if I don’t claim it. At this point, there’s a vague suggestion that magic could be involved. There’s no compelling evidence of it.”
    “Compelling.” Isen repeated that one word, then said nothing more, his expression revealing little more than a certain intensity of interest.
    Lily recognized the tactic, having used it often enough herself. If you leave a large, blank space in an interview or a negotiation, most people will rush to fill it. Especially if you watch them while you wait.
    Lily watched him back.
    Finally Isen’s mouth crooked up. “Tried that on you once before and it didn’t work. All right.” He raised his voice slightly. “Benedict.” He continued in his normal voice. “I’ll sniff for you, but not in this form, so I won’t be able to speak. I need to give Benedict some instructions first.”
    Benedict was at the other end of the field. Could he really pick out Isen’s voice from so far away?
    Apparently so. He started toward them at a trot. “When I look at you,” Lily said, “one nod means the witness is telling the truth. Shake your head if they lie.”
    “They won’t. Did you know those are the signals a Lu Nuncio gives?”
    She hadn’t, but it made sense. They were what Rule had suggested. “Do you act as judge when you’re in wolf form?”
    “Ah. Now you ask a better question. No, I do not.”
    In other words, his people weren’t going to react as if he were judging them because he’d be in wolf form, so what he’d said earlier was misdirection. “Then what’s your real objection?”
    He sighed, a teacher unimpressed by his student’s progress. “You should be able to figure that out by now.”
    She huffed out an impatient breath. “You’re going to make me guess, aren’t you? Fine. My first guess is that it’s a status thing. You don’t think a Rho should do the work of a Lu Nuncio.”
    “Not status.”
    “Authority, then. But you have the mantle. Nokolai lupi know you for their Rho in a way I can barely imagine.”
    “Ah, but Rule now has a Rho’s mantle, too.”
    “Not the Nokolai mantle, and Rule would not dispute your authority over Nokolai. Not for a second.”
    He nodded. “True. But he and I do not convince Nokolai of that by announcing it. Our actions must make it clear to them. My assuming his responsibility will not reassure