“If they can’t make up their minds soon, I plan on cracking their heads together.” He thumped a card against the table. “We won’t know the kelpie’s whereabouts, but at least we’ll be able to hear ourselves think.”

I accepted that with a nod. “When do I get my phone call?”

“I’ll drive you into town tonight. We’ll pick up a burner cell and let you make your call.” His expression didn’t change. “Soon enough for you?”

“Yes,” I said thoughtfully. Time to do some serious soul-searching. Did I want to go this alone? Did I trust Graeson and his pack to keep me safe? Or did I want to sneak a call in to Vause and bring in conclave reinforcements? “Am I allowed to go for a walk?”

“As long as Dell goes with you, sure.” He didn’t look away from his game. “Stick close to base.”

The urge to slap him upside the head came and went on a sigh. I’d had my fill of alphahole for the night. Or was that betahole? Was there even a difference? I left Graeson to his cards and hit the rattletrap porch. Dell, who had been hovering in the hall, fell in step behind me.

Violet clouds bruised the pink sky. Water glittered on my left. I turned right.

“So…” Dell scooped up a rock and hurled it bouncing down the road ahead of us. “What are you exactly?”

“Graeson didn’t tell you?”

“Don’t call him Graeson, seriously. That last-name thing you cops do is weird.” She wrinkled her nose. “I did ask him what species of fae you are. I figured if I was helping him kidnap you, I ought to at least know how much trouble we stood to get into with the conclave over you. Cord told me to mind my own damn business.”

“You called me a freaky shifter.” Those had been among the first words out of her mouth to me. “I assumed that meant you watched the show out at the Rebecs’ place.”

“Well, see, we decided to go in fangs out. We’re scarier on four legs than two,” she said conversationally. “It turns out the Rebecs raised chickens. Some guy saw me coming and flung open the pen.” She licked her lips. “I might have chased the hens down and eaten them instead of providing backup.” She offered me a shrug. “Cord said he had it covered, and how often do you find all-you-can-eat chicken buffets?”

“Raw chicken?” Now it was my turn to wrinkle my nose. “Never, I hope.”

Her brows waggled at me. “Don’t knock it ’til you try it.”

A chorus line of salmonella danced through my head. “I’ll pen that onto my to-do list.”