Page 44 of Contested Crown

“Baseball bats.” At my raised eyebrow, Cade clarified, “More aerodynamic.”

“Baseball bats,” I agreed. “Either way, you don’t need us.”

“Or at least you don’t need Miles,” Cade said. When I looked at him sharply, he was back to staring at Howard, his expression blank. “Killing a werewolf means nothing to House Bartlett. All you need is me.”

“Now, now, I don’t know where they got this idea.” Howard leaned back, shaking his head at his wife.

“We don’t intend to kill either of you,” Caroline said. “And I’m sorry if Elizabeth’s tactics gave you that impression.”

“You just intend to use us,” I said. “For what?”

“To get you on the throne.” Howard stared at Cade. “House Morrison wants to join forces with you in a binding contract.”

Cade went even more pale, and I saw a thread of magic swirl around his neck before dipping under the collar of his shirt.

“A binding contract?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

Caroline exhaled through her nose, glancing significantly at her husband before saying, “Marriage. Cade will marry our house heir.”

Both of my eyebrows went up, and I looked at Elizabeth. “And you’re okay with this?”

She gave me a disgusted look, and there was an awkward silence before Cade said, “Elizabeth isn’t the Morrison heir.”

I looked at Phelan, but he waved me off too. “No, no, thank god. That belongs to Summer.”

“I would marry Summer and…” Cade frowned. “And you’d have the excuse you need to attack House Bartlett.”

“Excuseis such a desperate word. It implies that we need a reason to go to war with House Bartlett,” Howard said. “More reasons than we currently have, that is.”

“You need a reason if you don’t want the seven principal houses to stand with House Bartlett against you,” Cade said sharply.

“So, Cade marries your heir,” I said. “And because he’s in your house, with a binding agreement tying him there, you have standing to… what? Try to get his property back?”

“We have standing to fight the illegal coup in House Bartlett.” Phelan gestured to Cade. “The rightful heir wasn’t given fair notice, the house held illegal meetings without him present, they sentenced him to death rather than exile.”

“And you just happen to know all the details how?” I asked.

“Professional secret.” Phelan’s lips curved up, but the smile was particularly empty. He and Elizabeth were two halves of the same unit. She was the muscle; he was the spymaster.

“None of that is technically illegal,” Cade said. “At least not enough to take to the other principal houses.”

“No, but it is enough to validate our attack. We gain your rightful property and crown back.” Howard nodded his head. “Isn’t that what you want?”

“I need to talk to my consort first,” Cade said. “Give us a moment.”

“Of course.” Howard stood, everyone else following. They left through the door, although I had little doubt that Phelan had left behind something that would let him hear everything we said.

“You can’t be serious,” I said. “This is a shit sandwich they’re offering at full price.”

“What other choice do we have?” Cade asked sharply. “Can you get us out of this room? This building?”

My lips pulled back, a snarl without any wolf teeth to make it real. “No.”

I recognized where we must be. The Morrison Building towered over the buildings around it, the housing and workspace for most of the House Morrison mages in the city. Even if we could get out of the room, off the floor, we’d have another twenty-five floors of mages to get through.

“Miles”—Cade turned away from me, his reflection almost translucent in the window—“I can’t lose you. You said I should leave you behind. Icouldn’t. You’remine, do you hear me?”

I swallowed before I could say anything stupid. “Yeah. I hear you.”