Emberflame Ridge you know, it takes a village to raise a scheme

she gave her information quite freely. renard was not inclined to do the same. surely she could smell the saints on them, as much as they could smell the court.

they’d dismissed riley’s experience already. the kid had wandered right into the willows and pissed on the trees, acted the injured party, and then gone back for round two. they had more important things to do than lend him a sympathetic ear. the last thing the saints needed was an idiot kid set loose, smelling of the canyon, with less of a thought in his head than donovan.

derg hadn’t been so forthcoming with what he’d done to provoke her. they hadn’t asked, but they doubted it could have been much. he was impressively level-headed, especially considering his company – up until you held his head underwater and took a hold of his throat.

didn’t seem they had to do much. she was already circling, now. tail up, narrowed eyes, the whole production. renard kept an eye on her, their own expression left neutral but for the widening smile.

“i like this place.” it wasn’t strictly a lie, but it was avoiding the question.