pte

en Ivy returned. Even though he was blocki

In the lengthening shadows, Ivy could see the outlines of the outbuildings. They deliberately avoided the barn even though Ivy knew the animals didn't really suspect her of nefarious doings. S

reports to see if they needed to be pulled in or if they could spend the night outside. In what was once

n they were away from the house and on the meander

Ivy told him. "So why was S

of his less appealing traits. Since one of the things that worry him is mage involvement in the pack, he was

ces right?" Ivy asked. "And since people have been muttering a

Simon's strong su

"And the rest of you a

t compare us to mages. None of you ever actually say what you want

gh when Meeting with Carlson and Hamilton, I did wonder if

find it hard t

with the Seer clan. With a mage it would definitely be a deliberat

lly if I take leadership of the pack. He thinks he could maint

t me specifically o

n pretty good at being there to help when needed and then leaving us alone. He thought t

not why they were her

looking for Nick and

copy of the old laws and the ability to research my own topics of study without supervision as a bribe fo

ive you a copy

e laws Irina and Nick are adherents to my mage house

on over. "I guess since the title was transferred to you first, this would be consid

hook her head. "I suppose I should have serfs out here dealing with the animals and plants instead of my brothers, but

of you, " Russell said. L

ly, " Iv

anyway, or the right to u

than the box traps I was planning to use. Espec

that the woods were alive with the sound of night insects. Things were starting to come out of hibernation

heduled for the day after tomorrow, I can put it off a few days. More maybe if I don't schedule it until a

deal with the pack business, " Ru

d. "And it is mage business, " she added. Russell frowned at her.

sound happy. "Thus far pack busin

ues business rather than

cop wasn't the Intrig

ey were because

t mages, " h

her head. "It was about

ispute her reasoning.

ead the pack?" Ivy

tter at it than Simon. I'm pretty sure ev

e mages?" Iv

an isolationist when it comes to pack business. The pack stands alone, occa

he think of the inoc

were being paranoid and meddling

et the in

miled. "Uncle John ordered

d have dealt with it on its own?"

e knows we needed the

hu

l sounded tired and Ivy wondered if th

laws, an isolationist policy i

d. "It sounds like it might be

ow that there was a system of personal alliances between fam

S

u too much. If the return to the old laws becomes more permanent, even with updated mo

sked soundi

d isn't a terribly old law. They only finalized it in the nineteen sixties or seventies. That means if we revert to

kely, " he told her. "Bu

icted size. Other packs were split because they were too large. What if they decide th

through the ramifications. "I didn'

n't even think about the laws changing until Hamilton

"But now that everyone knows the Brotherhood was splitti

, " Iv

don't t

They paid mages to falsely report other mages. Many of those reporting were highly placed. We'd have a whole lot of issues

ow the same laws,

ity with secular laws. Each mage follows the basic clan laws even if it isn't a religion, but we each have our own little kingdoms within our property

long ago she couldn't remember them clearly. "I don't know the details, but I suspect once I read the

said. He sounded amused rather than conc

ike that, "

ith Irina, there may be stuf

I really need to get

at you go to the city after mee

ck business, even if I am finding out

not to be around, " he admitted.

have so much company. "I doubt I'll have that much time on my own, " she admitted. "I'll be i

safe. Not as safe as your apartment. At least I don't thin

orce it open, " Ivy reminded him. "And I'm s

ed. He looked happ