Blood Challenge
Corwyn—was a friend. Not close, because he was Cynyr and lived in Ireland, but I liked and respected him.”
    “Past tense?”
    As usual, she’d plucked the significant detail from the pile. “Yes. He was killed in Challenge several years ago. I don’t know the circumstances; it was a Cynyr matter. But I assume he challenged because he could not submit. His death grieved me, but it didn’t surprise me. Or him, I suspect.”
    “So high dominants aren’t always evil bastards, but they are über dominant, right? And that tendency is part of Leidolf’s mantle.”
    “Über dominant sounds like über bully. The inability to submit to others is not the same as requiring everyone to submit to you. But yes, there is a certain approval of dominance built in.” In fact, Leidolf had a rep for throwing high dominants more often than other clans. It had been a Leidolf high dominant who founded the youngest clan—Ybirra—back in the 1800s, after leaving his birth clan. Tomás Ybirra had gathered enough strays to begin his own clan, though no one outside Ybirra knew how he’d acquired a mantle to unite them.
    “So what you carry inclines you toward dominance, not conciliation.”
    “Those who become Rho are not by nature conciliatory,” he said dryly. “What is it you’re trying to ask?”
    She waved one hand vaguely. “It’s more trying to grasp than ask. I get the feeling dominance means something different to you than it does to me. Never mind. We started this discussion with me asking if what you carry helps you want what’s best for Leidolf. If you answered that, I missed it.”
    “I’m trying to answer. It … the more clearly I feel a decision aligns with Leidolf’s best interests, the more what I carry aligns with that decision. If I’m unsure, or if I reach a decision more through my head than my heart, then it … withholds itself. My decisions for Leidolf are all coming from my head,” he said, his throat tight with frustration. “I want to do the right thing more than I want what’s best for Leidolf.”
    “Wanting to do the right thing doesn’t count?”
    “Not exactly.” He shook his head again, unable to put into words what he knew.
    “I guess that explains how a scum like Victor Frey was able to use his power as Rho to do commit such major assholery. He didn’t give a shit about doing the right thing, and he was sure that whatever worked for him had to be best for everyone.”
    That made his lip twitch. “I suppose it does, yes.”
    “If the—” Her phone chimed softly from her purse. She straightened. “I’d better get that.”
    Rule’s hearing made it easy to eavesdrop. The caller spoke in a deep bass—and deeply familiar—voice. “Lily, I apologize for disturbing you, but I need to speak with my Lu Nuncio.”
    She frowned. “Isen, I don’t use my in-flight phone privilege for family conversation.”
    “It’s a clan matter.”
    “Unless it’s urgent—”
    “I have spoken as your Rho only once before, Lily. I am speaking as your Rho now.”
    Her frown lingered. Rule didn’t literally hold his breath, but it took an effort. Lily had been formally adopted into Nokolai soon after they were joined by the mate bond. Female clan had different rights and responsibilities than male clan, of course; they couldn’t Change and couldn’t be included in the mantle. But male and female alike had to obey their Rho.
    Lily was not good at obeying. “All right,” she said at last. “But first, tell me what you know about Raymond Cobb.”
    “Nothing personally. Benedict says he’s strong, but not fast. Competitive. He took second in pole vaulting and placed in shot-put at the last All-Clan.”
    “Did Benedict say anything about Cobb’s control?”
    “He considered it good. Please pass the phone to Rule, Lily.”
    She grimaced, but did so.
    Rule took it. “Yes?”
    “The Lady has Chosen for your brother a second time.”

SIX
    THE thunder was all in Rule’s head. It was still

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