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clan’s financial affairs;
     in others they had ceremonial duties; in a couple they were responsible for overseeing
     the clan’s youth. They also took on the day-to-day duties of the Rho if he were incapacitated
     or unavailable. Wythe’s elders had kept the clan going until their mantle found its
     new holder in Ruben; Leidolf’s elders were responsible for a great deal now that Rule
     held that clan’s mantle, given how little time he was able to spend there.
    But the most vital duty of a Councilor was never stated outright, which was why it
     had taken Lily awhile to figure it out. They had to be able to argue with their Rho.
     Not simply advise, but disagree loudly, firmly, even fiercely.
    Most lupi are deeply reluctant to argue with their Rho. Many simply can’t. The ability
     to do so if necessary was the most essential qualification for becoming an elder.
     Lily had eventually realized that this, rather than egalitarianism, was why all of
     the councils except Leidolf had at least one female member, and some had several.
     The mantle didn’t include or affect female clan. Lupi did not—ever—harm women. So
     a tough-minded woman could look her Rho in the eye and tell him he was being an idiot
     when even strong-minded male Councilors might find it hard to offer more than tepid
     disagreement.
    “I guess Mellie has firefighting experience,” Lily said when Rule ended the call.
    “She used to be a fire-jumper, and she’d kick my ass ifshe knew I had to be prodded to think of her for this,” he said wryly. “I’d appreciate
     it if you didn’t—hold on.” He touched his phone again, accepting a call.
    It must have been good news. The tension in his shoulders eased. All he said was,
     “Good,” before disconnecting, but when he looked at Lily his eyes were smiling. “Isen’s
     on his way. He’s fine, unhurt. Hammond found him at Snake Draw, all the way at the
     east end. Down there he couldn’t see the glow from the fire, so he didn’t know. They’re
     headed back at a run.”
    Lily felt her own shoulders relaxing, too. The east end of the draw was maybe four
     horizontal miles away, but the first part of the return trip was anything but horizontal.
     Still, lupi were fast. Isen would be here soon.
    “Excellent!” Cynna said, and, “Say, could one of you get me a diaper? She’s about
     finished, which means she’ll go to sleep, then in ten minutes she’ll stink the place
     up. Regular as a clock,” Cynna said proudly. “Thanks,” she added to Lily, who’d retrieved
     a diaper and some wipes from the stash in the bassinet, and went on, “I was wondering
     if there was any way Firebug Asshole could have known that Isen wasn’t here at Clan
     Central. That he’d gone off alone.”
    “I don’t see how,” Rule said, “unless we postulate a Nokolai traitor.”
    “And that’s unlikely, I know,” Cynna said, “but if the goal wasn’t to pull attention
     away from an attack on Isen—or on me or you or Lily—what was it? Why hasn’t something
     happened?”
    “It’s only been fifteen minutes or so,” Lily began, then stopped. Cynna was right.
     If the firebug knew what he was doing, he’d have acted by now. The more time passed,
     the better their chances of finding him. Or her. Or them.
    “Maybe it has,” Rule said slowly, “and we just don’t know it yet.”
    Lily drummed her fingers on her thigh. “When you want to figure out a perp’s goal,
     you start with what actually happened.”
    Rule’s gaze sharpened. “We went on full alert.”
    “Which meant lights out here, you and me tucked up in this room, and a squad sent
     to fetch Cynna and Ryder.”
    “A squad that reported no problems along the way.”
    “Rule.” Cynna sat bolt upright, dislodging Ryder and leaving her breast entirely bare.
     “You also sent Cullen to deal with the fire.”
    Rule’s face went tight. He reached for the phone—but even as he did, it rang. “Yes.”
     A pause. “I agree. Send