“If any of you have come here to demand that Raini be ostracized, it was a waste of your time,” said Jolene. “The only way I would consider such a thing ‘fair’ is if every other person here with lethal abilities was prepared to leave. Of course, those who remained would need to vow that if any of their children developed a deadly gift they would declare it to the entire lair. Are you all prepared to do those things? Raise your hand if so.”
A few meekly did, but when they realized that not many others had, they lowered their hands.
Jolene’s mouth thinned. “I thought so. Go home and have a good, long think about just how easily you’ve been manipulated into coming after a woman who’s done nothing at all to you. I personally wouldn’t much like what it said about me.”
Once the crowd had left, Ciaran heaved a sigh. “Man, that was rough.”
Swallowing, Raini nodded, though “rough” was an understatement. “I suppose it could have gone worse. Some did speak up for me.”
“Even though many fear you now, there are only a few who’re unhappy with you being here,” said Jolene. “But that doesn’t make it any easier for you, I know.”
No, it didn’t make it easier. These were her lair members, for Christ’s sake. Raini wouldn’t have shit on them this way—not even those she didn’t like all that much. “You know, it occurred to me that whoever did this knew exactly who in the lair would be an enemy of mine. Only an insider could truly know all that.”
Jolene sighed. “Yes, out of our suspects, only Dwain and Demi would possess that knowledge. And since Dwain wasn’t trusted with the knowledge of your ability—”
Evangeline stiffened. “It wasn’t Demi.”
Jolene turned to her, all compassion. “We have to consider that she may be behind this.”
Evangeline wildly shook her head. “She could have told Dwain while drunk or something. Or maybe she trusted him with the information. He is her anchor.”
“It’s possible,” Jolene conceded. “But bear in mind that the one person most likely to be angry about Raini finding and bonding with her anchor is Demi. She’d be both furious and bitter enough to do this, because Raini has what Demi herself wants.”
Lachlan rubbed at his face. “I can’t deny that, but the world also thinks that Raini and Maddox are a couple. Dwain would hate that, wouldn’t he? He doesn’t want her to be happy.”
Evangeline slashed a hand through the air. “I won’t believe that Demi has any part in this.”
Jolene touched her arm. “I understand that. I do. I just can’t afford to think as you do. I have to be objective. You know that.”
Evangeline nodded. “I do. And I’m grateful, for Raini’s sake, that you are. But … ” She turned to Raini, her eyes wet and full of apology.
“It’s okay, Mom. Really. I get it.” Raini honestly did, because she knew that her mother would have so staunchly defended her in such a situation until given proof of Raini’s guilt. Plus … “Like you, I’m still holding out hope that it isn’t her.” Sliding her gaze to Jolene, Raini asked, “Do you think anyone will decide to leave because you’ve refused to banish me?”
“It may happen,” replied Jolene. “But it would be more likely that some would threaten to leave, thinking it will make me change my mind. It won’t. There is no way I will punish you or anyone else for something you haven’t done.”
God, the woman was awesome. A lot of Primes might have acted differently just to keep the peace among their lair, but not Jolene. She stood for what she believed in. Stood for every one of her demons.
Raini bit her lip. “Things won’t be the same anymore, will they? There are some who’ll never trust me ever again now that they know what I can do.”
Lachlan squeezed her shoulder. “Some might be assholes toward you, but not all. What really pisses me off is that if they were in a life-or-death situation and the only way out was for you to use that ability to save them, they’d expect you to do it. Not one person would tell you not to.”
Beck nodded. “I think a big reason why they reacted this way was shock. Once the knowledge has sunk in and they’ve been forced to look at the situation from every angle, I doubt it’ll seem so terrible to them.”
Raini wasn’t so sure, but it was a nice thought.
Blindsided by the whole thing, Raini was in something of a daze as Ciaran teleported her back to the penthouse. At his recommendation, she telepathed Harper to report what happened before one of the sphinx’s relatives beat Raini to it.
Naturally, Harper, Devon and Khloë soon turned up at the penthouse—all furious with not only the boycotter but the people in the lair who, in Harper’s words, needed “to get off their high fucking horses now.” The sphinx had also proposed that Raini simply join her lair, which Devon and Khloë thought was the best idea ever. And right then, when Raini felt so let down, it didn’t seem such a bad idea to switch lairs—which Maddox would love, since he pressured her to join his on a daily basis. And the fact that the majority of his lair were now pretty nice to her was eating at her “I’m not welcome there” argument.