“His family has friends in high places," Joanna reminded her.

"My bet is they're playing the his-word-versus-hers game."

"Fuck! We're talking with Reichert on Friday. Hopefully he'll at least get Alvin to back down until the Council starts convening." Her conversation with Madison the night before came back to her thoughts.

“Hey, what do you know about Reichert?" She figured a reptile shifter might have more intel on the King of Reptiles.

“Besides the fact that he's dreamy and that I'd like to ——"

“Joanna, focus."

"Uhm, he's probably the single most powerful shifter on the planet, his classes are insanely popular, his ass is hard as a rock -—"

"I mean is he an on-the-level kind of guy? Madison's worried that he might just blow her off because of her condition."

"Madison may have a bit of a persecution complex," Joanna snipped.

Heda rubbed her eyes. The monarchs were held in some reverence by the rest of the shifters, and the monarchy of your own species was even more revered. Trying to get the were-cobra to doubt her own king would take some doing.

"Joanna, that's not fair. Just because someone is paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't out to get them."

"Not Reichert," Joanna reaffirmed.

“Hey, I didn't mean anything by what I said. If Madison needs someone to walk her home or to classes or anything, count me in. And count the guys in."

"Volunteering other people now?"

“Babe, with these tits, I can convince any straight guy of just about anything."

That actually got a laugh out of Heda. Joanna really had no shame, which was fairly refreshing.

"You could probably convince ME of a thing or two."

“I promise, the second I think of batting for your team, you'll be the first person I sleep with. Just don't hold your breath."

“Wasn't planning on it. Hey, I'm not sure when or if I'll be in tonight. If Madison wants company, I'll probably stay with her."

“That's cool. Are you still going to be up for the movies on Friday, or do you want to skip?"

“Let me see how this meeting turns out," Heda finished, then said her goodbyes. When she went back inside, Madison was on her way out.

A tall, lanky handsome blond clerk at the front was checking her out, the ever-so-patient smile plastered on his face derived from the practice of dealing with sick and whiny people all day. This was just a few days after school had started. She wondered if he would still be smiling in a month.

“So the doctor left instructions to call if your ribs don't feel better or if breathing becomes a problem. You shouldn't need the pain killers, but you've got the sample packet just in case."

"Thanks," Madison said, looking really, really sad and pathetic. She seemed to be walking a little better, which was encouraging.

"No problem. My name's Detrius, by the way. And I already know that you are the infamous Madison Sloan. No, I'm not psychic."