Kim gave him a wide-eyed stare. “You mean that piece of metal was more important than your brother?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. But the Guardian has a huge responsibility to the whole clan. He has to survive to keep the sword free in case he needs to use it on one of us. Kenny knew what he was doing.”

He could tell Kim didn’t really understand, but her look softened. “That doesn’t make it any easier, does it?”

“No.”

Kim slid her arms around his waist. “Liam, I’m so sorry.”

He felt her sorrow. Liam melted into her, tears tracking down his face for the brother he’d lost. Being a Shifter was all about sacrifice, and the fact that Kim understood that untwisted something inside him that had been knotted for a decade.

Kim worked through the day in her office, catching up on phone calls and paperwork, preparing for the court case she was determined to have for Brian. The private investigator she’d hired told Kim he’d discovered evidence that Michelle’s ex-boyfriend had burned with plenty of resentment when Michelle had started seeing Brian. Threats had been made, and friends of the ex-boyfriend had been worried. Good. Kim told him to keep searching that angle.

Kim also pulled up every single piece of information she had on Shifter law and went over it again. She’d find something to stop Fergus trying to defeat the Morrisseys, no matter how long it took. The human government didn’t usually interfere with Shifter hierarchy, mostly because they didn’t understand it. But Kim would find some way to solve this, and Liam would figure out why Fergus wanted Brian executed.

Working with Liam stretched out on her office couch unnerved Kim, especially when he spent the whole time watching her. He didn’t demand her attention or interrupt; he just…watched.

He reminded Kim of lions on the African veldt, sitting under the shade of whatever those trees were, watching herds of gazelles. Maybe the lions wouldn’t be hungry right then, but they’d watch. Heads up, ears pricked, alert. Still. Waiting.

By five-thirty, the gazelle in her was ready to go home.

Kim didn’t bother trying to go to her own house. She drove with Liam straight back to Shiftertown, feeling a strange kind of relief to do so.

When Kim and Liam arrived at the Morrissey house, Sean had a big charcoal-burning barbeque going in the backyard, and beer and ice overflowed from several coolers. A dozen Shifters lounged on the porch and through the yard, talking to Sean and Dylan. Connor kicked a soccer ball around with a few other young men his age, while two teenaged females stood back and assessed them.

Kim’s journalist friend Silas pulled up shortly after. He was tall and very thin, with a prominent Adam’s apple.

“What is this party for?” Silas asked when Kim presented him to Liam. Kim had warned Silas that only Liam knew what he was really doing there, and he promised to be discreet.

“It’s a blessing under the moon, that it is,” Liam answered him. He flashed his teeth in a grin. “It’s after being a very interestin’ ritual.”

Kim rolled her eyes at the exaggerated Irish-isms, but at least he’d quit saying, “Top o’ the morning.”

“You sound like a cartoon leprechaun,” she said to him, after they’d introduced Silas around and left him talking animatedly to Annie from the bar.

“Whist, it’s my feelings you’ll be hurting.”

“Shut it, Liam.”

His brows shot up, and he laughed. “You’re learning, darling.” His laughter was warm, reminding her of him loving her all night, and even now he gave her a look of undisguised hunger. “I haven’t touched you in too long.”

Pleasant shivers ran through her. She agreed. It had been too long since any intimate touching. Hours.

“I’m already wishing the ritual over and everyone gone home,” Liam said in her ear.

“We should probably eat first. Be social.”

“Aye.” Liam slid his hands to her backside and scooped her against him for a kiss. “But I hope this doesn’t take all night.”

They strolled back to the barbeque as more Shifters joined the throng. Everyone Kim had met in Shiftertown was there—the wolf Ellison, Glory, Annie, Sandra, the women on the porches she’d passed the first day, little Michael who’d been proud of his plastic pool.

Kim stiffened when she saw Fergus’s two thugs—the shaved-headed, tattooed guy and military guy with sunglasses. But Sean handed them plates of charred burger with buns, unsurprised.

“They aren’t going to fight anyone, are they?” Kim asked as she took her burger from Sean. The two men had moved off to eat, and she noted the other Shifters gave them a wide berth. “Or bring out a cat-o’-nine-tails and start whaling on people?”

“They’re here to observe the ritual,” Sean told her. “Stand-ins for Fergus. And they’ll be on their best behavior.”

“I could have put Silas off if I’d known they’d be here.”

Liam shook his head. “They won’t disrupt the ritual. Fergus wants this mating done, and he wants to make sure Dad relinquishes power tomorrow.”

Kim nodded glumly. She hadn’t yet found a law that Fergus was bending by asking Dylan to vacate his post, but she would. She’d leave no stone unturned.

She chewed the burger Sean handed her, which was very good, especially with the gooey cheese melted on it. Her diet had gone to hell, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.