His brow furrowed as he wondered why I was bringing this up. Then he caught Ioan's look, the flashed annoyance of a doting grandfather bragging about his boy's field pass only to watch his competition score a touchdown. Gabriel gave me a look, as if to say that my efforts were too awkward by far.
Ioan cleared his throat. "So the hound trusts Ricky?"
"It does," I said. "It couldn't seem to help going after Ciro when he ran."
"That instinct is compulsory, no matter how damaged the creature might be."
"Ciro knew that. Which is why he ran. Death by fae hound."
"Hmm." Ioan tugged my elbow, steering me around a rabbit hole without even seeming to glance at the ground. "About the hound. Ricky should take it. It obviously trusts him and--"
"No."
"It would be easier, particularly for the hound. If the beast has overcome a learned fear of Cwn Annwn to trust Ricky, that speaks to an incredible bond, and i
ts rehabilitation would be best facilitated--"
"Ricky lives part-time with his dad, part-time in a student apartment, and part-time at my Cainsville apartment. Two of those places are not hound-friendly. He drives a Harley. Also not hound-friendly. He goes to college and works for a motorcycle club. His life is not hound-friendly. If you suggest the cwn needs him, he'll feel guilty, and he doesn't deserve to feel guilty. Worse, he'll feel pressured. You don't want him to feel pressured." I turned to Gabriel. "Hey, did I mention that Ida wants to give you a house in Cainsville? She says it's time for you to move in."
"What?"
I turned to Ioan and waved my hand at Gabriel. "See that expression? It's the same look of horror you'll get if you mention Ricky taking the hound. Like offering an engagement ring on a first date."
Ioan rolled his eyes at my dramatics, but after a moment he said, "We will care for the hound, but it may require help from Ricky."
"Which he will give. Just...for your own sake, take it slow."
--
I'd hoped, when Ioan saw the hound, he'd be able to mind-meld or whatever and get its story. But the link had been truly severed. He suspected it had suffered some trauma and the lone Huntsman took advantage of that.
"He did not do this," Ioan said as he examined the hound's long-healed injuries. "The hound would never have stayed with him if he did. Something happened to this poor beast. She was orphaned from her pack. He took her, and he did not treat her well, but..."
He hunkered back on his heels, rubbing the beast's ears. She--the hound was apparently female--kept giving him sidelong looks, uncertain, not ready to commit to eye contact.
"The damage he did seems disrespect rather than abuse," he said. "A hound is our companion, not our slave."
"And he enslaved this one," I said. "He treated her as a dog, which damaged her further."
Ioan nodded, rose, and turned to Ricky. "I would like you to help us bring her to my house. I'll keep her there. The pack alpha stays with me, and she'll be comfortable with him."
"Wouldn't she be more comfortable with a hound lower in the hierarchy?" I asked.
"The alpha would never mistreat her, and the hound will take comfort in his attention. Once Brenin accepts her, the other hounds will." He paused and couldn't help looking at Ricky and saying, "Unless you have a better idea..."
"Nope. I'll do what I can, but I'm definitely not in the market for a hound."
I had to bite my cheek at that.
Ricky turned to me. "The Cwn Annwn will take care of Ciro's body. I'm handling the hound. You have to get rid of those clothes. And you and Gabriel need to talk about what Ciro said. I'll catch up once the hound is situated."
"Actually," Ioan said, "Liv should accompany you. The hound obviously trusts her as well."
"No," Ricky said. "She should go with Gabriel."
Ioan's lips tightened, but Ricky only walked over and gave me a hug before we left.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE