“I’m thinking it’s time we talk to the elders and tell them what we know,” I said.
He blinked, not bothering to conceal his surprise. “Are you sure?”
“We can’t sit on this forever,” I said. “And if it’s the only way to stop the sand wraith…” I trailed off, taking a deep breath. “I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”
That wasn’t strictly all of it. It was the truth, but it was more than that. I didn’t want Elias getting hurt. After seeing him delirious and close to death at the oasis, I never wanted to go through that again.
He nodded, still staring at me. “In that case, if you’re sure—”
“I am,” I promised.
Another nod. He reached out and gave my arm a reassuring squeeze.
“In that case, we can call a meeting first thing tomorrow,” he said.
Chapter 17 - Emma
The elders sat around the table, all staring at me. On the other side of the table, the Oracle watched, her fingers laced as she waited to discover why Elias and I had brought them here. Patience lurked in her eyes, as if she knew all would be revealed in due course. The rest of the elders shifted in their seats.
“Do you mind telling us why you summoned us here?” Romulus asked Elias.
A crease formed between Elias’s brows as a warning frown spread across his mouth. His hand went to my shoulder. “As I told you, Romulus. Emma called this meeting. Not me.”
The elders muttered to one another, barely looking at me, dismissing me as if I were little more than an inconvenience to them. I had fulfilled my part of the Oracle’s prophecy. I should just retreat into my corner and make as little noise as possible.
Elias’s grip on my shoulder tightened. I reached up to cover his hand with mine.
“This is most unprecedented,” Dorian said, still speaking to Elias. “I don’t think it is right for a luna to call a meeting of the elders.”
Elias’s eyes flashed. “If you have an issue with your luna calling a meeting, I suggest you take it up with her and askherthe purpose of the meeting instead of pretending she isn’t capable of speaking for herself.” His eyes swept across the elders, narrowing as he let out a low growl. “And that goes for all of you.”
Some squirmed, reluctance evident on their faces. Others displayed their contempt more openly, even if they kept their mouths shut. Only one of them looked remotely chastised.
“If that is your wish.” Dorian gave a polite nod to Elias before finally talking directly to me. “Although it is unorthodox for a luna to summon a meeting of the elders, it appears that the alpha finds it important enough for us to sidestep tradition.”
“I do,” Elias growled. He marched across the room until he towered over Dorian. “And if you make one more sly comment that remotely disrespects your luna, I will personally cast you out of the pack.”
Dorian’s jaw twitched. When he turned back to me, his eyes were unreadable, though he gave me his own polite bow of the head. “My apologies, Luna. Please, could you tell us why you wished to speak with all of us?”
This was it, then. I tried to keep the anxiety off my face, wanting to remain calm under their disapproving stares. Still, I couldn’t help but glance over at Elias, who gave an encouraging, reassuring nod.
I stared at the water in the glass in front of me. At first, nothing happened. The elders stared, bemused. Then, the water rippled. Then, it began to float.
As the water rose from the glass, all the elders stumbled backward out of their chairs, mouths open in shock and unease. Only the Oracle watched impassively, head tilted as she studied the water floating through the air.
I let the water spiral around the silent room once before placing every single drop back in the glass. The instant the water had stilled once more, pandemonium ensued.
“Witch,” one of the elders hissed.
At the accusatory, distrustful tone, Elias snarled, almost stepping in front of me until I grabbed his arm. He lookedback at me, irritation plain on his face, but nodded reluctantly, stepping back.
“Part witch,” I said. “Somewhere around one-eighth, I believe.”
“This is unacceptable,” Dorian declared. “We cannot have a witch as a luna.”
“It wasn’t as though being part witchorbecoming luna was my choice,” I said dryly.
All the elders turned to the Oracle, who still hadn’t moved from her chair. She studied me, her head resting on laced fingers, those gray eyes seeming to search deep into me.
