Rowan grabbed his shoulder. “You didn’t know.”
Silas shook his head. “That’s no excuse. We killed your entire race.”
I wanted to say something, but everything that had happened today made me hold my tongue. I watched as the star above his brow flared to life again. Nix’s soft chuff was reassuring as she pressed against the barrier. Her smoky voice called to me.The Goddess wants you to trust him. Maybe he has a part to play.I thought about her words before I decided.
I stepped up to him. “No. You didn’t.” I hoped this wasn’t a mistake. “Some Lycans got away. They have been hiding for the last twenty-plus years, and eventually we will have to find them.” Rowan turned to me, his hope for the return of the Lycans glowing in his eyes. “But that’s not our path.”
Silas’s eyes took on the same hope that Rowan’s did. “They got away?” I nodded. “I’ll do whatever I can to find out anything.”
An idea formed in my mind. “After everything is handled here, you will be the only remaining council member.” I nodded to Rowan. “He will still need an advisor. And we will still need you to train the royal guards. But I think I have a better job for you. You and Rick.”
Rowan turned to me fully. “Silas and Rick…what would they do together?”
“Silas knew the rest of the council the best. I know for a fact that they were looking for the Lycan encampment. You can find everything they have. And Rick can help decipher it all.”
“It could take years.” Silas offered.
Carly flashed into my mind. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Rowan nodded once. “The one who is supposed to find them is still a child.” He turned to me. “Are you sure about this?”
“Not at all, but the Goddess chose her for a reason. We have to respect her decision.” I clicked off everything on my father’s computer, and the desk turned dark once again.
“When did your father have time to design that desk?” Rowan knocked on the top for a second before I started for the door.
“I can only assume the man was bored out of his mind at the Agora.” I headed out the door, and the two men followed behind. “He probably took a few years to make it and moved it back here when they moved back.” I looked back at Rowan. “Why? Do you want one?”
Rowan grinned. “Heck, yeah, I do.” I smiled as we headed down the stairs.
“Me too.” I laughed as we headed out to see the damage.
“Checking on everything?” Rowan offered as we hit the ground.
“Yeah. I want to check in with everyone. Have them start to move back to the pack house and their homes. Plus…” I trailed off as I walked up to Greyson. “How have they been?”
He turned to me and smiled. “Everything has been quiet. Just like you said, as soon as they were caught, they shut down.” The Elites were all standing around the Council guards that survived the attack.
I nodded once as we circled those on their knees. “I figured.”
Rowan went to one of his teams, and they whispered back and forth for a second before he pulled back and called out over the men on their knees. “The council has been disbanded. All except Silas have been or will be executed.” His voice carried over the clearing. “Those of you who followed Silas, please stand.”
My father, Silas, and Ronnie stepped out of the house and hurried over. “My King.” Silas rushed over and dropped to his knees. “I know that trust is understandably not given freely right now, but my men…I trust them with my life.” Silas bowed to the ground again. “Please spare them.”
I crouched and helped Silas to his feet. “We wouldn’t act recklessly, Silas.” I smiled as I pulled him over to where his group of guards now stood. I turned to the men gathered there. “It is an honor to have your leader speak so highly of your dedication.”
The men there all dropped to one knee. But it was the man closest to me who bowed his head that spoke up. “It is. Thank you Alpha, for helping him.” The man looked up, and I felt something ding in my head.
“Who are you?” I asked before I could think. His chocolate skin and dark eyes weren’t familiar in the normal sense, but I knew instantly that he was important.
“My name is Sequan Derant.” He bowed his head again.
“You are an Alpha. I can feel your aura. Why are you bowing to me?” I crouched to be level with him.
“When we enter the guard, we give up our official rank so we aren’t involved in secession battles. Our focus is fully on the people we are meant to protect.”
I looked up to Rowan. “Really?”
He nodded. “All of our guards agree to this. Most are not in their pack’s line of inheritance. And it saves them from sometimes lethal situations.”
