“You aren’ttakingme anywhere. Not without my consent.”
“The officers of the Fellowship rarely ask for consent,” he threatened, waving a hand as if bored by my resistance. “Particularly when ordered by a member of the Tribunal, such as myself. I’d hoped you would be intelligent enough to see the rationality in my offer, as well as the honor bestowed upon you by my retrieving you myself. But if you would rather do this the hard way—”
“Go to hell,” I snapped.
The already silent atmosphere thickened. My mother stared between me and the stranger, wide eyed, lips parting in surprise. Maurice frowned as he looked between us as well. Cosmo’s upper lip twitched in irritation. He opened his mouth to speak and Warren stepped forward.
“She’s not going anywhere with you.”
His voice reflected the fury I felt. The rage was surprising, coming from my normally more mild-mannered brother, but in his easy disrespect, I stepped forward, grateful for his support. I clenched my fists at my sides and glanced briefly over to Dante, who remained frustratingly silent.
“Excuse me?” Cosmo looked Warren up and down, recognition lighting his expression like a flame. “I know you…”
“She isn’t going with you,” my brother repeated. “Not while I live and breathe.”
“Warren,” my mother gasped, but he ignored her.
No one moved as my brother and the Viper elder stared one another down.
“How ironic,” Cosmo commented—and Warren lunged.
“Stop!” My mother shrieked, but Maurice had beaten her to it. He stood beside me, arms wrapped around Warren’s, holding him back as he snarled and spat a string of curses that made my mother blush and the women around her turn their attentions to their cups.
I gaped at him as well. I’d never heard such profanity spew from my brother’s mouth, nor seen such pure hatred in his eyes. Even Maurice, who still held him at bay, seemed just as stunned as the rest of us, gazing down at our middle brother as though he didn’t recognize him.
“Rabid dogs, the lot of them,” Cosmo murmured under his breath.
Behind him, Dante stiffened.
“Come, girl,” Cosmo called easily, ignoring the mounting tension in the room. He whipped around on his heels and strode from the house, Dante following after one final glance back at us—at me. “I won’t offer again.”
The spell House Viper had put on the party only wore off a few seconds after the door had swung shut behind them. Women moved forward to help my mother clear away the food and decorations, men shuffled toward the door, and everyone avoided looking at me or Warren, who was finally shaking free of Maurice’s hold. Our oldest brother raised his hands in surrender and backed away.
Please, Adrian,Dante’s voice came into my mind unbidden.My grandfather isn’t a man to upset.
I bristled.I don’t care how upset he is.
Adrian, think about this. The more time we have to practice, the better we’ll be and the higher our chances of passing the next Trial.
His cold, hard logic made me see red, but I couldn’t ignore the rationale.
I looked from Warren, who was shaking his head and storming out of the room, to Maurice, who watched him go with an expression even more morose than usual, to my mother, who chatted happily with a few of the woman who’d remained to help clean up despite the uneasiness in her rigid posture, and my heart ached.
I can’t just leave them,I replied, sending him a taste of the desperation from deep within me.
If we do this right, you’ll be doing more for them than they can even dream.
He was right. And I hated him for it.
I hated Cosmo for his vain superiority complex. I hated Maurice for holding Warren back. I hated my mother for throwing the stupid party. But most of all, I hated the Geist for stealing Darius and causing all of this in the first place.
I exhaled.
Give me a minute,I shot back before turning back to my family to say my goodbyes.
Chapter Seven
“Storytelling is important to the traditional custom of Sanctuary and the preservation of our history. Religious texts are good for studying but the masses remember stories more than they remember lectures.”
