“A fair question,” I said. “And one I hope can be addressed in this very room. After all, I did call all of you here in an unprecedented move toward unity.”
“You called us here because we’re in danger,” the middle brother said, “or soshesaid.”
I couldn’t help but notice the way he spat out the wordsheas though it was a foul taste on his tongue, but Olympia didn’t so much as flinch behind me.
“You are,” I replied. “You see, your relation to Adrian has elevated your status in the city. Whether you want it to or not, your sister being one of the first in over a thousand years to complete all ten Trials, especially since she was from a lower ring to begin with, has given you all a bit of renown. It’s important for you to understand the risk that comes along with the fame. You’re targets now. For Cosmo, for politicians from Major and Minor Houses trying to gain an advantage over the others, andfor those dissatisfied with the status quo, those who might seek to make a change in our society through violence.”
“For you as well?” the middle brother added, lifting a brow.
“You don’t trust me. I understand. I’ve given you no reason to. All I can tell you is that Adrian and I were friends and Cosmo and I are opposed. I feel I owe it to Adrian to see to your safety but, more than that, I owe it to you as a future leader of this city. However, the only way I can help you is if you come to me when you need it and the only way to assure you will is to build up enough of a relationship with you, enough trust, that you’ll feel comfortable requesting whatever protection I can offer.”
“Why would we need your protection?” the wife spat.
“Do you know what Adrian sacrificed to ensure the two of you weren’t punished for your marriage?” I asked and watched the varying reactions around the table.
Everyone but the middle brother seemed confused, stunned that she’d sacrificed anything at all, but he knew. I could see it in the way he averted his eyes and frowned. So I turned my attention to him as I spoke again.
“The Tribunal is based on a system of majority. There are three of them. To ensure you weren’t punished, Adrian had to gain the support of two major Houses, not one. She had Viper through the deal she made with Cosmo. Who else do you think supported her?”
The room fell silent as the middle brother pulled his gaze back to mine.
“You?” he asked quietly.
I nodded.
“My grandmother asked for nothing in return,” I said. “She cared for Adrian. We all did. And we understand, better than most, why you did what you did. Both of you.”
I met the wife’s gaze with an intense stare, hoping she understood what I was insinuating. By the way she grew suddenly paler, I thought she might.
“The time will come when we must stand against Cosmo,” I told them, my tone dropping low in warning. “If the rest of us don’t stand together, as one, we will all fall. He sees you as inferior beasts, as heretics. We see you as friends. Let us prove to you we’re different from the Vipers.”
“Do you really believe you are?” the middle brother asked. “No matter how nicely you speak to us, no matter how friendly you were with my sister, you’re still up here every day, living in your mansion, eating all your food, never working or rationing for what you have.”
I frowned. He had a point. How could I stand here and argue that I was better than Cosmo if I still placed myself so far above them?
“So come up here with us,” I said. Olympia’s gaze snapped to me but I continued. “All of you. Adrian and I came from different rings and we found common ground. She and I were friends. We could be too. I can inform the Guardians on the stairs you have a free pass to visit the First Ring whenever you wish. No one in House Avus will deny you if you knock on our door. Visit us, see how different we are from the Vipers, see us in our element, and help us try to make Sanctuary a better place. We can’t help the lower rings if we don’t know what they need.”
“You want us to…be friends,” the wife repeated, dumbstruck, “with you.”
I nodded.
Olympia’s eyes were boring into the back of my head but I ignored her and watched as they wordlessly debated with one another. The older brother stared directly at Bria and I could feel the tension radiating between them.
This was risky. Perhaps the biggest risk I’d ever taken. Nascha would give me an earful later and I could practically hear Olympia’s scolding now. The entire city would be shaken by the news of the elevation. It was unprecedented, unheard of, but then so was this very meeting right now. I was the Heir of a Major House and, with the way Cosmo was throwing around his position lately, testing the limits of his power, I figured it was about time another one of us did the same.
After a moment, the middle brother turned to face me.
“Adrian trusted you,” he said, somberly. “We can at least give you a chance.”
Chapter Ten
Olympia
Milo was out of his fucking mind. And so was I for bringing this to him in the first place.
Friends. That was his grand plan to provide protection for the Bexleys. He would just be their friend.
It took everything in me not to roll my eyes over and over again as Milo made his far too generous offer. Then it took even more of my willpower not to launch myself across the table when they turned their noses up at it. Was this the attitude running rampant down on the lower rings these days? If so, it was no wonder a rebellion era tattoo was resurfacing. They wanted the power. They thought they deserved it. But the truth was the whole city would fall apart if left in their hands for a moment and they didn’t even know it.
