Hunter moved to me after Mabel handed him rings of copper. My jaw was locked as I raised my hands and let him lock the cuffs into place. When he opened the collar, I reared back, and he tutted. “You’ve been well-behaved so far. Don’t ruin it now,” he coaxed patronisingly.
The collar was something I hated. Out of Gray’s hands it became a demeaning symbol, but I didn’t move when Hunter approached me a second time and secured it around my neck.
Hunter moved a lock of stray hair away from my head. “That was easy. Wasn’t it?”
The cuffs were heavy on my wrists, and instantly, something was missing. I reached for my aura and there was no response, leaving me with a deep, aching emptiness. No wonder Gray screamed the first time he came through the institute. I was utterly powerless. For all the times I cursed my divinity and the chaos it welcomed into my life, for all the times I wished I could go back to a dull mortal life, it was a part of who I was and being stripped of it left me lost.
“It’s only temporary,” Gray reminded me again, struggling to his feet.
“Have you let the others know?” Mabel asked, leaning back against the desk.
“You realise you don’t have a seat on the council,” Gray pointed out, lip curling in disgust. “Playing personal assistant to him might be cute, but don’t expect a seat to the show.”
“She’ll be there,” Hunter said, walking to the door of the office.
We fell into a procession. Hunter leading us from the house, Gray behind him and me and Mabel taking up the rear.
There were so many loose ends. This felt like another thread that had frayed, but it would be knotted and secured soon. I clung to that hope, that by the end of the night I would be surrounded by familiar faces who would welcome me home and fuck the rest of them.
Fuck everything, because I deserved a small amount of relief.
I waited for Hunter to stop us and transport us straight to the council chambers, but he continued walking through the streets.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
Elysia may not have been my home, but I knew we weren’t headed in the right direction.
“To your vote.”
“But the chambers are that way,” I said, jerking my head backwards.
Mabel laughed, a chilling and tinkling sound. “We’re not going to the council chambers.”
Gray stopped, and I bumped into his back. He turned around and gestured me to his side. I wished Hunter had just left us in the collars because I wanted to grip Gray’s hand and have him absorb all the chaos.
“I suggest you keep walking or you’ll make it worse for yourselves,” Hunter said, glancing over his shoulder. “You have people waiting for you. Weren’t you both eager to get this over with?”
Gray didn’t move. “Where are we going?”
“The park.” Hunter sounded irritated. “This concerns the whole of Elysia, so I thought it would be better to have the vote in the open. No one can twist the truth then.”
My heart beat so dangerously in my chest that it caused a thundering in my ears. In theory, Hunter’s move made sense for us. If anything went badly, we were out in the open where nothing could be swept away under lies. But I didn’t trust him and wish I could figure out how he benefitted from this.
“I appreciate being punctual, so we should move,” he ordered.
Glancing up at Gray, I gave a slight nod. We could hardly stand in the street all afternoon and even if we tried to dig our heels in, Hunter could force us to wherever he’d chosen to hold the vote.
My feet hit the cobbled streets as we started walking again, marching towards the park. The trees rustled in the gentle breeze, but it wasn’t the peaceful picture it usually was. The streets were lined with minor Gods and they focused on us. Dozens of eyes tracking every movement without relief.
Hunter strode ahead, and we followed behind him with no other choice.
The hairs on my arms stood on end, but I couldn’t figure out what was happening. The vote should have happened in the chambers just like the first time. I wasn’t naïve enough to believe Hunter had rolled out the welcome committee for the moment they reached their decision.
He stepped up onto a small dais that was erected in the park and when he spoke, his voice rang out clearly.
“My fellow Gods,” he began, and a hush fell over the crowd. No more whispers. “I thank you for gathering here today at such short notice.”
Did he expect to make a spectacle of the vote? There was no need to hide me now. The heavens knew all about me.
