Then, it was only the mistrustful, icy chancellor of the Mindshapers remaining.
Aird stood with one elbow perched on the arm crossing his body, his hand tugging at his platinum beard. “I will consider.”
He swept from the room, fur cloak turning him into a wolf stalking away. Doubtless, he would be hastily saddling his horse and returning to his territory at the southern tip of the Mystique Mountains.
Once his heavy footsteps had faded down the corridor, I turned to the remaining Rapture. This force of possible alliances that represented the promise of survival amid an uncertain future.
“Thank you for extending this chance. I will not disappoint.”
With the meeting officially adjourned and the members of minor clans filing out, I didn’t sag under the pressure of Revered as I had yesterday. A fire heated within my veins, the taste of success fueling me. It wasn’t the outcome I wanted, but four chancellors at least agreeing to my tentative rule was better than the alternative. It was a tether of hope thrown into the darkness. I’d survived for so long on only my own faith that I had to believe in it.
Until I looked at my friends, grinning, and found Malakai’s green eyes narrowed.
The smile vanished from my face.
“This is a horrible idea.”
Chapter Four
Malakai
The momentthose words left my mouth, I wished I could have taken them back. Spirits, I’d barely paid attention to the majority of the meeting, too tired and honestly uncaring after last night. Suddenly, voices were raised, Ophelia was drowning, and my hackles snapped up. The last thing I wanted was strangers in our home.
“Malakai.” Ophelia approached, steps slowed with uncertainty. “You are more than welcome to disagree with my decisions, but would you at least show me the courtesy of doing so in private?”
Courtesy?
I looked toward the corridor, where the minor clans had disappeared. Only Tolek, Cypherion, and Jezebel had been close enough to hear, and they were now sneaking out, letting the door close quietly behind them.
“No one heard, and I don’t know if I’d care if they did.” I was too wrung out to care, and her accusation only stoked my fire.
“Do you not take these alliances seriously?” Anger reddened her cheeks. She didn’t seem to want to let it explode, though. She’d been fighting it lately, biting her tongue and pleading with me. She stepped closer, only inches away. “You’re jeopardizing everything I’m working so hard for.”
Fucking Spirits, what did that mean? Of course, I didn’t want these alliances. Why should we need them? Even considering it had my chest tightening, that fire bubbling, but I tried to fight it back to show her reason.
“What if that hard work is directed toward the wrong goal? You’re being reckless by letting threats in.” I looked down at her. “We can’t trust them.”
How could she think otherwise? Relations had been fine between all clans until Kakias and my father launched a false war against the Mystiques. A false war with very real repercussions—the likes of which our people were still recovering from.
“Who’s to say the minor clans aren’t going to revolt against us the same way Kakias did? Who’s to say they aren’t already scheming? Working with her?”
“Why are you so quick to believe ill of them? They haven’t acted against us.” Ophelia’s eyes were round with hurt, like my mistrust of this plan was a personal insult to her. Ridiculous.
The real reason burned through my memories. I clenched my jaw, swallowing a whip cracking through the air, bile stinging the back of my throat. For a flash, I was back in my cell, air heavy with the cloying scent of blood and sweat. Body numb to everything around me. Closing my eyes, I took three deep breaths, forcing the images within the unfeeling place inside of me.
When I spoke again, my voice was low. “I once trusted too easily, Ophelia. I won’t be a fool again.”
“You think I’m a fool?” She inhaled sharply, her breasts touching my chest, and both of our eyes flicked down to where our bodies connected. This was usually the point when one of us gave in, when we buried our arguments in pleasure.
But neither of us moved. Pain twisted her expression into shock.
Fucking Spirits.
Not wanting to fight and worried about what I’d say, I backed down a step. “I think you’re hopeful, but faith for a better future is turning you desperate when you need to be strategic.”
“Desperate?” She recoiled, my words striking deeper than any physical blow could. “Is it desperate to seek change?”
“That’s not what I meant.” She was fixating on the accusation without seeing the bigger picture. She wanted alliances and peace, but what we needed was tight borders and tighter leadership.
