Portia bristled with indignation. “No, which meanssheattracted the Horrors.”
This was such bullshit. “How? With what power? No, don’t tell me, they liked the scent of my perfume.”
“You insolent little?—”
“Enough!” Vitra snapped. “Let’s stay on topic, shall we?”
He looked down the table at Walter. “We should put the decision to a vote, don’t you think?”
Walter Regent nodded. “Yes, indeed. I think we can all agree that theMortem Finalemshould be disregarded.”
Crax and Vitra nodded in agreement.
“Agreed,” Heidi said.
Selethis inclined her head, her expression unreadable.
Portia rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, agreed.”
“Very well,” Walter said. “It’s unanimous.”
I sagged on my feet. The relief so acute it left me breathless.
“Now to theTardus Mors,” Walter said. “Should we overturn it and allow Miss Onyx admission? Bear in mind that doing so will activate theArcanum Lexdecree, and wewillbe obligated to return her power to her.”
My gaze flitted to Vitra, finding him watching me with an intensity that made my breath stall. The contact was a zing that hit me in the solar plexus, but in the next blink and the heat was gone, leaving me wondering if I’d imagined it.
“All in favor say aye,” Walter said.
I resisted the urge to cross my fingers. I needed this. Desperately needed admission.
“Aye,” Crax said. “We could use all the Hunters we can get.”
“You know my answer,” Portia said with a sniff. “I want her gone. It’s a nay.”
“Vitra?” Walter prompted.
Vitra’s gaze alighted on me. Unreadable. Unemotional. And if I hadn’t felt his heart beating against my back last night or felt his hot breath on my cheek, I’d have thought he was made of stone. I held my breath. He seemed to have been advocating to let me live, but I couldn’t be sure where his vote would land when it came to letting me stay. I couldn’t read him.
“I vote aye,” he said finally, his tone flat, giving nothing away.
I exhaled sharply. That was two votes in favor of me staying and one against. I might win this.
Walter leaned forward to look down the table. “Constance?”
The almond-eyed woman, who’d remained mostly silent and watchful throughout the proceedings, showing neither support nor condemnation, now fixed her dark gaze on me. “I’m sorry, I must vote no.”
Who the Tarrifel was she? And was it my imagination, or did Vitra’s jaw tense up at her vote?
That was two votes to let me stay and two to send me home. Only Walter and Heidi remained.
The air crackled with tension, or maybe the tension was crackling inside of me, beneath the vise that was wrapped around my chest because there was nothing I could do to influence their decision.
I needed this to be over.
Heidi’s vote would be to get rid of me, that much I was sure of, so that left Walter. If he voted to let me stay, it would be a draw. Then what would happen? Maybe a draw meant I could stay? But Walter’s next words dashed my hopes.
“As the spokesman, I do not get a vote,” he said, “so the decision lies with you, Heidi.”
