42. A Matter of Council
CHAPTER 42
A Matter of Council
ALIA
“ D o we not need more wisdom, Matriarch? Could we not see what your grandmother has to say?” Elder Pulma said, his voice imploring. “We have planned this over the previous decade. They are monsters, as you well know.”
I barely contained my flinch at the implication. “We will not speak of my grandfather, Elder. What you wish for will not come. Enough blood has been spilt to last many decades. Do you not recall what my brother found?”
“Of course, of course. But all those plans are going to waste when we could have used them most. Should we not use this last night of the Blood Moon to destabilize the magical community so?—”
“So what? So they can be overwhelmed by humans and eradicated? If this were a werewolf council speaking of eradicating humans, we would be appalled. But because it is us humans speaking of them, it is all fine, correct?” I played with my dart gun, twirling it between my fingers.
He sputtered, his face becoming red, resembling a little red panda. “Why… Why you… You have discarded all the teachings of our generations. Turned them to ash. And for what? To protect the very monsters who killed your grandfather?” He slammed his hands down on the table.
I casually put the dart gun to my lips and blew. The dart landed between his index and pinkie finger. He shot upright, his chair falling with a clatter behind him. “You dare threaten me?”
“I do not threaten, Elder Pulma. I kill. Do not think for a moment because I have mercy on all creatures that I will have mercy on you.”
Ran cackled in my mind. Get ’em. Want me to come help?
I nearly grinned. Ran would put him in his place. Better leave it to me. He'd give you indigestion. Thanks, though.
She huffed, as if disappointed.
“Sit down, you old hag. The world is changing, and if we are to survive, we need to change with it,” Elder Timone said.
Elder Pulma sat.
“What do you propose, Matriarch?” Elder Timone asked.
“We use the preparations to scour the city for dark mages. They are using their powers to gain a foothold with each being. We need to know why. We will not become spineless worms twiddling our thumbs. We are trained warriors, assassins of those who seek harm on innocents, and called protectors of magic. Our training will not go to waste.”
Elder Pulma’s scowl softened into a puzzled frown. “You do not wish complete peace?”
“Dragon spit, no. Do you really think I would hang up my cloak after all this time? Our mission has not changed, it has merely become what it was supposed to be in the beginning, before it was distorted. Tutela vita fons ,” I said.
“Fides familia,” they finished with me.
It may take time, but we all needed change.
"What other matters do we have to attend today?" I asked.
"Rey and his father, the growing cult in the city of dissenters, your grandmother, Verand and Graham’s escape, the marketplace taxes since you have drained our coffers paying creatures to help with dire situations , and a situation between orphans and?—"
I held up my hand. The wish to rub away the growing headache caused my hands to twitch. I couldn't show weakness. Not yet.
"Rey and his father will be excommunicated in five days. Give them enough coin—five hundred pes should do—and make them leave, never to return. Let them find their way in the world, away from us. When my dragon's attempted murderer is found, he shall be brought before the elders on trial for the attempted murder of a fellow Red."
Elder Pulma grew red in the face. "You cannot call that creature a Red!"
I stared at Elder Pulma but said nothing. Then I slowly stood to my feet. "Elder Pulma, I could understand your reasoning had you not personally read the Banner of the Red Knights. Has wisdom been chasing you for very long? Your endurance is quite impressive."
Elder Vera coughed as Elder Timone snickered.
Elder Pulma looked confused until his eyes cleared and he scowled. "Petty insults get a monarch nowhere good, Miss Alia. You should reevaluate your methods before leading us into an early grave."
He stood and walked out.
I stared at his back as Elder Timone watched with a sly smile.
I stalked through the underbrush, my headache growing ever bolder. The elders acted like children and got angry when you treated them as such. After Elder Pulma left, Elder Timone asked for the right to replace those who disagreed with us.
I was inclined to agree, except for the fact that opposing opinions were not evil. Shen and I had disagreed in the beginning, and only from that had I the courage to eventually realize my vantage point was skewed. Different opinions, when regarded with respect and handled with kindness, were what challenged us to be better individuals. But those unable to change were stuck in a mire of their own creation. And those who did not listen to opposing viewpoints were the masters of their own destruction.
So I knew I needed Elder Pulma and those who had different opinions on my council.
A grin lifted my lips. That'd shock the heck out of him.
When I walked through the yard of our home, I saw her. She was standing. On her own. Watching me with the same amount of wonder in her eyes as I had in mine.
“Anna, you’re walking ?”
Doc came out of the house, his grin broad as he watched Anna walk to me. Shen... I knew it was Shen who’d sent Doc here.
My sister was walking . On her own.
Anna tipped forward, but I was there, catching her and holding her. Laughter stuck in my throat as my soul soared beyond clouds even Ran couldn’t reach.
“So what are you gonna do about it?” Anna asked.
She was my best friend, and she had been absent for so long that when she told me to spill all about the hunk of werewolf who’d been following me around like a lovesick puppy, it all came out in a rush. From the caves to the last time I saw him.
I leaned back, resting my head against my hand as I stared at the clouds dotting the sky. Fenbutt crawled over to me, laying his chin on my neck. I reached up and scratched his cute little white head. “I have no idea,” I whispered. “On one hand, part of me thinks I should hear him out. That maybe he has a good reason. But he killed him in cold blood. And?—”
“And you don’t wanna get your hopes up and be hurt again.”
I nearly groaned. “Could you not use your Gift on me?”
She laughed. “Hon, you know it’s a part of me, just as yours is you. And heck no, I am always using this on you. You carry too many secrets for a little sis,” she teased, poking my shoulder.
I rolled my head over to look at her, being careful not to upset Fenbutt, who was jumping in his sleep and releasing gas that made my eyes water. It was worth it to keep him there. His little warm body was like a balm to my soul that thawed my icy heart.
Anna's eyes were brighter since she’d been away from Rey, and even more so since he’d been in the dungeon. After the incident in the village, she'd spoken to Doc. It was as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders, one that had been slowly killing her. Her face was still gaunt and pale, her eyes still sunken, but for the first time I had hope she’d survive this and actually get to live .
“I missed you,” I whispered, my words wobbling past the lump in my throat. Fenbutt stirred, reaching up to lick my chin as if sensing my roiling emotions.
She gathered me in her arms, holding me tight, Fenbutt right in the middle of us and loving every minute of it as he licked our faces. “I missed you, too, little sis. So what are we gonna do about this handsome hunk of love?”
“What if he’s like Rey?” I voiced at last, admitting the darkest of my fears I’d hidden deep in my soul.
Her hair swished across my forehead as she shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t allow what happened to me be what causes you to miss out on a lifetime of love.”
“But what if?—”
“A life built on what-ifs is a life not lived at all. If it helps at all, Rey never respected me if I asked for space. Your Shen has.”
It was true. I hadn’t seen Shen since I told him I didn’t want to. I had a feeling he was never far, but he didn’t push for anything I wasn’t willing to give.
“How do you know, though?” I asked. Rey had been so… charming. It was easy to believe him. To believe in him. He was so nice and would do things for nearly anyone. One time, he rescued a child from a burning building and was lauded as a hero. He did things like that all the time… and then went home and nearly killed his wife with his words.
“Does he protect you from himself?” Anna asked, pulling me back to the present.
Memories rolled through my mind. The time Shen first met my eyes when he was over Ran’s flank, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement. The moments after I’d kidnapped him when he could’ve escaped but chose not to. When he fed Fenbutt because I asked and how he’d gagged afterward. The times he took an arrow for me. Even more so was the vulnerability he showed in having me close to his back after it all and how he’d shown me a side of himself that was a bit broken and very torn.
There was also the caverns. He never took advantage of me, never even crossed my space until I was more comfortable with him. He even sharpened my blades as if he knew that would make me feel safer. He saw how uncomfortable I was and worked hard to make sure I felt secure and in control, going so far as surrendering himself into my hands and baring his neck when I was weak as a kitten.
Again and again, he’d shown gentleness and respect. Even when I’d poked and prodded, he’d merely given some back, but was never mean or inconsiderate in his teasing. He was ever respectful.
With nothing to gain from me, he gave me everything.
“I need to see him.”
“Thought you’d say that,” Anna said.
I squinted my eyes. “You freakin’—”
“Alia.”
That voice.
My heart simultaneously broke and mended in my chest as Fenbutt bounded away from me with a low yip of excitement.