Chapter 30
Corvinus
The voices are boisterous; everyone has an opinion about the witches after what they’ve learned here today.
There is just no way that Devora can be allowed to wreak such havoc in our land.
She’s had far too many chances over the years.
Not one of the masters disagree with that, only that eliminating her means at some point, someone will take her place.
Descallia brings his gavel down hard. “Look, it’s not an easy decision, and we have to weigh the consequences of each action carefully.
I will say though that at least with Devora, we know our enemy.
We know that when things get too heated, she tends to back off. ”
Master Tuscano, who has never been a fan of Devora, growls. “Sometimes. Let’s not forget what she’s done in the past, what she put Embry and Lucianna through.”
Descallia nods, cool and calm, trying to evaluate both sides. “They stole the witches shadow books.”
Tuscano meets his eyes dead on. “Which she kept because she didn’t want the witches’ secrets out because she wanted to keep our land.”
Our leader nods. “I’m not disagreeing but playing devil’s advocate.
She had her reasons. She was trying to safeguard information that would keep her witches safe in case we were to attack.
I might have done the same if the situation were reversed.
In fact, if they stole the Vade Mecum, I’d consider it an act of war. ”
Everyone stops for a moment, considering what he’s said, and our wise leader is not wrong.
As many times as we’ve gone up against Devora and some of her harebrained schemes, while she may have ranted and raved, we’re all sitting around this table together today unharmed.
Not without effort because she’s tried to get to us through a multitude of factions, ghouls, rogue vampires, bastard shifters, and even the mafia.
She’s tried every trick in the book, and we’ve stayed ahead of it all.
Descallia’s eyes meet mine. A scary moment for all of us as he contemplates whether Devora’s actions mean we end her for good or take back the land but leave her knowing we’ll deal with her another day. “It’s not a decision I plan to make lightly. I wanted your input, but I’ll sleep on it tonight.”
He brings the gavel down. “Go enjoy the rest of your night. As always, feel free to send me any thoughts you have about this today or tomorrow.” The vampire masters get up, milling around, clustering into groups as they discuss recent events and the chain reaction it’s set into motion.
Descallia looks tired as he gathers his things.
He glances up at me as he places his notebook in his briefcase. “That went about as well as expected.”
“Devora stepped over the line with Delilah. It was personal for him. If she tried that shit with Embry you’d be getting the same push back from me if I hadn’t already ended her myself.”
He lets out a frustrated sigh. “You’re not wrong, and it feels like the decision should be easier, yet something in the back of my mind, in the pit of my stomach, is telling me to wait.”
I’ve been in that same position a million times over the centuries. “There’s nothing that says we have to make the decision today or even tomorrow. We have time and maybe we evaluate once we know how they react to us staking claim to our land.”
He nods, smiling at me. “You know, whoever made you my second in command was a brilliant fucking man.”
I laugh. “Come on. I received an invitation to a dance being held at your estate.”
He rolls his eyes. “Hard to know what we’re walking into tonight,” he says, but thinking about going home has certainly put him in a far better mood. We walk out of the conference room together. “A favor if I could,” he asks.
“Anything,” I say, stopping to take my coat from its hanger in the large foyer area.
He turns to me. “Now that Slobozia is back in his rightful place, and there’s no conflict of interest with Taylen being in the warriors, I thought perhaps you could talk to Embry.
She was one of the few that we already said yes to before we put a pause on the project and asked you to step in. ”
I smile. “She loves Taylen and will be thrilled.”
He nods. “Do you remember Zain, stepped in when the Halloween nonsense was going on with the witches? I told him he’d have a place on the warriors as we got it back up and organized.”
Descallia doesn’t give me a chance to tell him no, that it’s no longer my decision. “I’ll talk to Embry too, but you know Zain personally.”
Overmaster scans the crowd before turning back to me.
“I’m wondering if you could reach out to him, let him know that the warriors are being reorganized and that his patience with this hasn’t been for naught.
He’ll make a great warrior and fantastic leader one day.
Just send him down the path of applying, and he’ll impress Embry with the rest.”
I give him a grin. “That I can do. Zain’s a good man. I couldn’t agree with that direction for him more. I’ll give him a call tomorrow.”
His brow knits. “There is one thing. Zaigon, he wasn’t pleased at all about Zain. We may need to feel that out a little more.”
Zaigon has gotten more pessimistic and obnoxious as the years go by. He gives Embry any trouble and that prick’s going to be dealing with me. “I’ll handle it personally.”
Descallia’s dark eyes flash and he smirks. “For some reason I knew you wouldn’t hand that encounter off to one of the lords. In the meantime, we should probably get home and see what these females are up to.”
I call over to the other masters left convened on the street waiting for our discussion to end. “Ready to go check in on the females?”