Chapter 8 Kidan
KIDAN
The words landed like a fist to Kidan’s gut, swift and merciless.
There was a sharp intake of breath. It took Kidan a second to realize she’d made the sound. Her body had reacted before her mind could wrap around the consequences of such words.
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, shocking a jolt of warmth into her. It parted the roar of the ocean and made her feel the desk beneath her, the chair.
Susenyos. His immortality. GK. June. Her four laws. It was all unraveling.
He removed his hand just as quickly, but it was enough to center her.
Yusef’s eyes were dark and wide. Slen was focused on the dean, listening intently, eyes almost shining.
Kidan’s gut coiled. Slen’s ambition was a caged beast, salivating for a temptation it couldn’t refuse.
But she’d chosen Kidan before. Chosen to revive GK after killing him.
Slen would side with her again. The problem was the others.
The delight in Ajtaf’s wide face was too much to bear. He looked like his son, light brown skin and muted green eyes with none of the warmth Ramyn Ajtaf had.
Kidan’s fist came down, her whole face igniting. The blood on the table spilling over the sides. “You can’t do that. I need to set a law within my house.”
A sharp look possessed the dean’s features. “Everyone in Uxlay wants to set their own law, but we don’t function to feed individual greed here. It is a community that must have Border Houses and strong middle houses.”
Kidan bit her lip, fists bunched. Susenyos’s still form told her everything about his rage. Unlike her, however, he masked his emotions well.
But even he must have reached his limit because he released a humorless breath.
“You allow the Border Houses a chance at the middle position and Uxlay will run red with violence as they vie for power. The Founding Houses must remain as the proper heads as it has always been. Either Faris or Adane must be the dean.”
Every member appeared to deliberate the proposed change quietly.
Panic grew into a thousand birds in Kidan’s chest. Without Adane House, she had nothing. Was nothing. June and Susenyos would have no use for her. And GK… GK would die the moment Samson learned of this.
“You can’t do this,” Kidan almost pleaded, sitting forward. “My ancestors founded Uxlay. It’s their right to claim the middle position as Founders.”
There was no trace of emotion on their faces.
Makary sat back, running his fingers through his gray-streaked oily hair. “You speak of tradition, but your parents broke it the day they assigned a dranaic to inherit your house.”
Delarus’s mouth twisted in agreement, a rose stitched to his tailored suit.
Kidan blinked, a drum pounding in her ears.
The others stared at Susenyos, their collective distrust gathering like clouds.
It didn’t matter how much they bickered among each other, they were united in their distrust of vampires.
They would rather let Adane House dissolve into the background than have it be commanded by a vampire.
Susenyos’s eyes were sharp blades, aimed toward the dean, a tight line along his dark jaw. If it was any other place but here, he might have truly killed her.
“That won’t be a problem,” Kidan said, trying to calm her shaking voice. “Because Susenyos has agreed to sign over Adane House to me.”
He went rigid behind her, his piercing gaze a scorching wave down her skull. Kidan’s heart raced but she didn’t drop her chin.
And of course, because it was a lie, the mixture in front of her turned pure black.
Fuck.