Chapter 54
“Declan!” My voice is hoarse, weak, barely recognizable. “Take her. Now.”
He walks up to me, caution in every one of his steps. “Let McKenzie take her. I’ll stand with you during the hearing.”
I shake my head. “She needs to go back to the hospital before the crows show up. I don’t want anyone to know she was here.”
Declan nods and leans down. I grit my teeth and carefully transfer Delilah to him, the exchange torturous. He gently hoists her into his arms, and her head lolls against his shoulder, her lashes fluttering. But she doesn’t wake up.
I get to my feet and watch him take her away, dying inside.
Benjamin approaches me, his eyes reflecting the worry in mine. “She’s going to be okay, X.”
I won’t consider the alternative, unless I want to lose my fucking mind.
“The Order can’t know Delilah was here,” I say. “When they ask who killed my father, you’ll tell them it was me. Understand?”
He nods slowly. “It was self-defense.”
“The Order won’t care.”
I turn to the vault’s entrance, awaiting the imminent arrival of whatever leaders show up. Seconds later, Daniel Kent appears with his army of crows. Ten of them, to be exact. I guess the council member isn’t taking any chances.
Kent’s gaze, astute and calculating, sweeps over the murder scene. After taking in my father’s lifeless body, his eyes land on me. “Xavier Donovan, you and Benjamin McKenzie will come with me.”
I glance at Benjamin, both of us uneasy but resigned. We knew this was inevitable.
“You’ll appear before the leaders of the Order,” Kent continues, “and recount the events that transpired in the catacombs, specifically the circumstances surrounding Edward Donovan’s death.”
Kent gestures to his men, and they move in, encircling us. With a nod to Benjamin, I fall in line and follow the council member out of the catacombs.
The ride to the Order’s headquarters is silent, the tension in the air clawing at my skin, making it itch. I keep my breathing steady and prepare myself for what’s to come. That doesn’t stop me from worrying about Delilah.
According to the GPS, she’s in the hospital. That offers me a hint of relief, but there are still too many unknowns when it comes to her condition. Does she need surgery? Is she awake? Will she be all right?
We arrive at the fraternity and are immediately taken to the Crow’s Chambers, the place where all decisions of the Order are made. The room is grand but imposing with high, vaulted ceilings that stretch upward, supported by intricately carved stone arches. Massive, stained-glass windows line the walls, and if it were day, they’d cast colorful patterns on the dark wood paneling and the polished stone floor.
I glance at the far end of the room where a large, semi-circular table dominates the space. The leaders of the founding families take their seats in high-backed, ornately decorated chairs. I school my features from smiling at the empty chair designated for the Donovan family. Part of me would love to occupy it, to take over the empire, but with Delilah being my priority, power no longer appeals to me the way it once did.
A grand chandelier hangs from the ceiling, its crystal facets shimmering in the dim light, adding to the chamber’s austere and majestic ambiance. The air is filled with a sense of gravitas and history, as if the walls themselves hold the weight of countless decisions made within.
Kent leads us to the center of the room before taking his place amongst the others. They stare at us, their gazes critical, assessing, but more than anything, their eyes glint with unconcealed suspicion.
Leonard Gage rises and clears his throat. “Xavier Donovan and Benjamin McKenzie. The two of you stand before us to explain the events that led to the death of Edward Donovan and the circumstances in the catacombs. Speak truthfully, and justice will be served.”
I step forward. If there’s any chance of saving Delilah, then I’ll have to set the narrative for Benjamin to follow. If not, the Order will immediately execute her for killing my father, a leader of our society.
That law, like many others, is centuries old and unchallenged.
“If Edward Donovan wasn’t already dead, he’d be the one on trial,” I say, my voice steady. “He ordered the Keepers’ deaths so he could retrieve vital information hidden in the catacombs vault. Blueprints of a technology that belonged to the McKenzie family. Edward Donovan confessed to killing Harold McKenzie, and he ordered me to murder the McKenzie heir. But more importantly, my father was about to commit the ultimate betrayal. He wanted to rule the Order.”
The chamber falls silent, the shock of my words suspended in the air. I stare at the leaders, registering every flicker of surprise and disbelief on their faces. But they quickly mask it, giving me no further insight into their thoughts.
I recount the events as clearly as I can, describing the threats we encountered, the choreography of the fight, and the deaths that were a result, both my father’s and the mercenaries he hired. The leaders listen intently, their expressions neutral.
Ames tilts his head, his piercing blue eyes fixed on me. “Xavier Donovan, you’re admitting to killing your father, Edward Donovan. You understand the gravity of this confession, correct?”
“I take full responsibility for his death,” I say.
When I finish speaking, Benjamin steps forward to corroborate my story, adding his perspective and details I might have missed. Except the ones concerning Delilah.
Benjamin and Declan are longer my brothers-at-arms, they are my brothers for protecting my little raptor.
Daniel Kent nods slowly, absorbing everything we’ve said. He exchanges glances with the other leaders, a silent conversation passing between them.
“Your accounts are consistent,” he finally says. “The situation was dire, and it appears you acted in self-defense. Regardless, the death of a council member is a serious matter.”
Leonard Gage rises from his chair, his ever-present scowl in place “Given the extraordinary circumstances and the testimonies provided, we will deliberate on the appropriate course of action.”
We’re escorted out of the chamber and into a waiting room, the heavy doors closing behind us. I turn to Benjamin.
“Thank you.”
I can’t say more than that, but it’s enough. He nods at me, the situation too precarious for us to speak further. All I can do is wait and stare at my watch obsessively, monitoring Delilah’s heart.
Time drags on, and we sit in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. We’ve faced death and betrayal, and now we face judgment. The Order will not let this go unpunished.
After an hour, the doors open, and Daniel Kent reappears. “The council has reached a decision.”
We rise and follow him back into the chamber. I fist my hands at my sides, fighting the urge to get the fuck out of here and race back to Delilah. But I know a life on the run isn’t ideal. Whether it takes months or years, the Order will find us.
“Xavier Donovan and Benjamin McKenzie,” Leonard Gage begins, “the council has considered your testimonies and the circumstances surrounding Edward Donovan’s death. We recognize the exceptional nature of the situation and the motivation behind the actions taken. Therefore, we have decided that no punitive action will be taken against the McKenzie heir. Instead, he will continue to serve the Order, with renewed vigilance and commitment to its principles.”
Gage smiles. “But you, Xavier Donovan, will be punished. Instead of inheriting control over your father’s empire, that duty and privilege will go to your first cousin Liam Donovan.”
I nod, prepared for this type of outcome. The Order couldn’t allow me to rule my father’s empire after I killed him, or it’d encourage other crows to murder their leaders. That would be a gateway to chaos and dissension among the families. By stripping me of my power, I’ll be a cautionary tale within the society.
But outside the society, I’ll be Delilah’s.
Gage leans against the table, the movement drawing my attention back to the present. “However,” he says, his voice carrying a note of finality, “there is a condition to this. The council has decided that you, Xavier Donovan, can inherit your family’s empire if, and only if, you marry and produce a male heir to continue the Donovan line. The future Mrs. Donovan has to be approved by the Order beforehand.”
The gravity of his words sinks in. This isn’t just about control of an empire; it’s about securing the future of the Donovan legacy and keeping me from Delilah. It’s a compromise, a way for the council to ensure continuity while testing my commitment.
Kent rises, his expression serious. “You have five years to meet these conditions, crow. If you fail, the empire will pass to Liam permanently.”
I nod slowly, my mind spinning with the implications. Delilah’s face flashes in my mind, causing a warmth to spread in my chest. What the Order doesn’t understand is that I’d give up everything for her.
My empire.
My wealth.
My life.
Without Delilah, I am nothing.
“I understand,” I say. “And I accept the council’s decision.”