The line began to ring, and Preshea’s voice came on the line a moment later. “Finally.”
Rho snorted. “It’s a fifteen-hour flight. Give me a break.”
“Your boss is here.”
“So your text says.”
“He’s been here for an hour.” Preshea’s voice clearly portrayed her irritation. “Says he needs to talk to you.”
“Did he say what about?”
“No. He only wants to talk to you.”
Rho stifled a laugh at Preshea’s tone. Preshea absolutely hated when she didn’t get her way, and no doubt Frederick wasn’t in the giving mood. He was a prince. He didn’t have to take orders from anyone. “Put him on the line.”
Static filled the line as Preshea transferred the phone.
“Rho?” Frederick’s voice was familiar yet foreign. She hadn’t spoken to him for weeks, and it felt like eternity.
“Frederick? What are you doing back at the house?”
“You haven’t been checking in,” he accused.
Guilty as charged. She hadn’t called him since the day she’d left for Paris. “I’ve been busy. Top-secret stuff.”
“You should still check in.”
She sighed, unwilling to argue. “I’m sorry. So what’s wrong now?”
“The Council has requested a meeting with you. Tomorrow night.”
Her stomach dropped to her feet. Could they have decided her fate already? Had Cadence had a chance to tell them what happened? Would she come to Rho’s defense? “They’ve come to a decision?”
“That’s what Costel says.”
Anticipation churned in her gut. “And?”
“That’s all I know,” Frederick snapped. “Costel won’t tell me a thing.”
“That’s not good.”
He was silent for a long moment before he finally responded. “Listen, no matter what happens, I’m here to help you. We’ll figure this out.”
“Will you be with me tomorrow?” She could only hope he could be. It would be nice to have someone in her corner when the verdict came.
“If they let me.”
“Good enough. Thanks for letting me know. And I won’t be home for a while, so you can go ahead and leave if you want.” After saying her goodbyes, Rho hung up the phone and stared at the blank screen in her lap.
“That was Frederick?” Eldon asked as he merged onto the highway.
Rho nodded. “He’s at the house. Wanted to talk.”
“And?”
She blew out a long breath before turning to him. “Council meeting, tomorrow night. My attendance is requested.”
Eldon frowned. “I don’t like this.”
“It’s not optional.”
“I know.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter and glared at the roadway as if it were an enemy. “I’m coming with you.”
The steely tone of his voice told her there’d be no arguing with him. She wasn’t going to be the one to say he couldn’t tag along. She’d let the Council tell him that, and then he’d be mad at them, not her.
Yet even though she knew the chances of the Council allowing him into that meeting were slim to none, she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have at her side.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Order! Order!” Cadence rapped her knuckles against the table. “This Council session is now in order. Please take your seats.”
Eldon sat in his designated spot and surveyed the room. Far too much power in one place for his liking.
Rho settled into the seat to the right of her boss. Frederick placed his arm on the back of Rho’s chair, and Eldon fought the urge to knock it out of the way. No matter how many times she’d told him there was nothing between her and her maker, he hated the two of them together. He hated the fact they shared a mental connection, and he despised the idea of Frederick doing anything to control her.
But this wasn’t about romance. This was about Rho’s life. And if Frederick was willing to stand by Rho’s side and defend her actions against the Council, Eldon was prepared to let him. Anything to keep her safe.
Eldon took his seat in the far corner of the room. The Council didn’t accept onlookers, so it had taken quite a bit of convincing for them to even allow him to be here. His status as a member of the Collective didn’t entitle him to attendance at Council meetings, but Cadence had offered to speak on his behalf.
Ultimately, they’d agreed to let him come as long as he remained quiet and vowed not to repeat anything discussed. No problem. He could keep his trap shut. All he wanted was to be here for Rho, in case things didn’t go as they’d hoped. His stomach churned as he considered the possibilities, but he quickly shoved his doubts aside. Negativity would get him nowhere, and regardless of the outcome, he would find a way to make things work. He had to.
“Thank you all for coming today. I do hope this will be a short meeting.” Cadence sat in the chair at the head of the table and folded her hands together. An empty chair sat to her right, no doubt the seat Max had usually occupied. Eldon had no clue what Cadence had done with him, but he was sure no one would be seeing him anytime soon.
Uncomfortable silence stretched across the room as the Council members joined her and took their seats. Around the table sat faces Eldon had never seen before in person, but their status in the DarqRealm communities were legendary. Costel, the Lamia King, sat to Frederick’s left. His slicked, black hair and Gothic attire weren’t a surprise, a typical staple of an older vampire’s wardrobe.
Ash, the forerunner of the werewolves, sat across from the king, sporting faded jeans and a collared shirt. David, the temporary leader of the shifters, sat beside him. His thin, sunken appearance nothing like Alexander had been—although no one had seen or heard from Alexander since their run-in with Rhyannon, who was also mysteriously absent.
Eldon surveyed the leaders in the room. He had no idea what fate they would have decided for Rho, or why. His expertise began and ended with magick movers, although he’d learned quite a bit about vampire politics since he’d begun a relationship with one. Despite his disdain for Frederick, he knew he could count on that man to fight for his Rho. Which was good enough for him.
Cadence cleared her throat. “As you may have heard, my assistant Max will no longer be working with the Collective or the Council. His alliance is not with us, and I will not allow him to compromise the mission to retrieve the Kamens. I can only apologize for his actions and assure you he will be handled.”
Handled was probably the most tactful way of putting it. After stealing the vampire’s Kamen, purposefully fighting against his own family, and murdering an innocent man, Eldon could only hope Cadence was giving him what he deserved. And he hoped it was painful.
“I’d now like to turn the discussion to the possible extermination of Rho Vasile, one of the last remaining siphons in our world and a vampire under the Vasile family line. Rho, before we reach a verdict, would you like to speak on your own behalf?” Cadence asked.
Rho made a move to stand, but Frederick grabbed her arm and shook his head. She sat back down, and Frederick rose from his seat. “If it would please the Council, I’d like to speak on Rho’s behalf.”
Eldon frowned. Why couldn’t Rho speak for herself? Did he think they wouldn’t respect her side of the story? That they’d dismiss her so easily? Eldon didn’t like the idea of Rho being spoken for, especially by any man other than himself, but he held his tongue. Surely Frederick had some sort of plan here.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Council,” Frederick started, “thank you for your consideration. I ask to speak to you on behalf of Rho Vasile because I created her, and I am also her employer. She is my responsibility.”
Frederick tugged on the edges of his suit coat. “Since being appointed as executioner for the DarqRealm vampires, I will vouch for her excellent skills in combat as well as her loyalty. In her years working for the guard, she has always exceeded expectations. Our crime rates are the lowest they have been for three generatio
ns, and I attribute that largely to her skills and dedication.
“Furthermore, since she has been on the team appointed by this very Council, she has remained loyal to our goals. It would be a travesty to waste a talent like hers, for no other reason than fear. I’d ask that so long as she abides by the laws of the DarqRealm and the vampire nation, she be allowed to remain in our world. Thank you.”
Frederick gave a quick nod and resumed his seat beside Rho. His words had been kind and generous—and truthful—but would they be enough?
The door swung open and slammed against the wall, sending the room into an uproar. Cadence jumped to her feet, and Eldon followed before rushing around the table to Rho.
A thin woman, dressed head to toe in green silk, stepped into the doorway. Her black hair hung to her waist, twigs and flowers braided into her mane. Dark eyes missed nothing as she surveyed the room.
Rhyannon.
“I do apologize for being late,” the fae queen purred as she strode into the room. “I hope I’m in time to give a little speech of my own.”
Eldon’s stomach turned as the queen eyed him, sizing him up. Rho tensed in front of him, her hands balled into fists at her side. What the hell was she doing here? How dare she stand in this room and pretend for one moment she wasn’t acting against the Council? Everything that had happened with Max reeked of her. There was no doubt in his mind Rhyannon had been training Max to do her bidding, all while convincing him she’d give him some untold power if he cooperated.
Rhyannon didn’t take her eyes off Rho as she waved a hand in the air. The door closed behind her. She stepped forward and pulled out a chair at the opposite end of the table from Cadence and sat down. “Please, sit. No need to stand on my behalf.”
Cadence shot a glance at Eldon, and he knew at once this hadn’t been planned. After what had happened with Max, she’d obviously never expected Rhyannon to show her face again. Neither had he. The queen had way more guts than he’d given her credit for. Not only did she plan on working against them all, she planned on doing it right in front of their faces.
Everyone at the table settled back into their seats. Rhyannon was a standing member of the Council, so there was nothing they could do. She had every right to be here.
Eldon wandered slowly over to the far side of the room and occupied his chair. As much as he wanted to sit closer to Rho, strategically this was the best position. They could cover more ground this way, just in case. Not that he expected Rhyannon to do anything, considering she was in a room full of very powerful people.
“Thank you for joining us,” Cadence said stiffly.
Rhyannon offered a sweet smile. “Of course.”
“I must tell you, I’m surprised to see you here. You’ve been accused of assisting in a plot against this very Council.” Cadence’s demeanor was sweet, but her eyes were sharp.
Raising a hand to her chest, Rhyannon opened her mouth with surprise and glanced around the room. “Really? Me?” Her gaze fell directly on Cadence. “What proof do you have I would do such a horrible thing?”
“We have a witness.” Cadence shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“Who’s your witness?” Ash, the forerunner of the wolves, asked.
Cadence turned to him. “Max.”
Rhyannon barked a laugh. “Your own blood? Surely you can’t expect us to believe he’s objective in that opinion.” She leaned forward, elbows on the table as she folded her hands and tucked them under her chin. “Is that all?”
“For now.” Anger simmered just beneath the surface of Cadence’s emotions, but she kept herself in check.
The team had seen Rhyannon in action, but their word wasn’t enough. Alexander, the leader of the shifter nation, had gone missing after the team had discovered he was working for Rhyannon. By forcing people to do her work for her, she’d never gotten her hands dirty. At least, not dirty enough.
“Let’s continue, then. Shall we?” Rhyannon rose to her feet and gave Frederick a slight nod. “I believe you have had a chance to speak on Rhowen’s behalf. But I would like the opportunity to speak my thoughts on the matter.”
Seriously? Eldon clamped his hands down on either side of his chair in an effort to remain seated. He wasn’t a member of the Council and he didn’t have a right to speak in this meeting, but of all the people to speak out against Rho, he’d never imagined Rhyannon would be doing it. She’d already created the spell that gave Rho a death mark. Apparently that wasn’t enough. She wanted Rho dead, and she wanted her dead now.
“Rhowen Vasile is not just a siphon, nor is she just a vampire. She is both. As far as our records show, there has never been another being in existence to possess both of these qualities. She is a danger to the entire DarqRealm. A danger that must be eliminated,” Rhyannon said.
Like Rhyannon wasn’t a threat? Of all the DarqDwellers Eldon had ever known, the queen of the fae was easily one of the most powerful. She could summon more energy faster than any fae or magick mover he’d ever met. How could Rho be more threatening?
David, the shifter representative, rubbed his chin in thought. “How can you know she’s dangerous? Has she done anything to earn that reputation?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Rhyannon’s lips lifted into a sly smile. “First example, although I understand if you choose to disregard it because it is my own witness, was her use of magick against me. She siphoned my power and tried to use it against me.”
Rho sprang from her seat. “I was defending myself!”
Rhyannon brushed a hand dismissively through the air. “I never struck you with magick.”
“You struck him!” Rho pointed a hand across the room at Eldon. He nodded.
“Like I said, I never struck you with magick. And yet you siphoned my power in an effort to destroy me,” Rhyannon continued. “More recently, you used your magick to murder a magick mover.”
Eldon pinched his brow in confusion. Murdered a magick mover? He’d been with Rho when she’d siphoned the power in that room. She’d used it against Max, but she’d never murdered him.
“I was there when Max was struck by her borrowed magick,” Cadence interrupted. “I can assure you he’s not dead.”
Rhyannon shook her head. “That isn’t who I’m speaking of.” She turned to Rho. “Is it, Rhowen? You know who I speak of.”
The little color in Rho’s face drained away, leaving her even more pale than normal. She didn’t say anything.
Rho? Eldon asked into her mind.
I forgot to tell you about that.
You killed someone? Eldon arched a brow as he stared at her from across the room. There was no question in his mind Rho could be lethal when she wanted to be, but he knew her. She wasn’t in the habit of killing people for fun. She wouldn’t have hurt anyone if she could’ve helped it, and she definitely wouldn’t have responded with deadly force unless she’d been provoked.
When you left for the train station, I was alone. A magick mover Max sent to watch us attacked me with knives then tried to kill me with magick. I defended myself.
You have to tell them the truth. In this case, honesty would be the best policy. If she kept anything at all from the Council, it would look like she had something to hide.
Rho nodded then met Cadence’s stare. “I can defend my actions.”
“Please do.” Cadence motioned toward the table, giving her the floor.
“As part of our mission assigned by this Council, we went after Max. We had reason to believe he kidnapped our friends in an effort to blackmail us. I’d left my teammates to take a separate train, and during that time, I was attacked by a magick mover. He tried to use magick to kill me, so I siphoned his magick and countered it to use against him.”
“You used magick to kill him?” Ash asked, the surprise clear in his voice.
“Only the magick he’d intended to use to kill me.” Rho lifted her hands in front of her. “I can’t summon the energy myself. I can only use what is thrown at me. If he hadn’t tried to
hurt me, I never would have been able to use his magick against him.”
“But you did use his magick to kill him,” David’s brows drew together, the accusation hanging clearly in the air.
Rho nodded. “Right.”
Rhyannon lifted a hand. “If I may, I don’t believe that’s entirely accurate.”
“But—” Rho started.
“Did you or did you not stab the man after using his magick to incapacitate him, not kill him?” Rhyannon’s grin widened.
Rho opened her mouth then shut it again.
Eldon studied Rho’s face before glaring at Rhyannon. Had Rho actually stabbed the man? Did she kill him just as she had done as an executioner? A sick feeling poured through his stomach as he considered what the queen was trying to say. If she had, in fact, stabbed the man, instead of incapacitating him and bringing him to trial, that would make her a murderer in their eyes. Not just an innocent woman trying to defend herself.
“Well…” Rho started again.
Ash frowned. “Answer the question.”
Truth, Rho. You have to tell them the truth, or they can’t trust you.
Rho gulped then blew out a deep breath before answering. “I did stab the man. I used his magick to incapacitate him, and then I eliminated him. He tried to kill me. I did what I thought would be the safest for my teammates.”
“Instead of bringing him to trial for his actions?” David’s tone was accusatory.
“You are not an executioner for the Council,” Costel said. “Your authority in my court does not extend here.”
Rho turned her attention to the ground and nodded.
Eldon bit his lip, trying to squelch the nervous energy buzzing in his gut. This conversation was going downhill fast. Had she told him about this earlier, they could have come up with a better story detailing the incident as self-defense. Instead, she’d loped herself right into a trap. Rhyannon couldn’t have set this up better.
“As you will see, my fellow Council members, this young hybrid is not operating within the scope of our laws.” Rhyannon motioned toward Rho. “If she doesn’t abide by our rules, we cannot control her. And that which we cannot control must not be allowed to live.”
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