“We knew this,” Regina a hand, dismissively. I could tell there was an edge in her voice as if she were impatient to leave. “Diana had told us the Order of Spiritus had known this all along, but chose to sit back and do nothing with this information.”
The High Priestess looked unphased. “And what would you have done had we told all of you?”
Another fight was fast brewing; I spoke quickly. “This is about division. If the Stygian is a united from of darkness, then we need to make a united front of the light.”
“What are you saying?” Phillip asked, resting an arm on the table.
“I’m saying you are all weak alone. Emma is joining all forces of the Stygian and what we need is to join all forces of the light.”
“You want the Orders to become one again?” Astrid asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.
“Yes, and more. While Emma grasps for any bit of dark, we will gather every bit of light.”
“How are we going to do that?” The High Priestess was unable to mask the curiosity in her voice. “I’m not sure the people at this table of worthy of the light.”
Mika let out an incredulous whistle.
Astrid grimaced. “And I thought the Luxis were a bunch of arrogant assholes.”
I tried to get control of the room again. “The Orders have been weakened because they won’t work together.”
“There is a difference between won’t and can’t.” Odina shot daggers at the Luxis and Veritas with her eyes.
The fighting began again. Accusations about who was the most uncooperative and ineffective bounced around the room like a hail of bullets.
Rubbing my eyes, I took a moment for myself to collect my thoughts. “How can you sit there arguing? How can you hold onto blame, pride, envy? These are all the things that separate us from the light.”
Astrid pointed a finger at me. “You are only saying that because the Luxis has taught you those ideals. We do not share their beliefs.”
I splayed my fingers on the table and relaxed my powers out into the table. Light ignited and streamed through all lines in the wood grain. The room quieted as people stared at my magic as it shot up, illuminating the space over the table, dancing in a flurry of color. “You’re right. And the first thing you must do is accept that the Luxis is right about what connects us to the light. Otherwise my brothers and I would not be able to wield such power.”
Gatsby and Leonidas didn’t add anything because they didn’t have to. We were automatically the most powerful in the room and everyone knew it.
Before the smug smile could fully form on Ylang’s face I added, “But our Masters have left themselves powerless by not abiding their own lessons.”
Making the light dance in the air above the table, I brought their attention to the movement. “You are all trying to force each other to agree to the certainty of your perspective. That’s futile. Where we can seek common ground is by agreeing on the most basic principles. Let’s start with the simple fact that you all want to live.” I waited, giving space for anyone to jump in and disagree with my groundwork. I half expected someone to jump up and claim they hoped to die, just to be contrary, but they all remained silent.
“This is all conjecture and philosophy,” my mother broke in, impatiently. “Emma has absorbed thousands of demons and has become unstoppable. We need to focus on how to stop her, not our politics.”
Gregory spoke. “Emma has become terribly powerful, sees truth, and at her core she wishes for this world to be united in good, which is why the Stygian needed her. Since she stepped into her role as Propheros, all her efforts have gone toward uniting all of you. She is a uniting force unto herself, and the Stygian is using that to their benefit.”
“How can we possibly work together?” the High Priestess said coolly, though venom lay just under the surface of her words.
Diana looked around the room. “We can’t do this unless you can all agree the five shall become one again.”
Where the tone of the room had been fighting, distrust, and tension, suddenly the room was emptied of it as I sensed everyone pull back and into themselves, contemplating the ramifications of unity.
“Even if we unify, what makes you think we are powerful enough to fight Emma in her current state?” Mika's tone was more thoughtful than defensive.
I smiled. “I’m so glad you asked.” Turning, I nodded to Travis who looked down the hall toward the kitchen, beckoning with his hand.
A girl about nine years old stepped into the living room, facing everyone at the table. Fair haired with big brown eyes. She wore a purple shirt with a glittery star in the middle and was holding a stuffed bunny to her chest. With a shy smile, she waved. “Hello.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the girl. “Meet Sophie and Merlin.”
Sophie made the bunny wave its little paw at everyone in the room. “These two are our biggest asset and our best weapon. They are going to help us save Emma.”
No one spoke. The only ones who didn’t look as though I’d just slapped them with a cold fish were Phillip and Gregory. The rest of them looked as though I'd offered them a plate of excrement.
