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24
Tarnley
Within minutes I’m standing on the balcony of the apartment Rainey and Elijah share. Just inside, both Astor sisters, along with Cole, Elijah, Drexel, and Walker, glance up at my arrival.
“Where did you run off to?” Rainey questions, though based on her tight expression, I’m assuming she already knows.”
“To warn Bronywyn.”
“She have any nuggets of wisdom?”
“Actually, she says that this is exactly what she was hoping for,” I tell Walker.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
Shifting my focus to Rainey, I cross both arms. “Bronywyn is planning to tear down the councils.”
The room falls completely silent, everyone staring back at me as though I just spouted complete nonsense. Honestly, it makes perfect sense and completely aligns with her personality—even before the shadow magic.
Bronywyn has always hated the councils. From what I understand, they’ve been nothing but glorified aristocrats over the past few centuries, never stepping in when their job is to keep the balance.
They’re far more concerned with inner-faction relationships than dark witches. Even twenty years ago when a coven went after a young witch and I’d been forced to step in to aid Josiah’s pack in retrieving her.
And they sure as hell haven’t intervened in recent months as the city was under siege. No, the responsibility was left entirely on the shoulders of everyone in this room.
“She told you that she’s trying to overthrow the councils?” Delaney finally speaks, and I shake my head.
“Not in so many words, but I got the message. Apparently, she’s been waiting for her stunts to garner the attention of the councils. And her exact words were ‘After all, how can a new regime rise if the last one is not burned to ash?’.”
“She’s got balls, I’ll give her that.”
I glance at Rainey. “What is it you wanted to tell me?”
“Elijah and I had a visitor yesterday.”
“Who?”
“Witch by the name of Odette,” Elijah tells me. “She says she’s part of the council, that she was here to warn us about the bounty hunters being sent after Bronywyn.”
My temper flares, and as it has recently, so does the bloodthirsty vampire inside me. I growl and clench both hands into fists, fighting against the anger surging forward.
“Keep your shit together,” Elijah warns.
“The bond,” I tell them through gritted teeth. “It has been heightening my anger.”
“Well, don’t shoot the messenger. We haven’t exactly had a lot of time to tell anyone about what happened.” Rainey walks into her kitchen and withdraws a bottle of water. “She told us that it would be merciful for us to put Bronywyn down now, rather than let anyone get a hold of her.
“Merciful? To kill her?” Drexel questions. The young hunter is still learning the ropes, his soul not weighed down as ours are with decades of bloodshed. Honestly, I envy the hell out of his naivety.
“Odette believes someone wants to rip the magic from her.”
The councilman’s words play out in my head. “He wants to capture her.”
“Our thoughts exactly,” Cole replies.
My gaze travels around the room. “Did you all know this? Am I the only one who didn’t know?”
“We weren’t told until tonight.” Delaney shoots a pointed look toward Rainey. “About five minutes before you got here.”
