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“Iwillhave tiger,” the Drakhyn said with a confidence that nauseated Salem, and then its eyes landed on Council Elder Anika. “But first, I was promised a filthy Lycan.”
With a scream, Anika was enveloped in a cloud of smoke. Salem saw Leonid dive towards her and into it, and panic burst out amongst all the Akrhyn in the hall as their resolve suddenly broke. Many ran to the doors, the Elite loyal to Cornelius drew their weapons in defence of him, Sloane grabbed his mother and pulled her into his side, away from the oncoming danger.
Cord stayed beside Tegan, his eyes on the Drakhyn, which stared back at him. He couldn’t stop his flinch when he heard the scream, and then with a smirk, the Drakhyn was swallowed in smoke. When the smoke cleared, the Drakhyn was gone. As was Council Elder Anika.
Cord’s eyes closed for a moment as he prayed for calm before his eyes opened and landed on Cornelius. Still surrounded by his loyal guard, his stepfather looked around the room wildly.
Cord took a step towards him, but a small hand slipped into his, causing him to still. Hesitantly he looked at his bonded.
“You must remain calm, and you must ask him the right way,” she warned.
“I will kill him,” Cord said in a low voice meant only for her.
Tegan nodded, her look hard. “You will, but you must let him be questioned first, therightway.”
Regardless of where they were and despite what had just happened, Cord pulled her quickly to him, his arms wrapping around her, his hand burying itself in her hair as he rested his chin on her head. “It will never take you,” he promised. “I won’t let it.”
“I know,” Tegan answered him before she hugged him tight, and then she stepped back. “You have work to do,” she said with a nod to the crowd now surrounding Cornelius. “Show them the leader that you can be.”
Cord went to leave her and then turned towards her again. “Sloane…” he began, the worry for his brother plain on his face.
“I will be with him.”
Cord nodded quickly before he turned and reached for his Flare. The Mark pulsed angrily on his back, and he gritted his teeth as he felt Velvore’s fury race through his veins.
“Cornelius Matteo Ivanov, I charge you with Treason of the highest order. Elites, stand down or you will face the same charge,” Cord told them coldly.
Cornelius looked around wildly once more before he seemed to accept his fate, and his gaze landed on the male he had once called Heir. “Only the Great Council can charge me with that crime, it must be a unanimous decision, and they are missing two members,” he replied, his voice steady, his words sure.
Even white with fear, his stepfather was a manipulative son of a Drakhyn, Cord realised.
“You did take Alexander,” Council Elder Carnain said quietly. “I dismissed the claim as foolish and petty.” He rubbed his eyes wearily.
“Who came to you with the claim?” Lucas asked.
“I did.” Sloane stepped forward, and Cord knew his jaw had dropped.
“As did I.” Pure Prime Castor Rorik crossed the room briskly without looking at anyone other than Cord. “Mark of Velvore,” he greeted formally before he bowed his head and then turned to the others. “The Great Council can only invoke Treason unanimouslyifa full Council can sit.”
Cord could almost hear his stepfather’s smirk.
“However,” Rorik continued as he turned to Cornelius, “should the Three preside over the table and the Mark of Velvore allow it, the fallen Council Elders can be replaced withimmediate effect.”
“No!” Cornelius shouted as one of his Elite Sentinels took a step away from him. “In order to replace an Elder on the Great Council, it must bevotedby the Akrhyn.”
“In unprecedented circumstances, the Three and the Mark of Velvore speak for the Akrhyn.” Rorik looked to Cord. “Youarethe Mark of Velvore. I could not see it at first, but then I did, and it is a thing of beauty, a true gift from the Ancients. You are the Mark and the Mark is you.”
The phrase was repeated once around the room, and Cord winced as the Mark burned.
“Lucas?” Cord looked to the Dark Prime Castor, and then he looked to Leonid. “Leonid?”
“Treason,” Leonid said coldly without looking at Cornelius at all, and he saw Lucas nod in agreement.
Cord looked to the Three, who stood silent throughout it all. “Sisters? Is there anythingelsewe need to wait for?”
Ada smiled at him slightly before she shook her head. “Treason,” the Three spoke as one.
Swiftly and deftly, the Elite were disarmed, and Cornelius was bound and gagged by Rorik. Sloane held his sobbing mother in his arms as the other Akrhyn were ushered from the room. Shortly after, while Leonid and Marcus questioned the Elite Sentinel to guard Cornelius, Crimson Prime Castor Garrick’s wife, Miriam, took Delilah from Sloane’s arms and led her away, with three Elite Sentinels of House Holt escorting them.
