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“The whole Council?” Desmond asked. That was an excellent question. If it was the whole Council, then all of them were probably involved. But if it were only a few members, maybe the Council wasn’t as united as everyone believed.
“Just two of them,” Everina said. “There should be three for official business.” Claire hadn’t known there had to be three. She thought about Brandlevine and the two Councilmembers that visited there. Well, there were three she guessed with Desmond’s father. Claire wondered if it was the same two that had visited them at Brandlevine.
“Requesting to see Claire?” Malcolm growled the question. Everina nodded.
Claire looked at Everett who melted away from the table to flag down Hans, Malcolm’s cousin. He spoke to him in a hushed tone and then returned to the table. Hans was supposed to be part of the training and would inform the others they would be delayed.
Suddenly not having an appetite, Claire stood and brushed a hand down her shirt. She was dressed in tight-fitting combat clothes in Malcolm’s clan colors brown, red, and gold. The clothes felt a bit like armor at that moment and Claire was grateful. While she was sure that Mara and Roderick were trying to handle it, she couldn’t avoid the Council forever. She was a Queen for the realm’s sake. Technically, she was above the Council’s authority. Before the Great War, she might have even held a Council seat in her position. Maybe even two based on who her parents were. While nerves still churned in her stomach, her half-eaten breakfast settling into her gut like a brick, resolve also hardened her muscles. She would be careful but she wouldn’t shy away. She couldn’t protect her family if she shied away.
“Puck, you stay here,” she said looking down at the Notus. They didn’t know if the Council knew about the Notus and she wanted to keep it that way. Puck was a dead giveaway she was part Elf unfortunately. Claire didn’t mind if the secret came out if it meant protecting her Triad and their family but instinct told her it wasn’t the right time yet.
Puck grumbled but jumped up onto the table and stayed as they followed Everina down the hall to the flight deck. His large golden eyes stared at them as their bond thrummed. He would come if she called. Puck’s active bond had Claire letting out a little magic into her other bonds. Her men closed tighter around her as their bonds flared wide open. They had been working on sending and hearing complete sentences down the bond the last few days but the additional help from her magic should aid them if they needed to speak silently in front of the Council.
They walked in silence, following Everina closely. The chatty woman was also quiet which allowed them to hear the raised voices before the people came into view. Claire’s muscles tensed and she took a breath, trying to relax as she rolled her shoulders back. The raised voices quieted with Claire and her Triad’s appearance onto the flight deck. The morning sun shone brightly into the cavern causing Claire to squint to see what was going on. Roderick and Mara stood with their backs turned to them although Mara flashed a quick smile over her shoulder at their approach.
They were facing what had to be the Councilmembers. Claire recognized Councilmember Vanya, one of the Councilmembers that had come to Brandlevine, but the other one Claire didn’t recognize. He was shorter and stocky, his muscles bulging almost unnaturally from under his shirt. A snarling golden dragon’s crest was embroidered into the black shirt next to the Council’s emblem. This must be one of the dragon Councilmembers. Everina moved to stand with Brantley who was standing next to Roderick.
Claire took a deep breath, clearing her face of emotion and settling her nerves. She was a Queen and right now she had to play the game. “Good morning,” she greeted the quiet group. “Councilmembers,” she nodded to them as they studied her. Nerves fluttered in her stomach but she stood tall under their assessing gaze. It felt like they were trying to pull her skin back and dig inside of her to find her secrets. Malcolm pressed a steadying warmth down their bond and it chased away some of the nerves.
When they didn’t speak, she turned to Roderick. “You needed to see us, Clan Leader?” She used his title when she addressed him, reminding everyone who ruled in this part of the Realm.
Roderick’s eyes glimmered with approval when he spoke. “I did not need to see you. The Council requested your presence and we were just discussing why.”
From his tone, it was clear that whatever the Councilmembers had first said hadn’t sat well with him. Claire played along and arched a single eyebrow as she turned back to the Council. “Oh? What did you need to see us about?”
Councilmember Vanya spoke. “We’ve come to bring you all back to the Capital for violating Council Order 268. It’s a formality, you understand, but we can’t be seen as being lenient.”
The man’s false words seemed to drip from his lips. No, Claire didn’t see. She tried a different tactic as her men shifted. “I thought that Clan Leader orders superseded a Council Order?”
It would almost be so much easier if she could just come out and say that she was Queen but almost as soon as she thought it, all three of her men sent down a very strongNOdown the bond. Their intensity almost made Claire jump but she understood their tone. While it might be easier in the short term, it definitely would cause other complications. It could cause the Council’s weird obsession with taking her to the Capital to heighten. And as Queen of the Elves, a race the rest of the Realm viewed as the enemy, she had a feeling she would be going to the Capital in chains.
“Not when the Realm is in a crisis state,” Councilmember Vanya said smoothly.
“A crisis state?” Roderick clearly hadn't heard this news. “That’s only when the Realm is under attack. Has a war started the Clan Leaders haven’t been notified about?” He directed his question to the other Councilmember who Claire suspected held the hereditary dragon seat, Councilmember Maxios.
“Surely, Claire and your son have filled you in on the dark magic and Elven beasts attacks,” Councilmember Vanya said, arching an eyebrow. “There was an emergency Council meeting not too long ago.”
“It’s those damn Elves trying for another uprising,” the unnamed Councilmember said forcefully. “We took pre-emptive action. Or would you rather us be caught off guard again?”
Claire barely kept a neutral face at the flat out lies that were spilling from the Councilmembers’ mouths. The Elves weren’t trying for an uprising. Did the Council truly believe that or were they just spreading that rumor around. Speaking of rumors, they would have to talk to Andy or Helene soon and ask how their own rumors were spreading.
Roderick barely held in his scoff. “Councilmember Maxios, the Elves aren’t trying for another uprising, they don’t have the numbers to do so.”
“We have access to more information than you,” the dragon Councilmember said. “You gave up your seat on the Council remember?”
Claire didn’t know if the dig was intentional but being that it was coming from a Councilmember she would guess so. It was almost like Councilmember Maxios couldn’t understand why Roderick would give up that kind of power. Or maybe she was just reading too much into it.
“It was an elected seat,” Roderick reminded him. “It’s meant to be given up for the best for the people.” The subtle returning dig did not go unnoticed as Maxios’ nose flared. He opened his mouth to retort and Councilmember Vanya broke in.
“Regardless of opinions, the Council has declared it which means it is an active order so we will need you to come with us.”
“According to the laws, the Clan Leaders can supersede a crisis state order if there is a concern for their clan’s protection,” Brantley spoke for the first time. “Clan Leader Roderick heard that Claire and her men had suffered an attack and ordered them home for their protection.” Score for Everett’s dad if what he was saying was accurate.
“Well, if there is a concern for their safety then what better place than the Capital?” Councilmember Vanya said. “Our protections are the best at the Council.”
Claire bit her lip. Politically, he had backed them into a corner. If she declined his offer again, she ran the risk of tipping off Vanya that they suspected the Council wasn’t safe for her.
Claire opened her mouth to try and decline without tipping Vanya off of their suspicions but was cut off by a dragon’s roar. The group looked out over the stone landing platform to see a large, bright green dragon closing in fast.
