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“I wondered how he knew.” Sophie straightened when the door opened and two people came in with Carmon. “Time to play pretend and get this done. We’ve got your back, girl. If you need us, just holler.”
“And do not be alone with that man again.” Grace said it like an order, and I assumed that’s how she meant it to be taken.
Sylee left us to go greet the Light who had arrived, and the rest of us dispersed to our assigned races. I hadn’t spent any time, quality or otherwise, with Nathaniel since we’d arrived. He seemed content, though, to talk with the other race leaders. He also knew what it was like to be young and in love.
My feet stopped. Heart pounding, I looked to the gym door Dalton had pushed Jeff through. I looked to my left and saw the Light still busy. There was no time to waste.
Hurrying without looking like I was hurrying, I finished crossing the room. It helped that Nathaniel and Victor were in conversation with Jonas by the door.
“I need you guys to step inside to help my cover.” I muttered the words quickly and quietly while placing a kiss to Nathaniel’s cheek. The men responded without a moment’s hesitation.
The door stayed open behind us, and I ran over to Jeff, who was pacing along the opposite wall.
“Are you okay?” He rushed to me, alarm in his eyes.
“I love you!” I wasn’t sure if it should be said or if he wanted to hear it. I wasn’t even sure he felt the same, but I needed it out. We had promised to be honest with each other, and this was me being honest. “I’m sorry, they’re here, and it’s not great timing, but it’s going to be a long day, and I needed you to know.”
“I love you too.” His hands cupped my cheeks and he leaned in.
Jonas cleared his throat. “Looks like everyone is on their way.”
And that was our cue to not kiss. My heart fell, but knowing Jeff loved me brought happiness and a whiff of patience with it.
We were short on chairs and tables, so we were sitting on the floor today. Drew thought it would make things progress faster too and get people out of his house. It was hard to believe that three little babies slept upstairs. If everyone here had been a friend, Drew probably would have brought one or two down to hold for the day. The sight of the giant of a man holding such tiny bundles would always stick with me. It was the most precious sight.
Jeff was only a little smaller than Drew. His height was probably an inch shorter. He just wasn’t as broad, but he was still a large guy.
Everyone was entering the room as I sat on the floor where Jeff indicated. Nathaniel joined me, and his buddies took their spots as well while the others walked across the room. This was going to get old, sitting on the mats.
I kept waiting for Life and Healing to show up, but they never did. When everyone was settled—the Elemental Lords and their mates standing behind us—Carmon moved to stand where Lady Life would if she were in attendance.
“I’m afraid Lady Life is otherwise occupied keeping the Mindolin imprisoned. She has asked me as the other Life Elemental to lead us. If anyone has a problem with this, well, Life’s a little busy to hear your objection.”
It was a bit sarcastic, but I had a feeling it was for Patrick. The man winked at me from across an open space, and I could sense Jeff’s irritation rise. He shouldn’t have let Rico get to him. My Consort was the only one I had eyes for.
“Our time is up, Ladies and Gentlemen,” Carmon continued. “The Mindolin is close to escaping. He senses the births of Lord Drew’s babies. For whatever reason, he wants them. According to Lady Life, he will stop at nothing to have them and our world. We need to unify our people. It’s time to make decisions today, time to get things on paper. Tomorrow, we take our treaty to our people. Tomorrow, the people of our world learn about this new threat against them and start to prepare against it.
“We will rally our people and have bases set up around the continent. The Vampires, Witches, Demons, and Neutrals do not have a military force. They will send anyone interested in saving our world to a Light or Dark academy where they will be trained, and where they will help the warriors there understand how they fight. The Council will spread out to the academies to guarantee everyone’s safety and enforce the Accords. They will answer to me and my brothers while Life is otherwise occupied.
“I know this is not pleasing to many of you. You’d like a chance to explain things more in depth to your people. However, time is not on our side. If we want the Mindolin defeated, we are going to have to be examples to our people and work together, trust each other. This will not be easy. Change never is. Many of your races will find it hard to believe you are working with my brothers and me after some of our actions. The Light will find it difficult to imagine working with people they see as their enemies just as the other races will feel the same about them.
“Today is a day to put our differences aside and focus on our people. Not the individual races, but the people we serve. Today starts the first day of the new Council. Everyone in this room is a member of that Council. When the battle with the Mindolin is over, we will hold the elections, but until then, we are it. As it has been decided that the Elementals will also have representation, Lord Adam and Lord Jeff will fulfill those roles. I have been instructed to oversee until the time comes that a permanent Council is put together and the Mindolin is gone. The rest of the Elementals in the room will continue acting as guards for our Council. Now, Lord Adam, Lord Jeff, take your seats on either side of me.”
Surprise had come from Jeff when Carmon had selected him as a member of our Council. His face didn’t give anything away as he sat, though. Had I not had an emotional connection to him, I’d have never known Carmon hadn’t talked with him about this first. Adam also wore a blank face, but without feeling the emotions coming from him, it was hard to tell if he’d known.
“Those of you who came as your races’ seconds.” Carmon looked to me, Uriah, Anverse, and Torres. “You are no longer a second. The power you hold in this Council is equal to the power of your race’s leader. We expect you to speak up and speak your mind. You were brought here to help, and now you will.”
Well, if I was supposed to speak up now, guess I’d been doing too much of that already. Oops.
Patrick raised a hand, and with a neutral look, Carmon called on him to speak.
“I’m sorry, Lord Carmon, but is there another Elemental who can sit on this Council? I’m not sure Lord Jeff is a suitable candidate.”
Carmon shook his head. “I did not make the decision. Life did. She felt it would be best if Jeff was on the Council.”
“Because Tessa is on the Council? His Consort? A Consort who hates him.”
Jeff’s eyes were hard, but he let his brother handle the speaking. “Their feelings are not being taken into account anymore. The time for that passed when Lady Jazz delivered her children.”
