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The color drains from Abel’s face, and he swiftly stands. After awkwardly bowing to me and Kai, he says, “My apologies, Rulers. I-I forgot myself.”
Where Kai seems to relax, I tense. “Abel.” His name is a warning. “Don’t play any games.”
There’s obviously a lot I don’t know about Abel Drákon. But the one thing I do know beyond the shadow of a doubt, is that even if he couldn’t remember his own name, he’d always remember the rules of our Society.
Smiling, he returns to the chair he was sitting in when we walked in here. “No games,” he promises. “A test would be a more accurate word.”
I roll my eyes because I’m so not in the mood for wordsmith games. But I let it go and take Kai’s hand, dragging him over to the table with me. I have a feeling that he and Liam will need me to calm them down, so I gesture for them to sit on either side of me.
My consort is as tense as my husband, the only one who doesn’t seem on edge is Gus. I don’t know whether he’s pretending or not, and I’m not sure I care. Even if he’s faking it, he has a great enough hold on himself to pull it off.
Feeling like I ought to say something, I clear my throat. “There’s a lot of ground to cover tonight.” Pausing, I look between every person in the room. “Why don’t we start with the most recent one? Alexander the Great, mine and Morgana’s dad, is dead. What’s the arrangements for him?” I sound like a freaking robot as I talk, one with a formal program. There are no traces of emotions or sincerity in my tone.
“As a traitor, the Tribunal won’t allow for the Necromanteion to be his final resting place.”
Despite the seriousness of Abel’s words, I smile darkly. This is the opening I need.
Leaning across the table, I look into his eyes. “And who are they to make that call?”
Abel rakes a hand through his hair, resting it on the back of his head as he leans back in his chair. “They’re… once upon a time, they were the Drákon guards—”
“And who are they now?” I ask eagerly, interrupting him.
He shakes his head at me. “You know explanations shouldn’t be rushed.” There’s a note of disappointment in his voice. Like he expected more from me.
“We have too many things to fucking worry about to sit here all night,” Liam growls, shooting a concerned glare in my direction.
I take his hand and squeeze it, murmuring to him that I’m fine. It’s not exactly a lie. Despite still feeling pangs of pain, I have no choice but to sit here. Thus, I’m fine because there’s no alternative.
Abel stands and walks over to the large window. He’s quiet as he looks out the window, seemingly deep in thought. When he turns around, he looks like he’s conflicted.
“For most of my life, I’ve served the Drákon Leader,” he says proudly. “I’ve been privy to secrets no one else knows about, and kept in the dark about things others knew. I’ve never asked any questions, only done what I was told. That’s the way things were, and I understood my place.”
Cupping his chin, running his thumb across his stubbled cheek, his gaze flicks between me, Morgana, and Gus—completely avoiding Liam and Kai.
“My brother was Augustus Drákon—”
Gus’ hissed inhale pauses Abel in his tracks. “You’re our granddad’s brother?” he asks incredulously.
When Abel nods, I say, “But I thought they had to… that the Drákon siblings fought to the death. Didn’t my dad kill his other brother for the right to be Leader?”
Abel nods again. “You’re correct on all accounts. The only reason Augustus didn’t kill me is because I never challenged him. I simply didn’t want the role of Leader. He was the firstborn, so I felt it was his right more than mine.”
Huh… that’s so simple, yet not something I ever considered. If I never took Nikolaos up on the offer to train me, Gus would obviously have become the Leader. But joining him wasn’t a challenge, was it? I already know I’m wrong. I might not have thrown down the gauntlet in the same way as what Elena did, but that doesn’t change anything. Me entering the scene made it a race to the finish line. One where I never even considered giving in. Not because I want it all for myself, no. Simply because it never crossed my mind.
Maybe it did once or twice throughout the years. However, Nikolaos never sounded like it was an option. So I didn’t… oh Hades. Why didn’t I just forfeit? No, wait, they needed me. My uncle said as much when he came to me on my birthday all those years ago. Gus isn’t in the bloodline, and I’m a girl. That’s what he said. I wonder what would have happened if I’d walked away… would both me and Gus have been spared a lot of hardship? Would Marian have treated her son better?
No… what the hell am I even thinking about these things for? I agreed to the training to be with Gus, something I’ll never regret. I needed him as much as he needed me, and if I’m being honest with myself, that’s all there is, or was, to it.
Shaking my head, I try to banish my errant and useless thoughts. This isn’t the time to second-guess everything and lose sight of the bigger picture. Again.
“Rather than taking on an active role like the Leader, I became my brother’s confidant and main health carer. Once my brother died and Alexander became the Drákon Leader, I became his and Gemma’s doctor.”
Liam yawns loudly, causing me to pinch him under the table. I know damn well that was forced.
“As with most people, they talk freely to their doctor. But that’s not the only reason I learned about the Tribunal. My brother told me. He never trusted them completely, and he wanted me to be aware in case anything happened to him.”
My jaw is slack and my head keeps bobbing up and down like it’s attached to a bobblehead. This is a lot to take in, while simultaneously, not so much. I know Abel isn’t even close to the main point, he’s setting the stage.
