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Another hesitation. “I’ve had a few private messages about him myself.”
“And?”
“I refer them to the primus.”
“Does he respond?”
“No,” Prosper admitted.
“But someone replies. You.”
Prosper dipped his chin.
I shook my head. “How long do you think that’s going to work?”
His shoulders sagged. He dropped his gaze to the Navajo rug as if looking for answers in the pattern.
I was still taking in how defeated he seemed when he straightened and took a step toward me. “I have a proposition for you.”
I nodded for him to continue.
He moistened his lips, like what followed was difficult for him to say. “What if Jules consents to be confined to his apartment twenty-four/seven?”
A beat passed while I replayed what he’d said. “He’d agree to that?”
“I’ll make sure he does.” His expression didn’t change, but his fists clenched. He saw my glance flick to them and quickly smoothed out his fingers, but the small movement was telling. He was genuinely upset at having to ask this. “He knows something’s wrong—in his lucid moments, anyway. And if he doesn’t agree, I’ll lock him in a cell.”
Shock held me silent for a few seconds. “You’d do that?”
“Yes.” Prosper’s chest heaved. “If it were me, he’d do the same.”
“What about his thralls? We can’t expect them to continue to service him.”
“He can drink blood-wine. If he needs more than that, I’ll supervise him and a thrall myself.”
“He’d remain as primus?”
“In name only.”
“With you running things,” I said flatly.
“No. I swear on my honor that we’d go on as we have been.”
We’d been sharing duties, with neither completely in charge. That Prosper wanted to continue with an arrangement that didn’t satisfy either of one of us was a declaration of sorts. Hewouldchallenge me at some point down the road. If not, he would’ve conceded to me now.
Still, it might be best for the syndicate to continue as we were for the time being. It would also give me more time to form alliances and convince the older vampires that I was capable of taking my father’s place.
And I wouldn’t have to live with the shame of staking my own sire.
“No one else has to know,” Prosper said.
“That would probably be for the best.” I’d tell Cain and Talon, of course, but they knew how to keep a secret.
He let out an almost soundless breath of relief. “So we have an agreement?”
“Yes. But I want your oath that he won’t be allowed out of his apartment for any reason. The thralls must be protected.”
“You have my word. I’ll inform the primus of our decision.”
