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Maria stepped away from the table and addressed them all. “We are here today because our city is under threat—from both outside forces and within.” Her gaze locked onto Erin before quickly turning away again. “This Dionysian devotee has acted without regard to our customs and authority. We have recently had encounters with both fae and daemons at her so-called temple, yet our mayor has failed to address these issues appropriately.”
Tom and Daniel nodded in agreement, and their lips curled into sardonic smiles. The rest of the council shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, murmuring among themselves and nodding, although some seemed uncertain.
Erin’s heart ached as everyone united against Blaine because of her arrival, but determination rose within her. She wouldn’t give in without a fight. She stepped forward, boldly, and met Maria’s gaze. “I’m here to help, not hinder, the progress of this city.”
A cacophony of laughter erupted from the council members, who couldn’t contain their mirth at her nerve. Except Maria, who waved them to silence, her gaze hard and unforgiving as she challenged the chairman. “Silence, wildling! Must I remind you that you’re not even a member of this council?” She turned back to the chairman. “I call for a vote of no confidence in Mayor York.”
Erin took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come. She could feel the energy radiating from every corner of the room, everyone watching as if they were waiting for Blaine’s next move.
The chairman held up his hand. “Does anyone second the motion?”
Tom and Daniel raised their hands without hesitation, as did Bella, the devotee of Aphrodite. Erin took a deep breath and steeled herself for what was to come. It felt like every eye in the room was watching them, waiting for Blaine’s next move.
The chairman spoke into the tense silence that followed, addressing Blaine directly. “Well then, before we vote, would you like to make a statement, Mayor York?”
Blaine nodded and stood, his gaze confident and determined. “I understand the council’s concerns, and I take full responsibility for any missteps I may have taken. However, I do not believe my actions warrant a vote of no confidence. As mayor, it is my duty to protect and serve our citizens, and I believe that is what I have done. As your mayor, I will continue to do all that is within my power to ensure this city remains safe from any danger—outside and within its borders,” he paused for a moment glancing around the room once more before adding softly, “as well as ensure that the customs and traditions of our city are upheld.”
The council members murmured in agreement, their faces softening slightly at Blaine’s words. Bella leaned forward, looking thoughtful. But Maria remained unmoved, her eyes icy as she addressed Blaine again.
“Your words are admirable, but they do not erase the fact you’ve allowed a Dionysian temple to thrive unchecked. This brazenly flouts our laws and customs!”
Maria’s voice rose, anger simmering beneath her controlled tone. “And it does not stop there. This rabble-rousing maenad openly cavorts with daemons and consorts with the resurgent fae. Her reckless revelries threaten everything we’ve built!”
She slammed her fist on the table. “Erin flouts authority at every turn. Her seditious temple encourages dissent and rebellion among the lower classes. Productivity has dropped sharply thanks to her drunken hordes. Profits are down across all sectors!”
Maria then leaned forward, eyes blazing. “She undermines the social order we’ve painstakingly cultivated. Erin and her cult are a cancer to this city! Either she is brought to heel, or everything we’ve worked for will be torn asunder. I call on you, Mayor York, to act before it is too late!”
She sat back, chest heaving from her tirade. The other council members wore uneasy expressions, shifting in their seats. Maria had given voice to their unspoken fears. Erin could upset the delicate balance that kept them flush and powerful.
Blaine maintained an impassive facade, but internally he weighed Maria’s dire warnings. Erin was a force beyond his control, and she might cut off the wellspring of their prosperity. He would need to choose his next steps carefully. “I understand that the temple’s practices may not be in line with our customs, but they are not breaking any laws. They have harmed no citizens of our city and have actually helped many who were in need. As mayor, it is my duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all citizens, regardless of their beliefs.”
The tension in the room hung thick like a stormy fog, pungent and heavy with sweat and fear. Erin stood off to the side, her heart thundering in her chest as she watched the scene unfold. She knew that the outcome of this vote could make or break Blaine’s career as mayor, and she was determined to do everything in her power to help him.
Finally, the chairman spoke again, his deep baritone booming through the chamber like a freight train. “Very well. The council has heard both sides. It is now time to vote on the motion of no confidence against Mayor York.”
Erin held her breath as the council members raised their hands, some hesitantly and others with more conviction. Blaine was about to lose his position as mayor. Desperate to prevent that outcome, she acted on instinct.
“I challenge Blaine for the mayorship!” she shouted, her voice ringing out like a trumpet throughout the room.
The council members gasped in astonishment, their shocked whispers echoing off the high ceilings of the chamber like a chorus of ghosts. Maria’s eyes widened, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. “You? You have no place in this council, let alone as mayor!”
The chairman, an older man with a weathered face and sharp eyes, raised a hand to silence Maria. “The challenge has been made, and I declare it valid,” he said. “It is within Erin’s rights as a citizen and devotee to challenge for the position of mayor, unlikely as her win might be.”
“This is unacceptable! We can’t place a maenad in charge of this city!” shouted Tom in opposition to Erin’s challenge.
“We can’t ignore this issue any longer,” argued Bella, the devotee of Aphrodite, “and there may be no better opportunity. Let them fight.”
The discussions continued to swirl around them while Erin kept her gaze firmly on Blaine. His blue eyes widened, a mix of surprise and admiration clear in his expression despite his apprehension toward the situation.
“Erin,” he said, his voice carrying a note of concern.
Just then, there was a loud bang from outside the chamber doors; everyone’s attention snapped toward it as the doors slammed shut with a reverberating clang that echoed throughout the room. The room fell silent; Erin felt a chill run down her spine. Something was about to happen, and she had a feeling that nothing would ever be quite the same again.
CHAPTER54
ERIN
Erin squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, her pulse racing as she prepared to face Blaine in a battle for the title of mayor. At the snap of the chairman’s fingers, the council chambers emptied of furniture, leaving the space open for the duel ahead. The air in the chamber crackled with anticipation, the scent of magic lingering heavy in the air. A murmur of disbelief rippled through the room, and the council members exchanged uneasy glances. The chairman, a tall, imposing figure with an air of authority, stepped forward to explain the rules of the challenge.
