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Another councilman chuckles darkly. Glancing at the band on his arm, I discover that the one who finds this all amusing is councilman Emerald. “As entertaining as this is, we have need of that one, and if this goes any further, then he’ll be useless.”
I should have known it was Emerald, as I’ve had run-ins with him before. Anger rises within me at the way he’s talking about Syn like he’s simply a possession they can throw away after they get their use out of him. I want to snap at him, and Star is begging to be released so she can sink her teeth into them. However, it’s Ruby’s comment that forces me to control myself. I’ve seen their punishments and how they treat their people. Joel’s safety is more important than name calling right now.
“Joel, stop.” My voice breaks, and I know the council will see that as a sign of weakness, but I don’t care. It’s a sign of my love, which is nothing to be ashamed of. “I need you.”
This gets his attention, his head jerking up as he feels my pain. He slowly back’s away from Syn, panting as though he just ran a marathon. I’ve never seen him so furious.
Unable to help myself, I look over at the mate who betrayed me. He’s bent over at the waist, but his head is up, and his eyes are locked on me. Realising that he’s under scrutiny, he stands upright, scowling as he touches his jaw and wipes blood away from his split lip. Barking a laugh, he dips his head as if in respect towards Joel. This only seems to make my alpha angrier, but I place my hand on top of his fist, and it slowly uncurls to thread his fingers through mine.
The others have surrounded us, including our three borrowed werewolves who are still in animal form. A tingle of magic fills the air, and I know both Atlas and Luna are reaching for their magic. I’ve been around them long enough now that I can tell who is using magic just by the feel of it. Angry with myself for not thinking of using my power, I work past my tangled emotions and slowly call it to me.
“Oh no, I can’t allow that, I’m afraid,” Ruby comments, making the smallest gesture with his hand. A strange feeling settles over us. I almost missed the movement, but thanks to my time with the witches, I’ve learned how to notice certain tells—not to mention that I’m able to feel magic, a skill that’s unique to me, or at least I thought so until just now when Councilman Ruby knew we were drawing on our power.
There is only one explanation. The council has magic.
Now that I look back on the events of the past, it makes so much sense. They were always able to transport us during the trials, and they always had huge venues for the trials that seemed impossible.
“I can’t use my magic,” Luna whispers from her position at my side, panic entering her voice.
From the anger and frustration I feel from Atlas’s bond, I know he’s also been blocked from his magic. Glancing over at Nicolai, I find him frowning, and I guess he’s been affected too. As with what happened during the attack on Haven, my magic feels sluggish, but I’m still able to access it, and I wonder if it has anything to do with my goddess given abilities. Releasing my grip on my power, I let them believe that whatever spell they are using worked.
I meet Syn’s gaze. I hadn’t anticipated how hard that was going to be, and pain radiates out from my heart. “Why are you doing this?” I ask quietly, wishing this intensely private moment wasn’t on display for everyone to see. Despite their masks, the smugness emanating from the councilmen tells me they are finding this amusing.
“This was the only way we could be together,” Syn answers. He sounds solemn, and I believe him. Whatever led to this moment, he believed this was the only way. Something terrible must have been threatened, or he made a deal to get back to me that resulted in this.
A thought tickles the back of my mind, growing as soon as I acknowledge it. Was this how Syn managed to find me at Haven? Is that how Bates was able to find it when they attacked? They tracked him? My heart breaks at the thought that he might have done all of this purely to get back to my side. He was losing his mind, the madness driving him to do the impossible.
“You sold us all out,” Scott snarls, his eyes flashing with his fury. “You put your mate in danger. What do you think they are going to do to her now? Let the two of you skip off into the sunset together?”
Scott makes a good point, but it’s not my future that I’m worried about. What will happen to my mates now that we’ve been captured? I know my purpose is coming to an end. The prophecy was right, only I wasn’t the one to bring them all together, I was the one to destroy everything we know. All I hope is that my mates will find a way to live on without me.
Jutting out his jaw defiantly, Syn refuses to back down. “I’ve always known my time with Laelia was limited, so I made the most of what I had.”
My heart breaks for him despite what he’s done. He didn’t think we had a future. It turns out that he was right, only he’s the reason we’re being separated, a self-fulfilled prophecy.
Syn looks deadly serious now as he speaks, his eyes locked on me. “She will be safe, I’ve seen to that.”
Those words make me nervous. He’s speaking like he’s saying goodbye and never going to see me again. My breath gets caught in my throat, and my mind is spinning. I don’t understand what’s happening. This has to be a bad dream, a nightmare that I’m going to wake up from at any moment.
As I spiral towards a mental breakdown and stare in devastation at Syn, my group still snarls and stands in defensive positions, expecting an attack at any moment.
Nicolai bristles beside me. “Even if that was the case, do you think she will ever forgive you for this?”
“How lovely.” Councilman Ruby’s sarcastic voice cuts through their conversations, stopping Syn from answering with a gesture of his hand. “I’m going to have to interrupt though. We have a special guest I think you’ll want to see, Laelia. We shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
He’s so smug about this whole conversation and the fact that they caught us out, the councilman practically purrs. He has something over me, and he knows I’ll do whatever I need to so I can make sure everyone is safe. I know who the special guest is. He’s the very reason I’m here in the first place—my father.
That’s what all of this is about, them getting their hands on me. They don’t really care about my father or even my mates. All they care about is that my existence no longer challenges their rule. Had they left me in peace in the first place, none of this would have happened. They created this mess by trying to kill me in the trials, causing many of the werewolves to support me in the process. There has to be a way I can convince them to let the others leave safely.
Clearing my throat, I take a small step forward, away from my mates and towards the councilmen standing in the mouth of the alley. “If I come with you peacefully, will you let my mates and father go?”
“No,” Joel growls, grabbing my arm and pulling me back until I bump against his chest. Wrapping his arms around me, he holds me firmly against him, leaning down to rest his chin on top of my head. “We stay together. Always,” he murmurs.
The others agree with various nods and vocal agreements, and even our three borrowed wolves make themselves heard.
It seems that it doesn’t matter anyway, because Ruby just snorts. “You don’t have a choice either way, so why would I let them go?” The atmosphere in the alley suddenly becomes tense as the councilman slowly walks towards us. “I’m not stupid, Laelia, and I’m done playing games. As long as I have your mates and father, you’re going to do as I say.”
As Ruby gets closer, the growls get louder with each threatening step. Even Syn snarls, his eyes narrowed on the councillor. We’re in a tinderbox, and all it will take is one spark for the whole thing to blow up.
