“Stop!” Aunt Mira shrieked. “Stop right now!”
“I further forsake all claims of duty and authority, from this day until my last.”
Like a well-planned conspiracy, Sage entered the room with a confident swagger that didn’t waver under her mother’s wrath-fueled meltdown. My youngest cousin wasmorethan capable of stepping into her brother's shoes. This was the plan all along, from the moment Kai had learned his fated bond was the heir to a decimated faction.
I knew this was coming, had helped them prepare, but I didn’t expect to feel like I was in a free fall. Like the pit deep in my stomach was clawing its way out and swallowing everything in its path, my racing heart included. My entire life, I’d beengroomed to watch over my cousin, to guard him as heir, and then later our faction leader.
Now what was I supposed to do?
In the confusion borne from the upset, Eryn rose to stand beside her bond, chin held high like a queen ready to take her throne.
“Kaiden Alantes will remain by my side while I hold the nightmare seat… as my advisor.”
More shouting. More bickering. The adults in the room really couldn’t hold their shit together. Bunch of fucking babies. Sure, we’d completely blindsided them, but this was truly pathetic. No wonder they never accomplished anything but petty squabbles and unhindered genocide.
“There’s still an imbalance!” the vampire lead declared with fangs on full display. Way to not control your anger, dude. How embarrassing.
“Then you haven’t been listening.” Kai snarled. “Notice thatnoneof your children have challenged what’s happened here today. The true allies in this room have already met and planned for change. We are all more than ready to step up and fix what you and the previous generations have broken.”
Only Cova’s father flinched at the declaration of failure. The others stood stronger in their convictions. Selfish bastards.
Eryn carried the torch, picking up where my cousin left off. She wanted to make damn sure they knew that this was happening whether they consented to it or not. “This new era of supernaturals will be different,” she promised. “We will share knowledge for the betterment of all. No more hunting. No more killing. There will be peace between the factions.”
“Yeah?” the vamp taunted. “Then what do you callthat?”
He pointed to Soloman’s body, the skin now waxy and well on its way into the beginning stages of decay. Fucking hell, how did I forget about the body? It was literally right there. Allleaking fluid and shit. Maybe my insecurities were stronger than I thought if they could camouflage a whole-ass dead djinn.
Frederick squeezed past me. He’d remained silent throughout this entire mess, hidden in the shadows near the back of the room. The poor guy still didn’t inspire much confidence, but he’d been the one to put my knife through his uncle’s heart. That counted for a whole lot in my book.
“I call that cleaning house,” he proclaimed, hands casually stuffed in his pockets. Like this was a book club and not a takeover of our ruling body. “And before you smart off and ask who I am, I’ll tell you. My name is Frederick Von Buer, nephew to my dead uncle right there on the table, and the rightful heir to the djinn faction.”
For once in this godsforsaken room, you could hear a pin drop. Nobody moved. I don’t think they evenblinked. They were too busy eyeing Frederick and his uncle to find similar features to back his claim.
“I was just a baby when the leaders of this room sat by and did nothing as my father was murdered by Soloman for his seat. So you will understand why I expect you to once again sit by while I do the same.”
The heirs stepped forward: Sage, Eryn, Cova, Ember, and Frederick. They stood before the oracle in solidarity, on equal ground. It was monumental. A life-altering moment. And I’d never felt more like an outsider. Rani’s warmth radiated into the small of my back, and it still couldn’t thaw my self-doubt. I belongednowhere.
Sage was all right, and I trusted her, but enough to stand against her mother? Against her blatant hatred for me that saturated our entire faction? There was no turning that around just because Aunt Mira was deposed. And she’d be gunning for me even harder now, like a pet project to focus her ire on.
How was I supposed to protect Rani from that?
I glanced down at my bonded as the room broke apart into more private conversations. Quiet this time. The previous heirs finally had their parent’s attention, and a lot needed to be finalized. Rani wiggled her way to my side, careful of her injured arm. There was no chatter from her side of the bond, and I knew she was making a mental archive of all that took place.
Before I could tell her how much shittier our lives were about to become, Kai and Eryn beckoned us over. I approached with a lump in my throat. This was all we’d ever wanted, but here I was, stuck with the shaft as always.
Kai clasped my forearm and met my anguished gaze. “You’re still my second, if you want the job.”
Wait, what? He meant… Eryn slapped the back of my head and followed it with a kiss on my cheek.
“You think we would leave you, just like that?” she scolded. “We’re family. And we will make our own faction.”
Aunt Mira muttered a prayer to the gods in thanks, and Kai sent a band of shadows to clamp over her mouth. I blinked, and then blinked again. I swore to find some way to download that image from my brain and print it on a poster. Fucking yes!
“I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time,” Kai said with a contagious grin. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t shut her up sooner.”
My laugh came from deep within my soul. It was light and fluffy… a little demonic; everything a little boy’s dreams were made of. I looked at the people surrounding me, really looked. We were a mismatched faction of idealists and a powerful group in our own right. A true family. The stifling weight trying to smother me disappeared on a wave of hope, and I knew everything was going to be okay.
I had my bond, and I had a safe place to call home. Two things I couldn’t claim before we started this journey. For once, the monster in me slumbered, and I had a feeling even he was happy for the rest. Hopefully, he never had to wake again.
