No answer. Her friend didn’t even flinch, although she had her eyes open.
“I don’t know what more to do,” Amelia said. “I’ve just talked to Max Blackmane and told him everything, told him we’re suspecting Damon. But you heard the conversation, right?” She sighed. “Please say something.”
Blake blinked, but didn’t take her eyes off the ceiling. Amelia stood up and went out of the room. There was no use. Blake wasn’t ready to face the consequences, which meant she and Seth had to take matters into their own hands and confront the three Inaris. If they didn’t do anything, one of them would end up the main Inari of Clan Sylfur, and things would change drastically. Elena and Aaron nodded when she went past them. Seth was waiting for h
er in the living room. She climbed down the stairs slowly, her body tired and her back and feet sore from having run through the woods not even 24 hours ago. She had no idea how she could still keep her eyes open. As she entered the living room, everyone except for Seth stared at her baby bump. Self-aware, she placed her palms on her belly and swallowed heavily. “Right,” she thought. “If Blake is a woman, then whose baby am I carrying?” She could see the disgust in their eyes, but instead of crushing her, it made her stronger and more determined. Back straight and chin up, she took a seat next to Seth, who was nursing a glass of whiskey.
“So… Amelia… You knew all along, didn’t you?” Julian was the first to speak.
“No. Actually, I didn’t.”
Charles laughed mockingly. “When did you find out? Before or after you got pregnant with our chap here?”
Charles motioned to Seth, and Amelia turned to him, a question in her eyes. He shook his head, and she knew he hadn’t been the one who told them. They figured that one out on their own. She knew it would eventually come to this and Blake’s uncles would do everything to make her feel ashamed. She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction.
“Like it or not, Blake is the main Inari of Clan Sylfur. Gender has nothing to do with her position.”
“Oh, of course not! We all agree.” Sebastian stood up and started pacing the room. “If Roman had told us the truth, everything would have been perfectly fine right now. I honestly don’t know what he was thinking, but I’ve come to the conclusion that he wasn’t quite right in the head.”
Amelia cringed at the words. It hurt even more that Julian and Charles nodded in approval.
“You know why he didn’t tell you the truth,” said Seth in a low, calm voice. “You would have never accepted a woman as your main Inari. You couldn’t wait for Roman to die childless so one of you could take his place and do whatever you wanted with the clan.”
“Are you accusing me of sexism, Seth? That’s low, so low… I have three daughters, you know.” Sebastian’s grin indicated he couldn’t care less what Seth was accusing him of.
“Drop the act,” the Yako said. “What do your daughters do while your two sons study the ancient texts? Spend all their day in the kitchen?”
Sebastian spread his arms as to show none of it was his fault. “What can a father do when two of his daughters have a passion for cooking, and the other one likes painting surreal landscapes?”
Seth huffed.
“If it wouldn’t have been a problem then, it shouldn’t be a problem now,” said Amelia.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Sebastian’s voice and attitude changed. He was done joking about it. “We will never accept an Inari who lied to us since the beginning, who went to such lengths to hide her true identity from her own family.”
Amelia held his gaze, but the truth was… he was right.
“How could we trust Blake when her actions have only proved that she’s as insane as her father? Who changes their whole life and alters their identity simply to deceive and ensure their leadership? No one wants a fake, delusional leader, and that’s exactly what Blake is.”
Amelia bit the inside of her cheek. Her mind was working feverishly, trying to come up with something to say.
“How lucky this gave you the opportunity to turn things in your favor,” she started. She wasn’t sure her argument would hold, but she had to try. “Tell me, Sebastian, were you involved in Damon’s plot?” Her eyes moved from one brother to another. “Were you all involved? Because the Tricksters were hired by someone, and it was all so convenient. Damon invited us to spend a couple of days with his earth, and six fox-shifters come after Blake the very first night. You were in such a hurry to get rid of her, that you couldn’t take the time to cover your own tracks. You were sure of the Tricksters’ success, weren’t you? You were sure there would be no one left to ask questions.”
Sebastian stepped closer to Amelia and leaned over her, shoving his face in her personal space.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I won’t allow you to insult us like that. Now that we know who Blake is, you mean nothing to us. You mean nothing to Clan Sylfur. Blake isn’t an Inari anymore, and you’re not the Inari’s wife.”
Amelia stood up abruptly. She had no intention of letting Sebastian, or any of the brothers for that matter, dominate her like that. A sudden wave of nausea forced her to use the edge of the table for support, but she straightened her back immediately. Seth was by her side. He pulled her back and stepped between her and Sebastian.
“You’re in no position to make any kind of decision,” he said. His intense, purple gaze challenged the other fox-shifter. “Blake is Roman’s heir and the Inari of this clan. We have already contacted the Council, and they will be the ones who will sort this out. Until then, there’s nothing you can do.”
“I can ban you all from the clan!” yelled Sebastian. “Blake, you, your whore, and those two useless Ninkos!”
Seth grabbed Sebastian by the throat and pushed him against the table. “Don’t talk like that about the mother of my child.”
“Seth, no!”
Amelia pulled at his arm, trying to make him let go of Sebastian. Julian and Charles were watching them impassively. If he wanted, Sebastian could throw Seth off him, but instead the fox-shifter was grinning in the Yako’s face.