I inhaled and sighed in memory of my time spent in Faerie. The food before us was fragrant, steaming hot and loaded with meat and vegetables.
“Thank you, Tavlor,” I said through a contented sigh.
We all served ourselves on plates that he’d magicked up and I popped a berry in my mouth, savoring the rich, exquisite taste.
Once I’d eaten, and everyone had gathered their pressing thoughts, I brought up the topic again.
“Tell me more about your afternoon, Dad,” I said. “What happened with the Councilors?”
My father wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I organized a meeting with three of the people I trust on the Council. They expressed their... shock, at what you had gone through. Who you were, and what it could mean for the stability of the Council.”
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t.
“And?” I prompted.
He shrugged, sliding back on his chair and crossing his ankle over his knee. “I just don’t know,” he admitted. “They seemed to be willing to support you if you stepped up into the role of my heir, however they have been convinced that the choice of your husband is a good one. It doesn’t seem like they’re willing to go against that clause.”
I groaned, resting my elbows on my thighs and dropping my head.
“But that’s the one thing we want changed,” I muttered.
“I know,” my father said, frowning to the point lines appeared between his eyebrows.
I sighed and put my food down. The more frustrated I became, the more animated my gestures were and the last thing I wanted to do was spoil the food by accidentally spilling it.
“Why do they need to control my marriage, of all things...”
My father grimaced. “Because it would give them control over at least one of you,” he pointed out, his tone gentle. “The Council knows you didn’t grow up here. You don’t respect them, or fear them. The laws here don’t mean anything to you because you did not have to abide by them for the duration of your life. And the man that they’ve chosen for you, does. It’s a compromise, essentially, a way to strike a balance between the two of you.”
“Of course, it is,” I groaned. “Spineless wimp.”
My mother’s voice sounded in my head and I bit my lip. I almost didn’t hear her because I was so focused on what my father was suggesting, but she pressed until I noticed. Did I dare suggest what she’d said?
“What is it, Ava?” Tavlor asked. His eyes were on my face, scrutinizing me in a way only he could. Why was I not surprised? Tavlor knew me better than I knew myself sometimes.
I lifted my gaze to meet his. “I was wondering... sort of, if it would be worth getting some other people on our side.”
“Like who?” my father asked.
He’d tried to persuade the Council members, but they weren’t the ones I was talking about.
“Well... like the Fae. The shifters. People other than witches and warlocks.”
My father slid forward on his seat, his face creasing with tension.
“Ah... I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said slowly.
I bowed my head. “Yeah, I agree. The last thing we need, is a war.”
“We may not need to go as far as that,” Tavlor said, his tone thoughtful. He tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes at the wall in front of him as though he had somehow found a solution to our problem there.
I glanced across at him. “What do you mean?”
He turned towards me, his dark eyes lighting up.
“I mean that, you’ve already proved you are your father’s biological daughter,” he said. “And we still have the other book Bella gave us to stir up the Fae and the Shifters. If we create allies in the other camps, then threaten the Council with full exposure, it’s possible we can get them to comply without having to go to war at all.”
I inhaled sharply. “Blackmail them, you mean?” I asked. “Is that a good idea when they’ve come to some form of compromise?”