“Then I will release plan B and you will regret ever doing this to me,” I growled.
Her smirk dropped from her face, and she tucked the book under her arm. The fact that she actually took my threat seriously surprised me, and I was suddenly grateful for the chance to have a say in my defense, even if it was veiled in a threat.
She glanced back at the other Councilors. Though they didn’t speak, I had to assume they were comm
unicating somehow. Then she turned back to me.
“And what, may I ask, is Plan B?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked as haughtily as I knew how.
This was going to be the biggest bluff of my life, and I had to be convincing.
Chapter 3.
“YOU DON’T THINK THAT’S the only copy of the book we have?” I asked, forcing a cunning smile to my lips. I thrust my arms behind my back and wiped the sweat from my palms, hoping they didn’t notice. “You think we actually took your word that you were going to give me a fair trial? We expected this. We know how you really are and what you want to hide from everyone. We have a backup plan in place. There is a group of Fae ready to release that information to every realm in the known Universe in the context of the original text so everyone will know it and won’t question the authenticity.”
I hoped Tavlor didn’t mind me throwing his people under the figurative ‘bus’ but they were the only group I’d found so far to be organized, smart, and virtuous. Plus, they had power, just as the magic realm did, and that power threatened the magic realm. If anyone could intimidate the witches and warlocks, I was certain it was the Fae.
It wasn’t a stretch of logic to assume the Fae would act on the information we had, especially considering the fact they were actually more powerful than the warlocks.
Shocked gasps echoed around the room.
I took the opportunity to step around Tavlor and address the whole crowd. “How long do you think it will be before there’s a revolt, trying to get back to the old ways? The real old ways? When everyone was equal.”
I pointed at the Witches and Warlocks obsessed with killing me so they could decide who reigned as the next High Warlock.
“You all seem to be forgetting that the only reason you figured out I was more than your average Witch, is because I am more magically powerful than any of you,” I pointed out. The more I spoke, the more confidence I felt. “I have two decades of my mother’s teaching, and my father’s genetics coursing through my veins. I will not be destroyed.”
I paused to take a breath, anger thrumming through my blood like a poison.
A powerful poison. I could feel it vibrating through me, pushing me to speak. To act. To scream.
“I will not be silenced. You will not win! I am the product of hundreds of years of magical breeding and believe me when I say... you will regret this day, for the rest of existence, if you do not give me what you have promised me.”
I glared around the room, challenging everyone and anyone to stand up against me. What I was asking for was not carte blanche power, or an easy ride. It was the chance to prove I was better than they thought I was.
To fight to be my father’s daughter.
I just wanted a fair opportunity to plead my case, to show evidence supporting me. That was all. I found that to be reasonable.
And when no-one spoke up against me, hope finally flared to life within my chest.
There was silence for so long my pounding heart had time to settle down to a more natural and normal rhythm.
My father was staring at me now like I’d gone insane. If he could actually hear me or not, I didn’t know.
Tavlor was almost grinning where he stood beside me, still brandishing his sword.
Rasslor, the snake I’d met in my father’s office a week ago, had been sitting in the front pew. He finally stood and faced me.
“And what is it you want?” he asked. The question sounded strained, as though the last thing he wanted was to hear was how I felt.
I groaned and threw my hands heavenward. What did I want? What did I really want, after this was all said and done? It was hard for me to put everything into words. Life wasn’t that simple.
“I want you to accept the fact I am my father’s child, and stop punishing me for it,” I finally said.
I dropped my hands to my sides and gave Rasslor what I hoped was a look that told him I didn’t want to keep fighting him. I didn’t want to keep fighting anyone. I just wanted to be safe. I wanted to be myself without being penalized for it, especially since I couldn’t change it.