Page 20 of Absolved In Death

“If we can’t use the Council members as leverage, and we won’t call in backup, then the only thing we can do is make a war plan and hope it’s enough to prove we have the situation in hand,” I pointed out.

“I do love a good war plan,” Ares agreed. “The troops are training daily, itching for a fight.”

“Easier said than done. We don’t even know where Red is, or who keeps letting him in the compound,” Desmond replied. He gestured to Judas, who sat toward the other end of the table. “Your coven rat is still alive and well, my friend.”

“It’s the only option that tracks. We changed our security strategies, and August rotated out the entire guard team. The rat feeding Red more information is the only way he and his troops could enter the compound,” Judas said, his voice heavy. “After tonight’s meeting, we may want to think about moving our operations base.”

“It’s not going to matter if the location leaks again…” Michael rubbed the back of his neck, sighing.

“I hate to play the Morningstar card, but can’t you, Oisín, and Diana lay down the law? Even in my realm, the lastname Morningstar is synonymous with power,” Quelier said to Lucifer.

“Diana isn’t going anywhere near that meeting,” Desmond snapped as steam billowed out of his ears.

My mouth almost hit the table. Everyone was silent, bouncing their glances between Desmond and I, waiting for one of us to erupt. His sighs and discouraging words were little knives slicing into the scar he left on my heart, slowly reopening a wound I thought was long healed. After I left them, he still didn’t understand how his high-handed, overbearing bullshit was suffocating me. How could he not realize he was making the same mistakes all over again?

I refuse to deal with this anymore. He had no right to tell me what I could do, or where I could go. My seat at the decision making table wasn’t his to give me. It was mine for the taking.Fuck him.I took a few calming breaths, because he wasn’t worth my emotional energy anymore. He would always be a moody, controlling bastard, and I just about had it with him.

“My attendance at that meeting isn’t up to you, Desmond. Please keep your opinions to yourself unless directly asked,” I said in an even tone of voice, trying to sound as unbothered as possible. I turned my attention to Lucifer. “Quelier has a point. We can totally strong-arm them into submission if you want.”

I heard Desmond take a sharp inhale of breath but muted him before he could argue with me. My anger was simmering inside me, threatening to come to a boil, and if I had to hear one more word come out of his mouth, I’d tear him apart.

Unfortunately, it only lasted for a few seconds before he removed it.

“Do you understand how the council works at all? They may be coming here about a breach of secrecy, but don’t think for a moment they won’t target you,” he shouted.

“What does Diana have to do with any of this?” Mal asked.

“The Council doesn’t maintain order over the magical community…they keep it in status quo. Diana’s immense, unchecked power combined with her last name puts a target on her back—they’ll see her as a threat.”

Lucifer cracked his neck, leaning back in his chair before locking eyes with Michael. My fathers shared so much history. I had wondered a few times whether they’d be able to read each other’s minds, even without their bond.

“It’s reasonable to assume that if Red has spies in our camp, the Princeps Council does as well. They could very well know how powerful Diana is,” Michael weighed his words carefully. “But I agree with Lucifer that she needs to be there.”

Lucifer smiled at me, and for the first time, I thanked Heaven and Hell that he was there for me. He would understand how I feel.

I’ll never take away your chance to defend yourself,he linked me.

His confidence in me was the support I desperately needed. I stood from my chair, as straight and regal as a queen, like I owned the fucking room…becauseI did. I was Diana fucking Morningstar, and Desmond could either bend the knee or fuck off.

I gave him a cold, emotionless glare before I made my decree. “I refuse to hide away from the Council. If they’re going to discuss me at this meeting, then I will be there to defend myself. The matter is closed.”

The look of disappointment on Desmond’s face momentarily threw me, but I emotionally righted myself again. He had to learn that he couldn’t manipulate or control me.

My time of sitting in the backseat while someone else drove was over.

The emergency meetinghad run all the way to lunch, and the only thing we decided was to create a rough war plan to convince the Princeps Council that we had everything in hand. We couldn’t finalize any of it because we still had no clue where Red was hiding. Or who served as his point of entry inside the compound. Michael had a point—moving would only be a short lived solution because eventually, our new secret location would be blown. We had to find out who the rat was. And none of this would matter if the Council put us down.

My anxiety over the Princeps Council’s imminent arrival was slightly dampened by the special lunch Quelier set up for me. Marilyn, Angie, Nonna and Charlie made me feel like a normal person for once. I ate a fancy sandwich, drank a cocktail, and gossiped with my favorite people. I was a regular woman who could relax and enjoy the company of her family, not the prophesied daughter of Lucifer Morningstar tasked with saving the world from magical annihilation.

We all sat at a specialty decorated table in a private section of the dining hall, finishing the last bites of our chocolate mousse dessert. Draining the last of my mimosa, I watched the seconds tick away on the clock. In three minutes, someone would show up to escort me to training. I had just gotten Mom back in my life, and no amount of time would ever be enough to catch up or convince myself that she was really here and not a figment of my imagination.

“What’s wrong, Diana?” she asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, I spaced out,” I replied, choosing to leave out my dark thoughts.

“I can only imagine how stressed you must feel…” she carefully said. “If you ever need someone to talk to, or someone to help you forget about it all, we’re here for you.”

Everyone at the table nodded in agreement.

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