Page 113 of Nearly Dead

He turns to me, his ancient eyes seeing far more than I’m comfortable with.“Tamara Devine.Please tell the council what truly happened.”

All eyes turn to me.I feel Costin’s silent support, Anthony’s nervous energy, Astrid’s careful attention.It’s nothing compared to my father’s growing discomfort.

I step forward.The hybrid inside me is calm, centered.I am not the scared human girl who once stood before them, nor am I the unstable newborn monster they feared.

“Honorable council,” I begin, keeping my voice steady.“The conflict with Elizabeth and my uncle was inevitable.They sought power at any cost.Elizabeth through vampire dominance.Mortimer through magical manipulation.Their alliance was one of convenience, not loyalty.”

I recount the battle truthfully, leaving nothing out.The trap we set, the werewolves’ aid under the full moon, the confrontation with Elizabeth, and Costin’s final action against his sister.I even tell them of Mortimer’s attempt to steal my power and how I turned his own plans against him.

“Elizabeth and Mortimer represented a threat not just to my family and to Lord Constantine, but to the balance this council is sworn to protect,” I conclude.“We did what was necessary.”

Silence falls over the chamber as the council members process my account.Some look troubled, others thoughtful.Zephronis gives me a subtle nod of approval.

Elder Decimus leans forward.“And what of your own transformation?The reports we’ve received suggest abilities beyond what any hybrid should possess.”

“I am what circumstances have made me,” I reply simply.“A hybrid, yes, but one who has learned to balance my natures rather than let them tear me apart.”

“And the telekinetic abilities?”Madam Britannia asks, her eyes narrowed.“Such power is rare.”

I consider lying or at least minimizing the truth.But the time for half-measures is past.“When Leviathan was defeated, I absorbed some of the energy released by the freed spirits he had trapped.I can’t tell you the source of the power.”

Another murmur runs through the council.

“Demonstrated control or not, such concentration of power in one being is concerning.”Elder Birch strokes his beard.“The potential for disruption?—”

“Is no greater than the potential for stability,” Zephronis interrupts.“Tamara Devine has done what no hybrid before her has accomplished.She has found balance.Not just between vampire and werewolf, but between power and restraint.”

My father shifts uncomfortably.I can practically see his mind working, trying to calculate how to turn this situation to his advantage.

“The council must consider what this means for our future,” Elder Decimus says cautiously.“The wolves are without an Alpha?—”

“The wolves have chosen Sully as their Alpha,” Anthony interjects.I look at him in surprise.His voice drops a little, like he wants to backtrack his sudden blurting.“He’s proven himself loyal to the supernatural order.”

“Sully is Alpha.He’s completed the trials,” I clarify.“The pack follows him willingly.I support him.”

“And the vampire hierarchy?”Madam Britannia asks, looking at Costin.“With your sister gone, Lord Constantine, there will be a power vacuum.”

Costin steps forward, commanding respect.“There is no vacuum.I maintain my position as master vampire.Those who followed Elizabeth have either pledged themselves to me or fled.”

“And what of you two?”Elder Birch asks, looking between Costin and me.“The sire bond complicates matters.With control over her, the vampires will be too powerful.We can’t ignore that fact.”

“The sire bond exists,” Costin acknowledges.“But it does not define our relationship or Tamara’s choices.”

“I am not anyone’s puppet,” I add, meeting Elder Birch’s gaze steadily.“Not my sire’s, not my father’s, not this council’s.I make my own choices.”

Davis clears his throat.“What my daughter means?—”

“Is exactly what she said,” Astrid interrupts, stepping forward to stand beside me.“The time for speaking for Tamara is over.She has earned the right to speak for herself.”

The look my father gives Astrid would wither a lesser being, but she merely lifts her chin, unmoved.In that moment, I see the steel beneath Astrid’s perfect composure, the power she’s wielded behind the scenes all these years.

“Lady Astrid speaks wisely,” Zephronis says.“And it brings us to the purpose of this gathering.The events of the full moon have created an opportunity, not just for the Devine family or for Lord Constantine, but for our entire community.”

He turns to address the full council.“For too long, we have clung to old divisions.Vampire versus werewolf.Magic versus creature.These artificial boundaries have made us vulnerable to those who would exploit our differences for their own gain.”

“What are you suggesting?”Elder Decimus asks, though his tone suggests he already knows.

“A new council seat,” Zephronis replies.“One that represents those who exist between our traditional factions.A voice for the hybrids, the cross bloods, the unconventional.And I nominate Tamara Devine to fill it.”

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