Page 31 of Nearly Dead

And then he vanished.

To see him now gives me hope.

His presence commands the chamber like gravity.Some of the council members seem surprised to see him.

Decimus says in a patronizing voice, “Old friend, we did not expect?—”

Zephronis lifts one hand.That’s all it takes.Decimus shuts up and sits down.

The air tightens.Silence deepens.

Zephronis sighs.The sound releases slowly like a frustrated parent trying to compose himself before scolding his children.

“Balance,” Zephronis says, his voice smooth as glass.The one word reverberates in a way that makes me think of an echo through time.The wizard had seen much in his life, and I wonder at how tired he must be of the endless supernatural chaos.

As if hearing my frantic thoughts, he turns toward me.

“This Council convenes under ancient law, guided not by politics or blood, but by the eternal need for balance.And balance,” he pauses, and those glowing eyes lock on mine.

A ripple of tension passes through the tiers, but no one speaks.No one dares.

I feel their eyes.Their skepticism.Their judgment.

“Balance is not a struggle between mortals and gods,” Zephronis continues, “or werewolves and vampires, or magics and monsters, but an agreement amongst us all.It is a pact to share all that we have, all that we are, and all we can be.”

Zephronis turns toward Sully.

“We’re not leaving,” Sully says before he can be kicked out.

“This session concerns the hybrid’s nature and the potential threat she poses.It’s not an open forum,” Decimus counters.

“The werewolves may stay as quiet observers,” Zephronis decides, as he gestures toward the empty seats.

Sully motions for the wolves to follow him.They make their way above to watch.I’m left alone with Astrid, and naturally lean closer to her.I don’t want her to leave me too.

“My daughter poses no threat,” Astrid states firmly, remaining in the pit with me.“She is a Devine, and as such falls under our responsibility.We will take care of her.”

“Your daughter,” Elizabeth interjects, looking down at us, “tore apart three goblins with her bare hands and tried to consume a fourth.All within my brother’s residence.I think it’s obvious she can’t handle her new powers.”

I feel rather than see Costin’s reaction through our bond as he quickly suppresses a flicker of rage.“Goblins who wouldn’t normally dare enter a master vampire’s home.Goblins who, I suspect, were sent to attack her just as they were when she was a baby.She was defending herself, as any of us would have.”

“Sent by whom?”Decimus demands.

A moment of silence follows his question.I can feel Costin’s reluctance to speak the name aloud in this chamber.

“Davis?”Decimus forces the attention onto my father.“What do you know of these attacks on your daughter?”

“Nothing but speculation,” my father answers.He glances at me but doesn’t keep my gaze.

“We have reason to believe Leviathan is involved,” Astrid puts forth, causing another ripple of murmurs through the assembly.

“The necromancer?”Decimus scoffs.“He has been quiet for centuries.Why would he concern himself with a hybrid?”

“Perhaps because she is unprecedented,” Elizabeth offers.“A successful hybrid of vampire and werewolf has never existed before.Such a creature would naturally attract attention.”

“Why is the vampire whore allowed to speak?”Madam Britannia asks.“She is the cause of this magical imbalance.”

“It was a werewolf spell,” Elizabeth dismisses the accusation.“I’m the one who stopped Thane.You should be thanking me.”

---