Tau raised his head from his hands where he sat hunched at the table. “This is a closed meeting, Mr. Randall-”
“Ah,” Theta interrupted smoothly, gliding towards Kyle with a self-satisfied smile capable of reaching the stars. “My newest employee. Consider yourself on probation.”
Kyle gave him an unimpressed glance. “I don’t work for you.”
“You misunderstand,” said Theta. “You have a binding employment contract with House Epsilon, Randall, and I now own House Epsilon.”
“You misunderstand,” repeated Kyle coldly and without patience, pushing him aside. “I don’twork for you.”
He ignored the incensed noises that erupted from the man he’d shoved into the wall, and headed straight for Akira.
“Master!”
“He’s no longer a Master, Mr. Randall,” said Nu in that unflustered way of theirs, although their voice sounded strangely exhausted. “Our verdict has been passed.”
Kyle rounded on them, coming face to face with the rest of the Coterie. “Then un-pass it,” he demanded. “It’s Theta who betrayed you all. I’ll testify to it.”
Nu’s steady gaze flickered. Sigma’s mouth opened, but it was a sneering Omicron who spoke first.
“It’s too late for that.”
“Too late for the truth?” Rho challenged from the doorway. She fixed the other Masters with a disbelieving glare, although Kyle suspected part of her irritation arose from learning that they had not, indeed, waited for her. “Is that who we are now? Ignoring facts for convenience?”
“I was there that night,” said Kyle, choosing to plough ahead rather than waiting for permission that might never come. “Theta admitted to selling Epsilon out after the Coterie voted to support us against Benedict Mackenroth. He thought you’d lose the resulting war, so he switched sides to save his own life and that of a man he seems to think he’s owed.”
Kyle glanced at Akira. Brown eyes drank him in, clinging to his words and the hope they brought, and Kyle felt the immense weight of what they were to each other. Lovers. Friends. Colleagues. And each other’s saviours, time and time again.
This time it was Kyle’s turn.
“Theta let Mackenroth’s men past House Epsilon’s wards. Handed us both over and heartlessly stood by as Akira was tortured for the apology the mayor had demanded from him. Because without that concession, you had nothing, did you?” Kyle spat, rounding on the man himself. Theta’s elegant face was etched with hatred...and a twinge of fear.
“More lies,” he rasped. “Perhaps Mr. Randall should think carefully about these accusations beforesomeone else gets hurt.”
“Nah,” declared Mish, entering the room arm in arm with Indira. “He’s good to keep going.”
Theta flinched and went pale. Akira exhaled a breath that seemed to deflate his entire body, gazing at Kyle with open adoration.
“For fuck’s sake,” protested Omicron. “Are we lettinganyonein here tonight? Where the stars is security?”
“These guests are here on my authority,” Master Rho drawled, gliding over to the table and seating herself next to Tau. Fingers clasped together expectantly, she looked as though she was settling in for a show.
One that Kyle was all too ready to give.
“Worried he’d be exposed, Theta took Mish hostage,” he continued, gesturing at his friend so the Masters knew who he was referring to. Misha gave them all a little finger wave followed by an air kiss. “That is why Akira recanted his story tonight. Not because he was wrong, not because he’d made it up, but becausethat man”– he pointed accusingly at Theta – “continues to hurt and threaten people to get his own way. If there’s anyone undeserving of the title of Master, it’s Simon fucking Buchell.”
Theta sneered back at him. “Claims the man who’s nothing more than a thug.” He rubbed his arm mournfully to over-exaggerate the hurt Kyle had caused when he’d pushed him, and then turned to address the Coterie himself. “His testimony means nothing when it’s motivated by obvious self-interest. Why wouldn’t Akira’s favourite employee come to his defence? His employee, and dare I say...” Theta’s pale grey eyes glittered with anticipation, the same as they had when he’d dropped the revelation about Akira’s family. But this time was far less world-shattering. “...lover?”
“You can say it without daring anything,” retorted Kyle, reaching out a hand to Akira. Wordlessly, his beautiful, perfect man took it and carefully entwined their fingers together. “Unlike the many truths you sequester away, Theta, what Akira means to me is no secret.”
“Ah.” Theta still looked triumphant. Did he think he’d won? “So we are in agreement that we shouldn’t give Randall’s evidence any weight?”
“Of course,” Kyle conceded easily, gratified when that made the asshole blink in surprise. “I have many reasons to lie: why would the Coterie trust my word?
“So what would it take?” he added before Theta could swoop in and claim victory. “What would be truly compelling evidence?”
Kyle pretended to think. “The word of an enemy, perhaps? If Benedict Mackenroth himself appeared before you all to admit he was in league with Master Theta, would that convince you?”
Someone laughed. Theta scoffed.