Page 117 of Xerxes Ascendant
“Short-sighted idiots, all of you,” Theta hissed. “You would have ruined this Coterie had I not acted. You think we would survive going to war with Benedict Mackenroth? Over one fucking whore?”
He straightened, nostrils flaring, and glared at each of them in turn. “You’ll regret this.”
Then he strode towards the exit, his bearing both dignified and hasty, only to draw up short when Indira stepped betweenhim and the door with her runing wand aimed threateningly at his face.
“Where do you think you’re going? I heard what you tried to do to my cousin.”
“It was your suggestion,was it not,” said Sigma icily from the other side of the room, “to match the incarceration to the offender’s service to the Coterie? And for you, Simon, that means a hell of a lot longer than five years.”
Theta blanched. “You can’t mean to...”
“Send him to prison?” Indira beamed at the idea, the slyness in her bright blue gaze the only thing that distinguished it from that of her overly-compassionate cousin. “Yep, I’m on board with that. Chop, chop.” She all but ushered him into the waiting arms of security, everyone eyeing the trythirrium wand being waved around with an appropriate degree of caution. How she’d smuggled it past the frisk search was a question Akira wasn’t going to ask.
Tau huffed out a long breath. “Stars save us. Theta really was a fucking conspirator.”
“And Miles Mackenroth giving testimony, of all people...”
“What happens now?”
“Now?” Kyle drawled, raising his voice to ensure he was heard. “Now you all apologise to my Master.”
Omicron spluttered. “I will not!”
All eyes turned to him.
“That is...I...was working on the information I was given, which can hardly be...”
Kyle took a menacing step towards him.
“Sorry, Epsilon,” Master Omicron mumbled.
His boyfriend immediately brightened. “How gracious of you! And your offer of reduced Coterie fees payable by House Epsilon for the next six months is gratefully accepted.”
Sigma narrowed her eyes. “You’ve got some nerve. But considering the circumstances, that will be arranged.”
Akira tried not to stare. If he’d attempted that, he’d have been laughed out of the room.
“And also by House Theta, seeing as that now belongs to Akira too?” Kyle asked hopefully, shooting them all a dazzling smile.
“Don’t push it, Mr. Randall,” Nu admonished, although there was a small smile on their face. It seemed it was difficult even for a hardened House Master not to like Kyle. Then they turned to Akira. “It is with great relief that we welcome you back to your seat, amid regret for the unfortunate circumstances in which it was lost.”
The careful words were not an apology, Akira noted, but he tugged on Kyle’s hand in a request not to press the matter. Could he really blame the Coterie for their earlier verdict when Akira himself had stood before them and admitted his guilt? What else could they have done?
Yet Master Lambda wasn’t nearly as restrained. “We’re so sorry, Epsilon,” he said mournfully, as plain-speaking as he was direct in action. He glanced at Kyle as if seeking his approval, and after keeping the Master in suspense for a long moment, Kyle finally inclined his head into a nod. Akira swept the amused smile from his lips.
“WellIbelieved you,” declared Rho, and considering she’d done...whatever it was she’d done that meant Misha was able to condescendingly wave goodbye out of the doorway as Theta was dragged away by the Coterie’s security, Akira didn’t doubt it.
The other Masters offered their own various comments and regrets, but Akira barely heard them. He was too busy memorising the feel of Kyle’s warm hand in his, relishing the small touch and the knowledge that his boyfriend was safe andhere...and that Akira himself was too. To have been locked awayforyears, unable to see or hear or feel his personal, precious ray of sunshine in the darkness, would have been unbearable.
“Meeting concluded,” said Nu tiredly. “We’ll meet again tomorrow night to finalise details of Thet...Simon’s sentence, but I for one don’t have the heart to do it tonight.” Murmured agreement rustled through the Coterie, and Akira realised the Masters didn’t appear nearly as shocked or disappointed as they had when they’d thoughthewas the deceiver. Was it just exhaustion from the turmoil of the last hour, or had they been genuinely more aggrieved at the idea of Epsilon betraying their trust than Theta?
Akira wasn’t socially adept enough to understand what that meant. Kyle would tell him, he was sure, some confident assurance that he was better liked by his peers than he’d realised, or some other far-fetched nonsense that he’d stitched together from indiscernible emotional cues.
Kyle was clever that way.
“Relax, sweetheart,” the blonde murmured in his ear now. “I can hear your brain working from here.”
Akira opened his mouth, only to have his breath stolen from his lungs as Misha charged at him and collided with his chest, skinny arms wrapping tightly around him.
