Page 111 of Death Warden
“Not happening,” Dax said.
“You have no rights on a mage.”
“She’s not a mage,” Spectre growled. “She’s a necromancer.”
“And a hellhound.” I stepped forward. “And cut the bullshit. You aren’t here to protect me. You’re here to hand me over to Dralos in the event he breaks free.”
The Mageri councilman’s eyes narrowed. “Tobias has been spinning tales.”
“Tobias is dead to me, and your council rules mean nothing to me.” I gripped my amulet. “I didn’t ask for this responsibility, but I was given it anyway, and I’m gonna do my damned best to see it through. That’s all I care about, and if you get in my way, Iwillput you down.”
The Grave Spirits gathered closer, bodies vibrating with lethal intent.
“You can’t hurt us,” the councilman said.
“Oh, we can hurt you, Hubert,” Dax said. “We’re just not permitted tokillyou.”
Hubert’s jaw tightened. “If Dralos goes free, he could be a danger to our world as we know it. We can’t take that risk.”
“No,” Logan said. “All you care about is keeping your power.”
“Power that allows Frostgate to maintain its wards. That allows it to remain a contained safe haven should we ever need it. You have no idea how much depends on the Mageri council retaining their power, however it was gained. Dralos cannot be allowed to be free, and if he does get free, then we have no choice but to give him what he wants. There is no way to put the genie back in the bottle.”
“But there is a way to send him back to where he came from.” I smiled coldly. “Did Tobias tell you that?”
“He mentioned a plan. But it’s a longshot.”
“Maybe. But don’t you think it’s worth a try? I mean, what do you have to lose. If I fail, you get to hand me over, right?”
His smile was knowing. “You expect us to allow you to put yourself in danger and risk your natural death?”
I snorted. “Trust me, I’ve done some dangerous shit in my time.”
Hubert arched a brow. “Have you?” He smirked. “Have you really, Adi?”
Unease squirmed in my belly. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “You are the last thread holding Dralos beholden to us. The debt that wasn’t paid. Do you honestly think your survival up until now has been pure skill on your part?”
“Fuck you. I’m not playing into your mind games.”
“Not mind games, Adienne. Simple truth. You were placed with two powerful vampires when your parents died.”
“My godparents.”
He rolled his eyes. “Hardly. Acquaintances of the Blackmores but in debt to the Mageri council. They took care of you because we asked them to.”
No… “They love me.”
“I don’t doubt it. But they took you in because we ordered them to. We needed you close. We needed you protected.”
“You knew she was part hellhound, didn’t you?” Dax said.
Hubert shrugged. “Irrelevant.”
But it wasn’t. “All this time…You kept me away from my father. I could have had a life here. I could have had a real family.”
“Frostgate wasn’t safe for you. Tobias made a mistake sending you here. He should have consulted us first, and now look, we’re paying the price.” He sighed. “Youwill pay the price for his mistake.”
