Blood of the Exiled (Witch Fairy Book 10) (31 page)

I return to the library to find it has become a ticking time bomb.
 
It’s
deathly quiet and all the faces present are stony as they stare at each other.
 
It’s like someone took a jar of Time to be Pissy gas and spread it all over the room.
 
It only needs a spark to erupt into flames.
 
This is going to go well.

“Glad to see everyone has taken the time to get to know each other better,” I say dryly, receiving several looks that contain real death threats in them.
 
The other looks I get are simply annoyed.

I guess there are no senses of humor to be found in the room.
 
It’s time to move on and sort things out before I get as pissy as they are.
 
“Adriel, can you keep Andrew from changing?”

“Of course,” Adriel says as if I’ve insulted her.

“Then can you and Kegan take him down the hall to an empty guest room until
it’s
decided what should be done with him?”
 

She looks thrilled about it, but Adriel walks to Andrew and grabs his arm.
 
“Let’s go.”
 
She and Kegan escort them out of the room.
 
I think he would resist if he wasn’t busy checking out Adriel’s curves.
 
If only he knew his competition.
 
He doesn’t stand a chance.

Next, I turn to Jadyn and Conor.
 
“I would like to speak to the Witches alone before you meet with them.
 
I need you to stay here and discuss with your counterpart what the key issues are between you.
 
You can set up a time to meet with the Witches tomorrow.”

“Certainly,” Jadyn says pleasantly.
 
She takes getting ordered around a lot better than Adriel does.

To Aiden and Gunnar, I say, “Aiden, I need you to stay here and make sure they don’t hurt each other.”
 
I trust Jadyn and Conor, but not the other Skin Walker who is replacing Andrew as head of his faction.
 
He might be a nice guy, but I’m not willing to take that chance.
 
He might be just as homicidal as his friend.

“Everyone should be in the conference room,” Gunnar says.
 
Aiden is disappointed not to come with us, but he doesn’t say anything.

Five minutes later, I am in the conference room at the head of the table.
 
Kallen is seated next to me with Alita on his other side and the Witches fill the available chairs closest to me.
 
Gunnar is standing near the door in military rest.
 

Before coming in here, I pulled my grandfather aside and explained that I am going to make some changes.
 
If he doesn’t like them, I threatened to dethroned him and place him under the care of Louhi.
 
He visibly shuddered at the thought.
 
Now, he’s sitting across from Kallen with a grim expression ruling his facial muscles.
 
Tana is seated next to him and I can feel her healing magic.
 
So can a surprised Kallen.
 
I haven’t had a chance yet to tell him what Tana is doing and why.

 
“I didn’t come here to make friends,” I begin.

“Good thing,” Sylar mutters.

Disregarding her snark, I continue, “I came here expecting to find my grandfather being taken advantage of again.
 
I wish I could say that I was proved wrong, but I cannot.
 
In an effort to keep this from happening while still allowing my grandfather to remain King, I am going to make some changes.”

“You hold no authority here,” Fatin says as if that’s going to make me stop and say, ‘oh yeah, I guess I’ll be going then’.
 
He’s about to be sorely disappointed.

“I am heir to the throne and the King is facing incapacitation.
 
That means I do have authority here.
 
If you don’t like it, overthrow me.”

“Is that a dare?” Sylar snipes.
 
I know she’s thinking surprising me with some dark magic spell, but a quick look in Alita’s direction reminds her why she can’t.
 
Alita would know as soon as she started the spell.

“I am not incapacitated,” Grandpa says, his eye twitching a million miles per hour.

I roll my eyes.
 
“End stage cancer is considered an incapacitating illness.
 
Lucky for you, the Queen of the Fae has already begun the healing process.”
 

Light that has not been there suddenly shines in my Grandfather’s eyes.
 
I put a hand up.
 
“Don’t get too excited, it’s not a cure.
 
Consider it Fairy chemotherapy.
 
I will take over healing you, which will get rid of the cancer cells that are growing right now.”
 
At least, that’s what I assume Tana was doing during her healing sessions with him.
 
I can do it faster than she can.
 
“That does not mean they won’t come back.”
 
The light in his eyes dims again.

“Why bother then?” Sylar asks.
 
Gee, I wonder who in the room is rooting for the grim reaper instead of the
King?
 
“You do not care about him, why would you heal him?”

Good question.
 
“Honestly?
 
Because I’m not ready to come back here to live and there
is
no way the Witches can be left in the hands of someone like you.
 
I have a lot on
my to
do list before I can make such a commitment.
 
So, my grandfather needs to remain King.”

Sylar’s mouth forms a nasty little smile.
 
“Indeed.”

I scrunch up my nose at her.
 
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re not going to be here to see how things turn out.”

Sylar’s face drains of the teeny, tiny amount of blood she had in it.
 
“How dare you!
 
I worked hard for my position.”

I roll my eyes.
 
“Yeah, yeah, I don’t care.
 
I believe you got to where you are by lying, cheating and stealing so you can take your pity party somewhere else.”

“I will be happy to help you pack,” Kallen says, not sounding the least bit friendly.

“You are kicking me out on the street?” Sylar screeches.

“Yes.
 
You are no longer a member of the Witan and you are no longer welcome here,” I tell her and a feeling of happiness flows through me at the thought of getting rid of her.

“Xandra,” Grandpa says shortly.
 
“You cannot…”

“Grandpa, shut up.
 
It’s been a long night and I don’t need any more crap from you.
 
The only reason you’re still going to be King is because I’m going to let you.
 
Besides, you don’t even like Sylar.”
 
Grandpa’s cheeks stain red and he can’t meet Sylar’s furious eyes.

Malevolent delight on my face, I turn to Fatin.
 
“You were spared last time because I thought your skill was needed.
 
Now, I don’t care if it is.
 
You’re out, too.”

“Xandra, Fatin has been a longtime friend,” Grandpa
protests
.

“Yes, and that’s why you have a twitchy eye.
 
It’s distracting by the way.
 
Can you cover it up?”

“Beren and Divina,” I turn to the couple.
 
Beren must finally believe Divina isn’t the one who tried to kill him because they’re holding hands.
 
Were they a couple the first
time
I met them?
 
I don’t remember.
 
“You two are basically harmless.
 
I think you go along with the flow regardless of which direction it takes you, but it’s not a crime to not be able to form your own opinion.
 
You will remain in the Witan but you have two weeks to find your own place.”

“Two weeks?!”
Divina exclaims.

I’m going to consider that rhetorical.
 
“Glinda, I don’t like Ekstasis magic but I do like you.
 
Please don’t prove me to be an idiot on the subject.
 
If your husband wants to continue his employment, I think the two of you should move to the guest house where my grandmother lived.
 
If not, then you can find your own place as well.”
 

Glinda actually looks pleased with the idea.
 
“We will move to the guest house.”

“Wonderful.
 
Mohana,” I say slowly.
 
“I’m not sure about you.
 
You can keep your position for the time being, but you also have two weeks to find a new place to live.”
 
I’m dying to ask Kallen what she did when they were alone together because he avoids being near her like she’s a spitting camel or something, but I haven’t had the chance.
 
I’m sure that’s better for her in this situation.

Now for my grandfather.
 
“Grandfather,” I say, startling him with the more formal title but he looks pleased.
 
“You will remain King as I said, but I am going to put Gunnar in charge of your mind.”
 

Now it’s Gunnar who’s startled.
 
“His mind?”

I nod.
 
“Yes.
 
My grandfather has a weak mind by design and easily falls prey to the likes of these two.”
 
I point to the fuming pair of Witches I just kicked out of the Witan.
 
“I would like you to keep track of who he spends time with and if there are any behavioral changes that are concerning.
 
I’ll expect regular reports.
 
I’ll make it possible for you to send them to me in the Fairy realm.”

“And here I thought you didn’t much care for me,” Gunnar says with a weak smile.

“Eh, you’re okay.”
 
That makes him chuckle.
 
“Just remember, I can always do worse than what I did when I first met you.”
 

“So I have learned,” he says, trying hard not to smile.
 

“I am also going to suggest that Jadyn stay on here.”
 
That gets several pairs of eyes snapping in my direction.
 
I knew this would be a shock.

“Why in the world would you want that?” Grandpa asks.

“Because the process of developing a treaty with the Skin Walkers will be a lengthy affair and I think having Jadyn stay here will go a long way in proving you are serious about it.”
 
I haven’t asked him if he is serious about it but he doesn’t really have a choice.