Refugee (The Captive Series Book 3) (17 page)

Braith shook his head. “I don’t know.
Those creatures have been taken care of, there may be a few left
out there, but they’re not much of a threat. I think I passed their
test. I think I proved that though I was blinded, I am still deadly
enough to lead.”

“Do you think they suspect you can see
when I’m near?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think so, though
Xavier saw far more of our relationship than I intended for him to.
I don’t think he will say anything. For now he prefers to watch,
listen and learn.”

“What does he want to
learn?”

“Everything and anything. Xavier’s
bloodline has always been the record keepers; he knows more of our
history than anyone. His leaving was a huge blow to my father.
Xavier sees far more than most, he processes things differently.
He’ll keep what he saw to himself until he can figure out what to
do about it.”

“Do you think he’ll do something bad
with it?”

“Not if he wants to live. Xavier,
though his original loyalty was to my father, is a man of thought
and learning, not one of action and violence. He is logical and
fair. He will come to me when he is ready to confront me about you,
before he goes to them. He’ll look for answers first.”

“I think you’re right, he seems very
curious about us.” She rocked back on her heels again. “They will
agree to help us.”

“And what makes you so
certain?”

“Because it’s impossible not to follow
you.”

He chuckled as he folded her arm within
his. “I’m glad you believe so.”

She tugged on his arm for a moment,
causing him to stop in the doorway of the library. Her hand
tightened around his arm, her eyes were filled with determination.
“I don’t believe so Braith, I know so. They’ll follow you because
they know strength when they see it, because they’ll believe in
you, and you’ll win.” He was awed and humbled by the amount of
faith she had in him. She grinned at him, a smile that lit her face
and caused her eyes to sparkle as she playfully bumped his hip.
“Just don’t let it go to your head when you become
king.”

He couldn’t find the words to remind
her that he had no intention of becoming king; he was too stunned.
She turned away from him, her gaze darting toward the dining room
that they had been meeting in. She squeezed his hand before
reluctantly releasing it and nervously tucking the book under her
arm. “You can do this Braith,” she whispered.

He was pretty sure he could do just
about anything if she was standing at his side. He wanted to reach
for her again, wanted to pull her back against him, wanted to walk
proudly into that room with her, but he knew he had already allowed
too much to slip in front of Xavier.

Aria entered the room first and walked
to her brother’s side. William studied her before nodding to
Braith. The others had already gathered around the table, the chair
at the head was empty as it waited expectantly for him. Braith
rested his fingers on the top of the table as he faced the powerful
people whose help he desperately needed if they were going to have
any shot of winning this war.

“You’ve all made your decisions?” he
inquired.

“We have,” Xavier confirmed as his dark
eyes flickered briefly to Aria. Frustration filled Braith; his
momentary loss of control in the hallway earlier had placed Aria in
even greater peril. She met Xavier’s inquisitive glance with a lift
of her brows that somehow managed to make her appear even more
innocent and unknowing. But Braith could see that Xavier didn’t buy
it, not for an instant.

“
I’ll fight with you,”
Xavier confirmed. “You’ve proven that you are capable enough to
earn my allegiance, and I have never agreed with your father’s
policies. I believe yours will be more just.” His eyes flickered
briefly to Aria again.

Braith had to force himself not to look
at her. “They will be,” he assured him.

“I will also fight with you,” Barnaby
confirmed. Braith felt a momentary tug of apprehension, he still
didn’t know how to feel about Barnaby, but at least this time he
was actually taking a stand instead of cowardly waiting until the
end. Perhaps the past hundred years had actually changed him. Ashby
made a slight face but remained silent. “I’ve been waiting for this
moment for a very long time.”

“I would like to confer with my people,
but I believe they will agree to help.” Saul folded his hands into
the sleeves of his cloak, his head was bowed. He had always been
tranquil, reserved, with an air of dignity that was enhanced by his
seemingly vast years, even though he was almost two hundred years
younger than Braith. “We’ve built a good home here, but we are well
aware of the fact that it is tentative at best. The king still
randomly sends search parties after us, there is no guarantee we
will not be uncovered and ousted at some point. War offers no
promises, no peace or stability, but the hope of a future filled
with security will probably sway them, as will the chance to leave
The Barrens and return to a home that most of us still
miss.”

“I was in even before we went after
those creatures,” Calista said. “I want my homeland back. We’ve
established a nice system here, but I’m sick of dust and heat and
sand. I assume that those of us who join with you will also be
rewarded.”

“Your wealth will be returned to you.
The Council will be established as the ruling body again, you will
be returned to your seats upon it, you will have equal say within
it and the majority will rule,” Braith assured them.

“Even the humans?” Frank
inquired.

Braith nodded. “What you have
established here will be the model that the new rule will be based
upon. Humans will rule with us, vampires and humans that do not
follow the rules will be punished accordingly.”

“And blood slaves?” Frank
pressed.

Despite himself Braith felt his gaze
flicker to Aria as she shifted uneasily. Though few people in this
room knew she had once been his blood slave, it was still a touchy
subject with her. “If we are successful, no human will ever be
forced to be a blood slave again.”

It was only the slight tremor of Aria’s
chin that hinted at any sign of distress from her. He couldn’t take
those days away from her, even if he could, he wouldn’t. If she’d
never been captured, if she’d never been brought to the palace as a
slave, he never would have met her. He wouldn’t be standing here
right now and neither would she. She was in danger now, but her
life up to this point had been nothing but danger. He hated it but
for the first time he saw things from her perspective, for the
first time he understood her total lack of fear toward
anything.

She feared nothing because she had
lived with the constant threat of death every day of her life, it
remained the same now, but there was finally hope for her. Finally
there was a light at the end of a tunnel that before had only been
dark. She would do anything for that light, anything. She had been
trying to tell him this, trying to make him understand that this
was a battle she embraced wholeheartedly, enthusiastically, and
with a determination that may even exceed his own, but he had been
too stubborn to listen. He needed to give her more freedom or he
would crush the beautiful spirit he had fallen in love with in the
first place.

The thought of losing her was almost
enough to drive him to his knees, but he realized he’d rather see
her dead than destroyed by his inability to let her be who she
was.

He almost took her hand, but thankfully
he came to his senses before he did something careless. Her life
may not be any more precarious now than it was before, but if he
revealed his feelings for her any further, it would be.

He turned forcefully away from her as
he focused on Frank once more. “You and David will have a say in
how things are run afterward. You will both have seats on The
Council to represent your people. If there are other human leaders
amongst the rebels I’m sure David will bring them to my
attention.”

“There aren’t any others,” William
informed him.

“The humans will have the same say as
vampires?” Frank persisted.

“Yes, humans will have an equal say,”
Braith assured him.

“And a leader will also need to be
appointed.” Gideon’s hazel eyes were turbulent as they met
his.

“There isn’t truly a need for a
leader.” Braith stared at Gideon, silently warning him to back
off.

“There is always a need for a leader. A
leader will have to carry out the results of any vote, and they
will have to squash any inner squabbling. A leader will be needed
to make sure that justice, fair justice is carried out. And
everyone, people and vampire alike, will need someone to follow.
There is a need for a leader, a strong one that can rule and see
over what will be a difficult time of transition for everyone
involved. They will be required to put an abrupt end to the
uprisings I am sure will follow this overthrow, and to make sure
that all traitorous persons are hunted down and dealt with
appropriately.

“There is a need for a leader if what
you envision, what we all envision, is to be successful. We will
need the strongest among us to carry out this vision. Someone who
is just and not simply seeking power, someone who knows how
government and politics works, someone that is recognizable to
everyone, as there are many of us that would not be known among the
humans anymore. ”

Braith was silent, astounded by the
fervor of Gideon’s speech, frightened by the sway he felt in those
words. Aria gazed at Gideon for a long moment before turning slowly
to Braith. It was the pride gleaming from the bright depths of her
beautiful eyes that caused his gut to clench. He knew what she
expected of him, but if he rose to power she would never be
accepted, never be welcomed at his side.

He would give up anything for this
cause, except for her.

Beside her, William looked just as
amazed as she did. His gaze moved slowly from Gideon to Braith and
then finally to his sister. An almost painful look crossed his face
before he turned away.

“We should select a new leader, a new
king so to speak, here, now, amongst the leaders that our people
have elected to speak for them.”

“Not all of them are here,” Braith
reminded them, unable to keep the aggravation from his voice as
Gideon tried to railroad him.

“Either I, or William, can vote for our
father, for now,” Aria amended quickly. “I’m sure he would trust
our judgment, and if he doesn’t then he can have his say when we
reunite.”

He wanted to tell her no, that there
would be no vote now, but the others were already nodding their
agreement. A cold chill swept down his spine. He was not a coward,
he had never shirked his responsibilities but he did not want this.
Maybe he was getting ahead of himself though; they had not elected
him yet. Gideon had just given a rousing speech that had swayed
everyone in the room. After Braith, he was the most elder vampire
within this room. They all knew Gideon well, had worked well with
him over the past hundred years. All Braith had was his older age,
his power, and his pedigree.

“I think that’s fair,” Xavier said.
“They came as representatives for their father after all.” His gaze
fixated on Braith. “I’m sure he would respect their
vote.”

“He would,” William
confirmed.

“Jericho is also an option as a
leader,” Braith reminded them. “My brother has lived amongst
David’s rebel faction for the past six years. He is part of the
royal bloodline, David’s people trust him.”

Saul chuckled as he shook his head and
spread his hands before him. “I’m sure Jericho has matured greatly
over the years Braith, but I do not believe he is up for this
responsibility. Nor was he ever groomed for it. We represent our
families now because most of our family members are dead. Barnaby’s
youngest cousin, and my sister, are the only others that survived
the war, subsequent slaughter, and exile. Neither of them is
prepared to lead, and neither is Jericho.”

“That is yet another thing we can
discuss when we’re all united,” Xavier said. “I’m sure that Jericho
is not the boy we remember, and if there is to be true equality
amongst us than we should consider him. If he wishes to be
considered.”

“Then we are in agreement, for the most
part,” Gideon asserted. “We’ll vote now. Ashby?”

Ashby was pensive as his eyes flickered
briefly between Aria and Braith before his shoulders slumped a
little. “Braith started this, he has led us this far, united us,
and defeated most of your enemies. He’ll see us to the end; he’ll
take down his father. My vote is with him.”

Braith remained silent, unmoving, his
body becoming steadily colder as Gideon went through the room. He
somehow managed to remain impassive and unflinching every time his
name was said. William and Aria were second to last. They spoke
briefly with each other before Aria quietly said his name. It was
like a stake to his heart, she didn’t know what she had just
done.

“It seems as if we have had our first
unanimous vote.” There was no satisfaction in Gideon’s tone. In
fact he seemed resigned, saddened yet sturdy as he met Braith’s
gaze. “Will you accept the decision to run the form of government
that you would like to see carried out in the future?”