chapter 45
Lila kept an eye on Ramsey, keeping her ability to sense and heal emotions focused toward him. The whole family was sitting outside the newly-repaired double doors to the chamber, where Selene was currently talking with the High Council.
Griffin used his telepathy to hear the conversations inside the closed room and repeated everything he heard to the others. While he could project his own thoughts into others’ minds, he needed Ellie to project all thoughts, and, unfortunately, she and Alex were away on their honeymoon.
Lila could feel Griffin’s increasing agitation as he paced like a caged lion, and her heart went out to him.
“Adelaide,” Griffin said. “She needs you in there.” He ran his hands through his hair. “This would be much easier with Ellie here.”
Adelaide gave him an apprehensive look but stood and let herself into the chamber.
*****
Selene turned and ushered Adelaide into the room with an offered hand.
“Adelaide, thank you for coming.” She gave the younger girl a reassuring smile. “Could you please explain to the Council how your gift works?”
Adelaide licked her lips. “I have the ability to see relationships – past, present, and future. When I concentrate, they appear to me as shimmering lines connecting souls. The relationship between those souls determines the color, thickness, and strength of the line between them.”
“That is fascinating, my dear.” Sara leaned forward, steepling her hands. “What relationship do you see between Oren and Selene?”
Adelaide glanced at Selene, who nodded. With a breath she focused, her eyes moving between them.
“I see several levels of relationship between them. The strongest is that of a father-daughter relationship, though not bound by blood.”
“Anyone could tell that who’s known them five minutes,” Xavier scoffed. He stood beside a window, arms crossed defensively.
Adelaide dipped her head, looking at the ground. “There’s more,” she said quietly.
“Please go on,” Selene prompted.
“There is friendship. There is that of a mentor or elder from him to her. Very faintly there is the wolf pack link, although that runs between all of you. And finally, even more faint but still there, is something hard to discern. I haven’t seen anything quite like it before.
“Has he saved your life before?” Adelaide asked Selene.
Selene shook her head slowly, her eyebrows knitting in a frown. “Not unless you count being there for me during Gideon’s reign.”
Adelaide concentrated harder. “It must be a future relationship then.”
Her eyes darkened, causing Selene concern. “Griffin,” she thought. “What did she see?”
“I don’t know,” was his response. “She stopped thinking about it before I could catch it. I wasn’t focusing on her thoughts, knowing how private she is about that.”
Selene kept her expression neutral. “Council, are you satisfied with the evidence of her ability?”
A murmuring rose through the room until Thomas said, “Yes, we are satisfied. Why have you shown us this?”
“Griffin,” she thought, “Please come in.”
Immediately the doors to the Council chamber opened. He moved swiftly to her side but refrained from making physical contact.
“Adelaide, what relationship do you see between myself and Griffin?” Selene asked.
Adelaide frowned, but centered her focus on them. After a second she gasped, as Selene dropped her barriers, allowing Adelaide’s power to work on them.
A full-blown grin broke out across Adelaide’s face. “I knew it! I just knew it!”
“Knew what, peanut?” Griffin asked her affectionately.
“You’re te’sorthene!”
A shocked gasp ran through the room, cutting off what Adelaide would’ve said next.
“No!” Xavier declared, springing to his feet. “Absolutely not.”
Adelaide closed her mount with a snap, glancing uncertainly at Griffin and Selene.
“Go on outside, Delia… we’ll handle this from here.” Selene reached out and squeezed her hand. “Thanks.”
“The Vyusher will never accept a non-wolf as their king,” Thomas stated quietly.
“They don’t have a choice. Te’sorthene cannot be separated,” Selene declared.
“They set this up,” Xavier accused wildly. “She’s just trying to get out of marrying my son.”
“Father, I will not marry someone who has found her te’sorthene,” Dez’s voice sounded from the back of the room, although he was nowhere to be seen.
All the heads in the room whipped in his direction as Dez dropped his invisibility and instantly appeared. He leaned against one of the tables, feet crossed, and appeared completely at ease.
“This is a closed Council, young man,” Thomas chided him.
“I am aware of that, Councilman. But this matter very much involves me. I will not stand idly outside those doors to be handed my future. Especially one that is forced.”
Dez gave his father a hard look as he moved next to Selene and Griffin. The casually indifferent attitude that had appeared to be so much a part of Dez had disappeared and instead there stood a man who was serious and confident.
“And I will also not accept the throne should it ever be offered to me. I stand behind Selene as my true and rightful Queen, as well as the leader who will take our people into a future full of opportunity and promise.”
“But our people will never accept her te’sorthene. He is not a wolf,” Mireilla pointed out. “What if you must?”
Dez grinned insolently, resuming his carefree mantle. “That is up to Selene and the High Council to solve. Just know that you will not see me as King through any means.”
With a jaunty wave, Dez sauntered out of the room, leaving a stark silence in his wake. Xavier was almost purple with frustration. Selene feared the man would drop dead of a heart attack any moment.
“My Lady?” Oren claimed Selene’s attention. “Might I suggest that we give the Council time to digest this stunning news? Together we will devise a way to handle the announcement to the Vyusher people.”
Selene nodded, her hand tightening on Griffin’s.
“I would suggest that we keep this situation a secret until such a time that we’ve determined an appropriate course,” Thomas added.
Selene considered his request. It went against the grain to have to hide the most important relationship in her life. She was proud of her te’sorthene, and she wanted to shout her wonderful news to the world.
A light tug on her hand had her looking toward Griffin. “It’s the right thing to do for your people,” he assured her mentally.
Warmth made her eyes glow bright silver. “I don’t like hiding.”
“Neither do I, but it’s okay.”
With a nod, she turned back to the Council. “We agree. We will keep silent about our true relationship until the right course presents itself.”