The others didn’t seem inclined to speak, and I wasn’t surprised when Quillan spoke up, asking the question that should have been on everyone’s lips.
“Who is the vote divided on?” He glanced from Yas to Jack, clearly showcasing his suspicions.
“Me and Jack,” Yas replied, her tone lacking animation. She was still in mourning; only halfway present in the room if the faraway look on her face was anything to go by.
“Well then,” Quillan crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair a little more, that authoritative tone entering his voice and stirring everyone to attention. “I choose Jack. No offense, Yas, but I think you need a little time off.”
I smiled, amused that Quillan had taken over so soon, even without anyone agreeing to what I had said. It only proved my point. He was born to be the Voda.
“I agree.” Sophia spoke up, her dark eyes sympathetic. “You’re grieving, Yas. Jack’s more than qualified. He’s what we need right now.”
Yas sniffed and pulled to her feet, nodding once at Quillan before stopping right in front of Jack’s chair. “Congratulations, Director.” She held out her hand. “I don’t want to admit it, but I’m relieved, at least right now. You’re capable and I trust you. We’re all still reeling from the Takeo incident… I think we all need someone to trust right now. I’m glad it’s you.”
Jack nudged her hand aside gently and stood, pulling her into a hug. She endured it stiffly, which made me want to smile again, and then they broke apart and the others were standing to congratulate Jack as well.
“I’d congratulate you,” I whispered to Quillan, needing to lean over Silas so that he could hear me, “but I’m pretty sure you only congratulate people on good things and your life is pretty much over now.”
Silas’s chest vibrated with something that sounded awfully like a suppressed laugh. Of course he was pleased with that idea. I was never going to understand the twins’ relationship with each other.
“It’s your life too,” Silas murmured, a slight touch feathering over my spine. “He’s going to make us do all his dirty work—just you wait.”
“You love dirty work,” I shot back, turning my head to the side. His face was suddenly so close, and I became uncomfortably aware that we were in a room full of people.
He smiled the smile that filled me with light and cracked my chest wide open all at once, a full baring of white teeth and the crinkling of his dark eyes. I found myself smiling back, and the touch against my spine became more; I could feel the heat of his entire hand as he pressed suddenly, forcing me to fall to the side. I squeaked in surprise, but he caught me before I hit the ground, his eyes burning with amusement. Everyone was staring as he hefted me straight over his shoulder.
“She fell,” he explained. “She must be tired. We should go.”
Apparently, that was all he was going to say. He strode right out of the room, and I stared back at Noah and Cabe’s laughing faces as they got up to follow us. Quillan was shaking his head, but he got up too. He stopped to talk to Yas, but we were already passing through the doorway and into the hallway beyond, so I couldn’t hear what they were discussing.
“Tell the Voda to hurry up,” Noah said mildly.
I wrinkled my nose at the title, but Cabe’s eyes were glimmering and Silas’s chest was vibrating with another laugh, so I shouted, “Voda! Hurry up!”
Cabe burst into laughter. “You know you can’t order the Voda around, right, Seph?”
“Nobody explained the rules to me. I plead ignorance.”
Quillan appeared in the hallway, a cringe heavy on his lips, though he kept silent as we made our way to the elevator and piled inside.
“You can put me down now,” I said, tapping against Silas’s back.
He didn’t reply. I opened my mouth to repeat the statement, but Noah cut across me.
“Don’t even try. It isn’t going to happen.”
“All the blood is rushing to my head,” I pointed out. “I’m getting kind of dizzy.”
The pressure across the back of my thighs disappeared instantly and a hand gripped my leg, pulling until I started to slide off. When my face was level with the top of Silas’s head, his arm banded around my hips, halting my downward progression and keeping my feet above the ground. He arched a brow, giving me a questioning look, but I knew better than to assume that he was asking an actual question. He was gloating. Noah was right… he wasn’t putting me down until he wanted to.
“What did Yas say?” I turned to Quillan, deciding to give up the battle.
His eyes were on the hand currently spread over my hip, hitching my borrowed shirt up to expose a few inches of skin.