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Chapter Twenty-Five
Power recognizes power.
I feel it the moment we enter the council’s office building.
Heads turn to watch me, all movement stopping as if their motions were merely a pretense to fool humans who might peek inside.
I feel them assessing me, measuring the threat I represent.
The council building appears unremarkable from the outside, just another glass skyscraper among many.
Magical barriers shimmer like heat waves over the sides.
It has been three nights since I took Mortimer’s magic and Costin turned his sister to ash.
It only took one before the council summoned us to account for our actions.
Their summons came in the form of a carded invitation.
Though it looked polite, it was anything but.
The supernatural world still buzzes with whispers of what we’ve done.
What I’ve become.
The elevator doors open as we near them.
It’s operated by a being that’s more shadow than substance.
“State your business,” it whispers.
“Council summons,” Costin replies, handing over the ornate invitation.
The shadow-operator makes a sound like rustling leaves, then presses a button that wasn’t there a moment before.
He disappears.
Costin and I ascend in the glass elevator, traveling sixty floors above New York City.
“Ready?” Costin asks, adjusting his tie with the precise movements of someone who’s attended a thousand such political gatherings.
He’s all in black except for a crimson pocket square.
The dark waves of his hair are slicked back.
I study my charcoal pantsuit reflected in the elevator walls.
I hate to admit I took a page out of Astrid’s playbook when picking the outfit.
My eyes still flash with hybrid power when I’m not careful.
I watch them change, trying to control it.
The silver threading catches the light and draws my gaze to the white gold butterfly brooch Costin gave me.
He says it’s a symbol of how far I’ve come.
“As I’ll ever be,” I finally answer as the elevator doors open, depositing us in an opulent reception area.
“Though I can think of better ways to spend the evening.”
His lips twitch to suppress a smile.
We’ve barely left his bed since the battle, finding solace in each other as we process everything that’s happened.
The loss of Elizabeth still weighs on him, but there’s a new freedom in his movements, a lightness I’ve never seen before.
The few times we do emerge it’s to find his home has become our unofficial headquarters since the battle, with various allies coming and going.
The taste of victory is surprisingly bitter.
I thought defeating Elizabeth and Mortimer would feel like freedom.
Instead, as we walk toward the ornate doors of the supernatural council’s conference room, it feels like trading one cage for another.
His hand brushes my cheek.
“Be careful, Tamara. The council respects strength, but they fear chaos more.”
“You think they’ll still see me as the threat?”
“I think they’ll see you as an opportunity,” he corrects.
“And in supernatural politics, that can be more dangerous.”
We near the doors.
“The hybrid must be controlled.” The words echo from inside before I even enter.
I pause outside the conference room, my enhanced hearing picking up the heated debate within.
“This battle was not sanctioned,” a man answers.
A woman laughs.
“Since when are fights sanctioned in our world? Do you really want to have to regulate every supernatural dispute?”
Costin’s eyes meet mine in silent question.
I straighten my shoulders and nod.
Under my breath, I say, “Let them question. We did them a favor.”
I’m done being controlled.
“Come in,” the woman calls as if sensing we’re here.
“Elder Vasilisa?” I mouth to Costin.
He nods that my guess is correct.
The sound of footsteps run behind us.
I turn to find Anthony rushing to our side.
His face bright with exertion.
“Sorry I’m late.”
I touch his shoulder, brushing a piece of lint from his jacket.
“You’re not going to believe who just arrived,” he says.
“Father?” I guess, already dreading the inevitable posturing.
“Better. Zephronis and he looked pissed,” Anthony says.
“He shimmered into the lobby. I blinked and he was gone again.”
“The ancient wizard rarely involves himself directly in council affairs,” Costin says.
“He’s been showing himself a great deal lately.”
“I think he might be a little sweet on Tamara,” Anthony teases.
I elbow my brother in his ribs.
“We shouldn’t keep them waiting.” Costin pulls open the door.
Astrid and my father are already there.
They block the way inside.
“There you are,” Davis says, reaching to give me a polite hug.
I stiffen at the surprise contact.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“And miss your moment of glory?” I grumble under my breath, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
My father’s expression tightens, but he says nothing as he reaches to shake hands with Costin.
Beside him, Astrid studies me with those ice-blue eyes that see too much.
She looks elegant as always in a silver dress that complements her pale blonde hair, but there’s a tension in her posture.
“The council is ready for us,” she says.
They step aside to escort us in.
The round room is dominated by a half-circle table.
Twelve seats line the curve, each occupied by a representative of a major supernatural faction.
Not all factions, though.
I see the werewolves are not represented.
Zephronis stands near the head of the table, his ageless face impossible to read.
He gestures for us to approach.
We didn’t see him pass us in the hall, but I’m not surprised he beat us into the room.
“The Devine family and Lord Constantine,” announces a spectral voice.
“As summoned.”
We move forward as a group, though I notice my father positioning himself at the front.
Some things never change.
“Lord Constantine,” Vasilisa greets, holding his name in her mouth like a seduction.
“Please, join me.”
She motions to the empty chair next to her.
“I’m where I belong,” he answers, staying beside me.
Vasilisa smirks.
“Davis?”
I watch my father seat himself between Vasilisa and Elder Decimus, the same council member who questioned me during my first appearance.
The image of him taking a seat of honor pisses me off, but Astrid catches my eye and gives a subtle shake of her head.
Decimus stands.
“Davis Devine. You and your family have been called to account for the events of the full moon. The death of Lady Elizabeth and the disappearance of Mortimer Devine have caused significant upheaval in our community.”
My father stands, his chin lifted with practiced confidence.
“Elder Decimus, honorable council members, I stand before you to take full responsibility for the actions taken that night.”
“You—” I start to protest, but Costin’s hand on my arm stops me.
His slight head shake tells me to wait.
“The threat posed by Lady Elizabeth had grown too great to ignore,” my father continues.
“Her alliance with my brother Mortimer represented a direct challenge to the established order. I had suspected and monitored my brother for years.” He gives a dramatic shake of his head.
“I didn’t want to believe what he was capable of, but the proof became too great to ignore. As head of the Devine family and respected magic representative, I made the difficult decision to confront this threat head-on. It is my sad duty to report, Mortimer is not missing. He is dead. My son Anthony will be taking over his uncle’s responsibilities.”
Anthony takes a deep breath and lowers his head.
He stares at the floor like he wants to set it on fire.
My father wasn’t even present for the battle, yet here he is, claiming credit for our victory as if it was his master strategy all along.
“And what of the hybrid?” asks Madam Britannia, her gaze fixed on me.
“Your daughter’s evolution has not gone unnoticed.”
“Tamara has proven herself a valuable asset to our family,” my father says smoothly.
“Her unique abilities were instrumental in our success.”
“Asset?” I can’t help but interject.
“Is that what I am now?”
Davis turns to me, a warning in his eyes.
“Tamara, please. The council is addressing me.”
“Actually,” Zephronis says, speaking for the first time, “I believe it is Tamara Devine who should be addressing the council.”
A murmur runs through the assembled elders.
My father’s face flushes with surprise and barely concealed annoyance.
“With all due respect,” he begins, “as head of the Devine family?—”
“The events of the full moon were not orchestrated by you, Davis Devine,” Zephronis interrupts, his voice quiet but carrying absolute authority.
“Nor were they merely family business. They represent a fundamental shift in the supernatural balance, one that requires an honest accounting.”
He turns to me, his ancient eyes seeing far more than I’m comfortable with.
“Tamara Devine. Please tell the council what truly happened.”
All eyes turn to me.
I feel Costin’s silent support, Anthony’s nervous energy, Astrid’s careful attention.
It’s nothing compared to my father’s growing discomfort.
I step forward.
The hybrid inside me is calm, centered.
I am not the scared human girl who once stood before them, nor am I the unstable newborn monster they feared.
“Honorable council,” I begin, keeping my voice steady.
“The conflict with Elizabeth and my uncle was inevitable. They sought power at any cost. Elizabeth through vampire dominance. Mortimer through magical manipulation. Their alliance was one of convenience, not loyalty.”
I recount the battle truthfully, leaving nothing out.
The trap we set, the werewolves’ aid under the full moon, the confrontation with Elizabeth, and Costin’s final action against his sister.
I even tell them of Mortimer’s attempt to steal my power and how I turned his own plans against him.
“Elizabeth and Mortimer represented a threat not just to my family and to Lord Constantine, but to the balance this council is sworn to protect,” I conclude.
“We did what was necessary.”
Silence falls over the chamber as the council members process my account.
Some look troubled, others thoughtful.
Zephronis gives me a subtle nod of approval.
Elder Decimus leans forward.
“And what of your own transformation? The reports we’ve received suggest abilities beyond what any hybrid should possess.”
“I am what circumstances have made me,” I reply simply.
“A hybrid, yes, but one who has learned to balance my natures rather than let them tear me apart.”
“And the telekinetic abilities?” Madam Britannia asks, her eyes narrowed.
“Such power is rare.”
I consider lying or at least minimizing the truth.
But the time for half-measures is past.
“When Leviathan was defeated, I absorbed some of the energy released by the freed spirits he had trapped. I can’t tell you the source of the power.”
Another murmur runs through the council.
“Demonstrated control or not, such concentration of power in one being is concerning.” Elder Birch strokes his beard.
“The potential for disruption?—”
“Is no greater than the potential for stability,” Zephronis interrupts.
“Tamara Devine has done what no hybrid before her has accomplished. She has found balance. Not just between vampire and werewolf, but between power and restraint.”
My father shifts uncomfortably.
I can practically see his mind working, trying to calculate how to turn this situation to his advantage.
“The council must consider what this means for our future,” Elder Decimus says cautiously.
“The wolves are without an Alpha?—”
“The wolves have chosen Sully as their Alpha,” Anthony interjects.
I look at him in surprise.
His voice drops a little, like he wants to backtrack his sudden blurting.
“He’s proven himself loyal to the supernatural order.”
“Sully is Alpha. He’s completed the trials,” I clarify.
“The pack follows him willingly. I support him.”
“And the vampire hierarchy?” Madam Britannia asks, looking at Costin.
“With your sister gone, Lord Constantine, there will be a power vacuum.”
Costin steps forward, commanding respect.
“There is no vacuum. I maintain my position as master vampire. Those who followed Elizabeth have either pledged themselves to me or fled.”
“And what of you two?” Elder Birch asks, looking between Costin and me.
“The sire bond complicates matters. With control over her, the vampires will be too powerful. We can’t ignore that fact.”
“The sire bond exists,” Costin acknowledges.
“But it does not define our relationship or Tamara’s choices.”
“I am not anyone’s puppet,” I add, meeting Elder Birch’s gaze steadily.
“Not my sire’s, not my father’s, not this council’s. I make my own choices.”
Davis clears his throat.
“What my daughter means?—”
“Is exactly what she said,” Astrid interrupts, stepping forward to stand beside me.
“The time for speaking for Tamara is over. She has earned the right to speak for herself.”
The look my father gives Astrid would wither a lesser being, but she merely lifts her chin, unmoved.
In that moment, I see the steel beneath Astrid’s perfect composure, the power she’s wielded behind the scenes all these years.
“Lady Astrid speaks wisely,” Zephronis says.
“And it brings us to the purpose of this gathering. The events of the full moon have created an opportunity, not just for the Devine family or for Lord Constantine, but for our entire community.”
He turns to address the full council.
“For too long, we have clung to old divisions. Vampire versus werewolf. Magic versus creature. These artificial boundaries have made us vulnerable to those who would exploit our differences for their own gain.”
“What are you suggesting?” Elder Decimus asks, though his tone suggests he already knows.
“A new council seat,” Zephronis replies.
“One that represents those who exist between our traditional factions. A voice for the hybrids, the cross bloods, the unconventional. And I nominate Tamara Devine to fill it.”
The chamber erupts in chaos, everyone talking over each other.
My father’s face goes from shock to calculation in the span of a heartbeat.
He stands and comes around the table to be near me.
Anthony’s mouth drops open.
Astrid looks proud.
And me?
I feel like the floor has dropped out from beneath my feet.
“Wait, no, that’s not?—”
“Impossible,” Elder Birch protests.
“She’s barely controlled her own nature, let alone?—”
“She stood against two of the greatest threats our community has faced in centuries,” Costin counters.
“She has demonstrated not just power, but wisdom. She’s fulfilled multiple prophecies.”
Why is Costin fighting for this?
I don’t want to be on the council.
That’s worse than being named Alpha and having to be responsible for just the wolves.
“She is untested,” Madam Britannia argues.
“Too young?—”
“She completed the labyrinth when she was still human,” Anthony puts forth.
“How many mortals do you know who would have made it through those trials?”
“Few have faced what she has and emerged stronger,” Astrid interjects.
Through it all, Zephronis watches me, waiting for my response.
He lifts his hands.
The room falls silent, their arguments exhausted for the moment.
“Tamara Devine,” Zephronis says into the quiet.
“Will you accept this responsibility? Will you stand as voice for those who have none, as bridge between worlds that have too long been separate?”
My father steps closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“Think of what this means for the family, Tamara. The prestige, the influence. You must say yes. Don’t you see what this could mean for us?”
I look at him, really look at him.
My father, always calculating, always maneuvering.
In his own way, he cares for me, but he will never understand what truly matters.
“I’ll consider the nomination,” I say finally, addressing the council rather than my father.
“But I have conditions.”
Elder Decimus raises an eyebrow.
“Conditions? You presume much. This is an honor. Not a negotiation.”
“I presume nothing,” I reply evenly.
“I simply know what I’m willing to accept.”
“What conditions?” Vasilisa asks.
“Speak your terms,” Zephronis encourages, ignoring the discomfort of some of the council members.
“First, my position will be entirely my own. Not an extension of the Devine family’s influence, not a puppet seat controlled by others. I will speak with my own voice or not at all.”
My father stiffens beside me.
I continue without pausing.
“Second, I will work with Sully to ensure werewolf concerns are fairly represented. They have been relegated to the margins for too long. The werewolves will have a seat at the table.”
Several council members shift uncomfortably, but none object outright.
“Third, I require time. Time to fully master my abilities, time to understand what I am and what I can be. I will not take a council seat until I am certain I can fulfill its responsibilities properly.”
Zephronis nods, a glimmer of approval in his ancient eyes.
“Reasonable terms, all. The council will consider them.”
“There is no need for consideration,” Madam Britannia says, surprising me.
“I, for one, find these terms acceptable. Tamara Devine has shown wisdom in not grasping for power before she is ready. It speaks well of her judgment.”
One by one, the other council members nod their agreement, even Elder Birch, though he does so reluctantly.
“Then it is settled,” Zephronis announces.
“Tamara Devine will join this council when she is ready, as representative of a new faction. A year should be enough time. We don’t meet again until then, anyway. Until that time, she will be afforded the respect and protection due a council nominee.”
A year?
That’s not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted time to master myself.
Zephronis knows it too.
I see it in his expression.
“It is decided,” Zephronis states.
It’s over so quickly I barely have time to process what’s happened.
The council moves on to other business, and we are dismissed with ceremonial courtesy.
As we leave the conference room, I catch Anthony by the arm.
“What was all that about?” I whisper.
“What? You mean you being on the council?” He avoids my eyes.
“Don’t what me. What was all that stammering about Sully? Are you guys…?” I’m interrupted as my father appears next to me.
He grips me by my elbow and squeezes.
“You could have seized that seat immediately,” he says, his voice low with displeasure.
“Why delay? Why surrender the advantage? So much can happen in a year.”
I gently but firmly remove his hand from my arm.
“Because I’m not you. I don’t want power for its own sake.”
“Then what do you want?” he demands, genuinely perplexed.
I look past him to where Costin waits by the elevator, his eyes meeting mine with understanding and love.
To Anthony, whose face shines with pride for his sister.
To Astrid, who looks at me like an equal.
“Balance,” I tell my father.
“Freedom. The right to define myself on my own terms. And I think I want to get married to Costin.”
There was a time I didn’t want magic in my life.
I would’ve given anything to stay human.
But everything changed.
Now I finally get to decide what that change means.
His brow furrows.
“That’s not how our world works, Tamara. There are always obligations, allegiances, compromises.”
“Maybe it’s time our world changed,” I reply.
“Maybe that’s what I’m here for.”
I leave him standing there, speechless for once, and join the others.
As the elevator carries us down, Anthony bursts into astonished laughter.
“A council seat? My baby sister, on the high council? That’s...” he searches for words, “that’s kind of hilarious.”
I arch a brow at him, so he knows I’m not done asking about Sully.
“It’s a target on her back,” Costin says soberly.
“There will be those who oppose this change, who see Tamara as a threat to the old order.”
“What’s new,” I say, finding a confidence I never knew I possessed.
“I’ve faced worse than politicians and bureaucrats.”
Astrid studies me with those calm eyes, her expression inscrutable as always.
But when she speaks, there’s a warmth in her voice I’ve rarely heard before.
“You’ve surpassed every expectation I ever had for you, Tamara,” she says.
“Though I suspect that was always your intention.”
I’m not quite sure how to respond to this praise.
For so long, I’ve craved Astrid’s approval while simultaneously resenting that I needed it at all.
“Old habits,” I say finally, with a small shrug.
The hint of a smile touches her lips.
“I look forward to seeing what new habits you form.”
The elevator doors open to the lobby, and we step out together.
“So,” Anthony says as we exit the building into the night air, “did you mean that part about marrying Costin, or was that just to shock our father into silence?” He chuckles.
“I wish we could resurrect Mortimer just to see his face when you tell him there is going to be a vampire in the family.”
I feel Costin go still beside me, his eyes suddenly intent on my face.
The sire bond pulses between us, but it’s not the bond that makes my heart race.
“I meant it,” I say simply, holding Costin’s gaze.
“If he’ll have me.”
For a being who’s lived centuries, Costin looks remarkably stunned.
“Tamara...”
“Don’t answer now,” I tell him.
“Take some time. Think it over. I’m not going anywhere.”
The smile that spreads across his face transforms him.
Not the careful, measured smile he shows the world, but something genuine and almost boyish.
“My answer is yes,” he says, taking my hand and pulling me into his arms.
Anthony makes a gagging noise.
“And that’s my cue.” He turns to Astrid.
“Please tell me you have a car waiting.”
“Of course,” she replies, her eyes still on us.
“Tamara, we’ll speak tomorrow about the next steps. Costin, start thinking about a guest list.”
I hear a motorcycle and feel the pull of my pack.
I turn, knowing it’s Sully before he pulls up.
“Never mind,” Anthony says, winking at me.
“I’ve got a ride.”
Astrid looks at the Alpha and then her son.
Her expression gives nothing away.
I lift a hand to Sully, giving a small wave.
He nods.
Anthony joins him by the curb.
There’s a brief hesitation, and Sully reaches out, picking a stray hair from Anthony’s shoulder.
The touch is more tender than casual.
Anthony startles slightly, then glances back toward Astrid as if out of old habit.
She’s watching them, her mouth quirked in something between approval and amusement.
I go to my brother and Sully.
“How did I miss this? How long has this been…?”
Anthony shrugs and gives me a slight smirk.
“When you were trapped in the crypt, you told me to live my life. Guess I finally listened.”
“You just liked how I looked fighting zombies.” Sully chuckles low, and for the first time, some of Anthony’s ever-present tension slips away.
“Ready?”
“Always,” Anthony says.
They don’t kiss.
They don’t announce anything.
But when my brother swings his leg over the back of Sully’s bike and smiles at me, I can tell he’s no longer holding onto that secret.
“I love you,” I mouth to Anthony, happy for him.
“I know,” he answers.
“I’m very loveable.”
They take off and I hear my brother’s voice drifting back, “…my sister on the council and marrying the master vampire. My dad’s going to have a coronary.”
Astrid joins us on the curb.
“It’s not who I would have picked for him, but it’s about time.”
I look at her in surprise.
“He’s my son. Of course I’ve known since he was a boy,” Astrid said.
Then to Costin, she says, “Get me that guest list.”
She walks toward her waiting town car.
My focus returns to Costin.
The rest of the world seems to fade around the edges.
“I can’t believe I proposed to you in front of my family while arguing with my father,” I admit to Costin once we’re alone.
“I can,” he says, pulling me closer.
“You’ve never done anything the expected way. Why start now?”
His lips find mine.
The future with all its complexities falls away.
There will be time enough tomorrow to deal with council politics, with my new position, with whatever challenges come next.
Tonight belongs to us.
As we break apart, I notice the moon rising over the city skyline, no longer full but still luminous.
I feel its gentle pull, a reminder of what I am now.
“Take me home,” I tell Costin.
His eyes meet mine, understanding all I’m not saying.
Balance.
Freedom.
Love.
For the first time since my transformation, I’m excited to have all three.