Arcane Magic (Stella Mayweather Series) (23 page)

Étoile
simply shook her head. "We'll discuss this later. I have to get back to the meeting. Clare is much better at taking dictation than keeping secrets. Every effort needs to be focused on holding those responsible accountable. Georgia Thomas. Noah Wilde. Hunter, and his lackey, Irina. Find me information about them." Étoile turned towards the door, then paused, "I don't need to remind you to act normal. Or as normal as you can be until the High Council is sworn in tomorrow. Tomorrow, everything changes." With that, she was gone, Clare hurrying behind her.

"So what did I miss? Athene who?" Kitty asked, reaching for a tissue before bursting into tears.

Chapter Nineteen

I was in this room only once before, during
Étoile's election, and on that occasion it was packed too. Today, even more people squeezed in, and those that couldn't be seated stood shoulder-to-shoulder around the walls, several bodies’ deep. I could see Seren and Astra, standing together, and a little further off was Kitty, but there was no way to reach them through the crowd. I thought I saw Anders and Daniel too, but their backs were to me; and it could have been any two males as I lost them when the crowd shifted. There was a frisson in the air, a nervous prickling on the skin that something tremendous was about to happen, and I felt sure I wasn't the only one whose heart was beating a little faster, or whose palms were beginning to perspire.

On the stage in front of us stood
Étoile. Beside her was Hunter, and a step behind him, Irina, who appeared viciously striking in a black silk dress that clung around her calves. Evan was there too, his face blank. Noah Wilde, representing the werewolf contingent, was all broad smiles and casual bonhomie, his hands thrust deeply into his pockets as he conversed with a man I didn't know. Not far behind them, I caught a glimpse of Georgia Thomas, my first sighting of her in months. She hadn't changed one bit, but it was still a surprise to see her; and I chanced a glance to see what Étoile thought. If my friend were perturbed by Georgia's sudden appearance, she didn't show it.

We were all waiting, of course, for the last ray of sun to fade away, allowing the night to settle over the city. Without the vampires present, the supernaturals couldn't convene the meeting and seal our union. Not that the waiting deterred anyone from arriving early. Instead, it provided a good opportunity to take a look at the other teams, as it were. Everyone, that is, except me. I was doing my best not to stare at Irina, or make too frequent glances towards Evan, even though I sensed exactly where he was. Similarly, I knew exactly where Gage was positioned, off to the side of the stage with several other werewolves. Instead of allowing myself to focus on the men, I tried to find the source of my uneasy feeling that something was about to happen, something that would change everything.

Just as my watch hand clicked onto the hour, the doors on the left of the stage opened wide, and several vampires spilled into the room, a cool breeze accompanying them. The assembly grew quiet as we looked toward them, waiting as they greeted the others. Eventually, half a dozen took the chairs allotted to them, while two more joined the other leaders onstage. One, I noted was Matthias. Just as I recognised him, he raised his eyes and fixed them on mine, then smiled, inclining his head politely, but barely noticeable to anyone except me. I smiled in return. Truth was, he intrigued me and I wondered if I would ever know him well. Perhaps, once the High Council was sworn in, I would make the effort. The other vampire with him was clearly a few years older than Matthias when he turned, but there was no telling his true age.

"Meeting is called to order!" boomed a loud male voice and silence settled over us as all eyes turned toward the stage. The leaders of the five factions took their seats behind a long table, allowing us a good view of them all. Behind them, stood their assistants...
or in some cases, their bodyguards. It was hard to tell, and despite the protestations of trust and unity, I wasn't entirely sure anyone’s trust was one hundred percent from any faction.

Finally, only
Étoile remained standing. "My fellow citizens," she began, "thank you for joining us on this auspicious evening. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our esteemed brethren, allow me to make introductions. I am Étoile Winterstorm, elected president of the Witches’ Council, and your host for this evening. With me is Hunter, head of the demon faction. Next to him is Noah Wilde, leader of the werewolves. Our vampire representative is Luke Fellows, and finally, the shapeshifters are represented here by Arnie South." One-by-one, each representative rose and gave a shallow bow or nodded to the audience.

"As you are all aware,”
Étoile continued, “this is an historic evening of maximum proportions for our world. Lying invisibly alongside the human one, whose laws and dictates we share and follow, is our supernatural world, shared by you all and many more outside these walls. Instead of operating separately, and leaving us at the mercy of such evil entities as The Brotherhood, your representatives this evening have been working together to secure an alliance by which we might all live together peacefully from this day on." Again murmurs, and not all of them very supportive.

"Yesterday, we finalised our ultimate laws, and this evening, we will take the final vote before swearing them into law." This time,
Étoile paused for a smattering of applause. "First, however, we have a small matter to attend to. Representatives, if you'll indulge me for a moment?" She smiled at the confused table, obviously, no one expected an unrehearsed detour from Étoile's speech. She didn't give anyone a chance to question her motives as she continued. "I am supposed to die right here in only a few minutes’ time."

Instead of polite applause, now there was an uproar from the audience and confusion on the stage, but
Étoile calmly waved a hand, rendering the outrage into a low rumble. "This podium has a bomb in it," she announced in a cool voice.

Several people leapt to their feet, dashing away from the front row while the crowd buzzed with confusion and fear. In front of us, the prospective High Council were now on their feet too, looking utterly bewildered.

"Sit!" shouted Étoile, her voice steely above the cacophony. Somehow, people still listened to her, settling uncomfortably in their chairs, although the High Council did not. As I looked around, I realised why the congregation remained calm. Empaths were situated around the room, sending calming waves without anyone seeming to notice. I didn't doubt Étoile's good intentions, but I did send up a mental block, ensuring they couldn't sense my emotions... or influence them. Just as Étoile had previously predicted, the crowd settled down quickly despite the eager, confused whispers that rippled through. "You are all safe," she assured them in a more measured tone as she waved for two stewards to remove the lectern in front of her. They did so, lifting it carefully upwards and over before it was gone. All eyes were on what appeared to be a small brick and a tangle of wires, now open for all to view. "This bomb was made safe several hours ago. It's just strong enough to kill the person at the podium, and anyone else standing in the immediate area. As I have already told you... that person was supposed to be me."

"Who would do such a thing?" cried someone in the audience.

"Where was our security?" asked another, and on and on the questions went, ranging from suspicions to outraged disbelief, until Étoile waved them quiet again.

"Rest assured, there will be an investigation into all the points you have raised tonight. Most pressing, however, is why someone would choose to kill me on the same night the High Council is to be sworn in. I could tell you, but I'd rather ask my would-be assassin," she said, turning to the small group on the stage behind her.

"Étoile, what is going on?" asked Hunter, his deep voice vibrating through the room. If he were afraid, I couldn't tell. His expression was perfectly blank. Behind him, Irina didn't wear the same mask. She looked worried as her gaze darted from Hunter to Noah.

"Let's adjourn for this evening. We'll reconvene another day," said Noah, stepping forward, studiously ignoring Irina. "We should clear the room."

Étoile turned. "Why, Noah? Do you have other plans?"

Noah half-laughed, shaking his head. "No, but let's not make a..."

"What, Noah? Let's not make a what? A bomb threat into something other than it is? Maybe we could make it an excuse not to swear in the High Council?"

"Now is not the time to..."

"Noah Wilde, sit down!"

"I will not sit... what's going on?
Étoile? What is...?" Noah stuttered as two guards appeared at his flanks, their hands deftly folding over his wrists. I turned my attention from him, searching for Gage. No guards stood near him, so I scanned the room again, looking for the Rockford wolves I'd seen earlier. Guards had already appeared at their rear, but with their gazes fixed on the stage, they didn't notice. Yet. "What are you doing?" Noah yelled, struggling against his unmovable restraints as his face contorted with the futile actions of his bones. The anger emanating from him was immense, and I noticed the strain on the empaths' faces as they strove to calm the crowd. I wasn't sure why Étoile was determined to keep everything so calm. Surely, the assembly deserved their anger at that moment?

"
Étoile, answers please," said Hunter, rising from his seat where he previously sat passively watching the scene unfold before him as if it were his own personal entertainment. Even now, he only seemed mildly bored.

"Tell us what is going on," added Arnie. "Why are the guards holding Noah?"

"Why?" Étoile mused, stepping away from the bomb as a telekinetic witch stepped forward. She made the tangle of plastic and wires disappear, before turning towards the struggling werewolf. "Noah Wilde, you are formally accused of being behind this assassination plot and are now under arrest by orders of the Witches' Council. You have purposefully tried to derail the inauguration of the High Council by means of my murder."

"You have no evidence! And no right to arrest me!" Noah shouted, half-laughing as he looked for support amongst the crowd. Several rose to their feet, but he looked away from them to Gage, who didn't move. "Gage? Gage, tell them! You have no evidence,
Étoile!" he yelled, turning back to Étoile before darting a glance at Gage again. To anyone who didn't know him, Gage looked impassable, but to me? I could see the way Gage's head dipped, and his eyes narrowed whenever disappointment etched across his face. He was angry.

"I have evidence,"
Étoile retorted sharply, producing a slim envelope from her gown. The room hushed as she extracted the thick sheets. No, not sheets, I realised, but photographs. She held each of them in turn, first revealing them to Noah, and, as he blanched, to the crowd. In unison, we craned forward to see. "Here you are, handing the bomb to your associate."

"That could be anything!"

"Here is your associate, opening the package. It's clear what is inside."

"Manipulation!"

"And another showing your associate, planting the bomb, after using the security key card he stole."

"That's nothing to do with me!"

"Here are receipts for materials you recently purchased. Photos from meetings you personally held. More photos of you meeting a pack in Rockford, Canada, where you recruited your bomber. We have video evidence too, your voice is clearly identified as you plotted to make your move." Étoile showed several more photos before slamming them onto the long table. "Your guilt is abundantly evident."

"Where did she get this stuff?" whispered Kitty, nudging me as the High Council candidates continued to argue over Noah’s guilt or innocence.

I thought back to the day before, and the exchange I witnessed between Étoile and Gage. The information had to have come from him. Who else could have gained so much? Who else could have been trusted to access the information? As I thought more about it, I caught his eye and he blinked once, very deliberately. He knew that I'd put the pieces together. I gave him a shallow nod before returning my attention to Kitty. "I think I know."

"You did this!" Noah yelled, jabbing his finger towards Gage, before Kitty could ask me what I knew. "You set me up!"

"I played no part in it," Gage said, raising his voice so every last person could hear. "If you are innocent, Noah, it'll come out. But if you're guilty of attempting to destroy the High Council against pack wishes, you're on your own."

"They're setting me up! She wants all the power just for herself!"

"Take him away," said Hunter, his voice perilously close to losing his cool control. "Get the traitor out."

"Traitor?" Noah turned to Hunter, apparently finally realising he was out of options as his brethren stepped away from him, visibly distancing themselves in the eyes of all present. "If that's what I am, what does it make you? You're involved in this. We're partners."

Hunter shrugged, throwing his hands in the air like he couldn't believe any of it. "No more lies, Noah. Étoile, dispatch the werewolf. We must adjourn this meeting until a later date, once this has been dealt with." Hunter straightened his suit, then indicated to Irina to follow him from the stage.

"Please stay where you are, Hunter,"
Étoile said sternly before he could take another step. "You too, Irina."

Hunter halted in his stride. "What's the meaning of this?"

The whispers shuddered to a halt, leaving the room deathly quiet. "There is further evidence implicating you also with this attempted assassination," Étoile said, without any need to raise her voice, the whole room riveted on her.

"No, there isn't," Hunter replied, his voice suggesting his disinterest, and further
emphasising it by shaking his head. "Not a single piece."

"If I go down, you go down with me," yelled Noah. His face was red and flustered as he gestured wildly and pointed a finger at Hunter. "I won't be your fall guy. You and that witch got me into this. It's all your fault!"