Page 119 of Decimation

For a heartbeat, something flickers in his gaze, grief, maybe, or a secret too heavy to share. Then he cups my cheek, his palm warm and steady against my tear-streaked skin. “That doesn’t matter right now,” he murmurs. “All that matters is that he is safe. You are safe. The two of you are all I care about.”

I should press. I should demand answers but I’m so tired, so hollowed out that I can only lean into his touch, my eyes slipping closed for a fragile moment. When I open them again, Lazarus lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my bruised knuckles.

The gesture is so sweet that it startles me, and I glance down. That’s when I see it; a ring on my finger, a massive red ruby gleaming in the dim light like fresh blood.

“Get some rest, wife,” he says softly.

Wife. The word echoes through the hollow spaces inside me, sharp and dissonant. I stare at him, my heart stumbling. “What?” I whisper.

He smiles faintly, a shadow of something tender in his hard face. “You’re safe now,” he says. “Everything will be different.”

I shake my head, confusion and fear still warring beneath the exhaustion. Safe? Different? How is that possible? How is any of this real?

Ileave my ‘wife’ to sleep. She’s so exhausted from what she’s been through and in all honesty, the solitude will give her time to think while I tie up the last ends, while I secure our future.

I stalk back through the house to the Senate Chamber. Inside all the Guardians, bar Antonio are sat. Their faces stern, their posture more rigid than stone.

“Sit.” I say as I take my seat.

If they hesitate, I do not notice.

“Grand Master…”

I hold my hand up, silencing the speaker. We are not here to have a discussion. We are here to come to an understanding. My understanding. I am in charge now. I make the rules.

“Earlier today there was an attempt on my life.” I state. “I was pre-warned about this, and as a result we decided to take action in a way that would root out the last vestiges of evil amongst us. We knew if I appeared to be dead then those who would prosper from it would come out of the shadows, and come they did. Antonio played his part to perfection, and as such all of you were deceived. My brother Lazarus, the bravest, most loyal brother a man could ask for, willingly sacrificed himself in this endeavour knowing that he would not come back from it. He believed his sacrifice was necessary to ensure the survival of the Brethren.”

“It was a trick?” Elias splutters, his face screwed up like he doesn’t believe it.

“It was.” I confirm.

“But you didn’t think to notify us of this?” Hector replies.

“I was aware.” Zayn says, and those words surprise me because he absolutely did not fucking know a thing. Is he lying to cover his own arse, or is this a different kind of play, an attempt to ingratiate himself and later blackmail me? I don’t have time to dwell on it, not right now anyway.

“…I and Antonio both knew the risks,” he continues, “and we both agreed it was safer for everyone if we acted this way.”

“That was not…”

I hold my hand up, silencing the would-be dissenters. We’re not here for a discussion, we’re not here for a debate. But evidently, they’re too riled up right now to listen to me.

“Where is Antonio? Why isn’t he here?” Gabriel asks.

“Antonio is hunting down the Esau, and he’s saving his wife.” I state.

The Guardians exchange startled glances. Elias’s eyes widen. “His wife? Antonio is married?”

I allow a small smile to curve my lips. “Yes. He married Grace Ratcliffe the night he won her at auction.”

The room erupts into murmurs, the Guardians processing this revelation. Victor shakes his head, his voice incredulous. “Grace Ratcliffe? That Esau bitch?”

“Former Esau,” I correct, my tone firm. “Grace is no longer a threat. She’s under Antonio’s protection now.”

Zayn leans forward, “What about Charles? What are we doing about him?”

Ah yes, our dear Chapter Lord, who knew he was working against me all this time? I sit back in my chair, my gaze sweeping the room. “Charles has revealed himself to be Esau. He was executed in the library some hours ago.”

The room falls silent, the weight of my words settling over them. Zayn nods slowly, his expression grim. “A public execution would have been preferable, but this is cleaner I suppose. This raises less questions. We can cover over the real reason for his death; he can become an unfortunate casualty rather than another flame of rebellion for people to pick over.”