schism. It had been her. Peri had operated for so long on her own that she hadn’t known how to rely on someone else or to be considerate of another’s feelings. But Lucian had slowly been teaching her through his patient example. Yet it took the death of precious friends for her to finally understand.
“We’re all a work in progress, my love,” Lucian said through their bond. “Give yourself some grace. Especially now.”
She took a deep breath before letting her eyes roam over the crowd. There were many faces she recognized, faces that had been with them over the past week in both battles. But new faces were present as well. They stood with their respective races and stared up at her.
“As Jennifer of the Romania pack has said, we have dealt the Order a great blow. But, they have managed to wound us grievously as well. If you are in this room, I imagine it is because you have heard of the deaths of the Romania pack alphas, as well as the warlock king. There were other deaths as well, and they will be so named and recognized at the celebration of life ceremony. But this must be done at the ordered time.
“The Great Luna has issued a command, one that I imagine will have great consequences if not followed. Her words are as follows: ‘On the eve of the first Blood Moon, I will be at the birthplace of Fane Lupei, on the battlefield where his sire won his greatest victory. It will be there that I will pass Vasile and Alina’s rule to Fane and Jacquelyn Lupei. It is also where the Romania pack and those who loved the slain can say their goodbyes.
“‘As my ambassador, you are also to make sure all those gathered in the sprite realm and their people are present at the Blood Moon ceremony.’”
The room erupted with noise as the peopled who filled it expressed their shock at the declaration.
“Silence!” Fane’s voice filled the great hall. Peri felt the power of his wolf move through the room as the alpha blood that had always been there, but now seemed to be stronger, flowed out of him. The wolves immediately bowed their heads, and every mouth snapped shut as gazes jumped back to the platform. “Let Perizada finish.”
“The Great Luna also said all of those who have not chosen the darkness are to be there. They need to know the truth. They are either for me or they are against me. It’s time they understand what they are fighting for.” This time Peri’s words were met with complete silence. But the silence didn’t last long. The doors at the back of the hall flew open. Those near the doors moved aside, and Peri was able to see who had entered.
The rest of her council, the high fae, had arrived. Their robes glowed with magic as the fae appeared to glide across the ground as if floating on air. The crowd continued to part for them. Disir and Dain looked especially fierce, though Gwen’s face was set in a severe scowl, and rage simmered in her grey eyes. Nissa was already there, having been with the Romania pack the entire week. Peri could feel Nissa’s power and glanced over to where Nissa stood. The fae woman was walking toward the council and then fell in line beside them. Peri could feel her power joining with theirs and felt the heat on her skin as her own magic brightened.
Behind them, four djinns followed. Power radiated off of them. These were the djinn elders. Peri had not seen them in more than a thousand years. And behind them, Thadrick strode in with Jezebel at his right and Jareth at his left. The power coming off of the oldest djinn was practically vibrating the walls. This was not the eccentric supernatural she’d found living like a recluse in a dilapidated house. This was a powerful supernatural, perhaps the most powerful of them all, herself included. Unfortunately, his magic was not something that could be unleashed on their behalf. They had been made historians for a reason. A power that great had to be contained because even using it for good would lead to a horrible tragedy.
Peri’s gaze jumped past the new group when she felt another rush of power, this one filled with multiple forms. Lilly, queen of the warlocks, walked through the doors with four guards, two on either side. She was dressed in a flowing