Chapter Seven

KNOXX VOLKARIS POINT OF VIEW

The moment the doors shut behind Caidy, the silence in the hall lasted for all of three seconds before Lucien finally snapped. "She's playing us!" he shouted, and his voice bounced off the stone walls. "You’re all seriously going to let her walk around this house like she's some innocent little victim? That's exactly what House Ellis wants!"

Malakai had already sent Caidy upstairs to her room, so the five of us were finally alone. I leaned against the edge of the table and watched Lucien pace across the floor. He looked like he was about two seconds away from punching a wall, which, knowing Lucien, meant he would probably punch something expensive instead. Honestly, I was enjoying this way too much. Lucien always became entertaining when he was angry.

"Anyone from the House of Ellis doesn't surrender," Lucien continued. "They plan. They manipulate. Magnus practically handed her to us and walked away. You don't think that's suspicious?" He stopped in front of Sylas and pointed at him. "You especially should know better. You were watching her the entire time. You saw her reaction, and yet you're still convinced she's telling the truth?"

"Because she wasn't lying," Sylas replied.

Lucien stared at him. "Oh, please."

"I watched her when Magnus left. Her pulse increased, her breathing changed, and her fear was genuine. Whatever she realized when she touched her neck was not an act."

"She's a witch, Sylas." Lucien threw his hands up. "She can use magic. She could have altered her pulse, hidden her fear, or put some kind of fucking witchcraft over you without you noticing."

Sylas looked almost offended. "You think I wouldn't notice witchcraft? You could tell that to anyone but don’t you accuse me of something that low-class."

"I think you're too damn confident."

"And I think you're too damn paranoid."

"Guys," I cut in before they could start throwing furniture at each other, "you're both starting to sound like an old married couple."

They turned toward me at the same time. I grinned. "Don't stop on my account."

Lucien's glare could have killed me. "This isn't funny, Knoxx."

"That's where you're wrong. It's a little funny."

"What's funny about this?" he demanded. "Our enemy's daughter just walked into our house, her father threatened us, and then he left without a fight. You don't find that suspicious?"

I shrugged and pushed myself away from the table. "Of course I find it suspicious. I'm not stupid."

Lucien opened his mouth but I immediately held up a hand. "Don't answer that."

He rolled his eyes.

I glanced toward the stairs where Caidy had disappeared. "The strange part isn't that Magnus wanted something. The strange part is that he looked so damn confident when he left. A man like him doesn't give up unless he thinks he has already won somewhere else."

"Exactly," Lucien said. He pointed at me as if I had finally grown a brain. "That's what I've been trying to say."

"Yes, but you're making it boring."

"How am I making it boring?"

“Because you're yelling?”

"Because none of you are taking this seriously!"

I laughed. "I'm taking it seriously. I'm just not going to start screaming about it."

Lucien muttered something under his breath but I ignored him and crossed my arms. "Besides, Caidy looked scared. Like really really scared. Whatever Magnus did, she clearly didn't know how to deal with it. I don't think she's working with him."

Lucien's eyes narrowed. "You don't think?"

"Nope."

"Then you’re a fucking fool.”

I rolled my eyes. Before I could argue again, Malakai's voice cut through the room.

"Enough."

His voice was calm, but the warning behind it made everyone shut up. Malakai stood near the stairs, his attention fixed on us. He had barely moved since Caidy left, but I could tell his patience was already running thin.

"She's under our protection," he said. "That means none of you will treat her like a prisoner."

Lucien scoffed. "Protection? She's an Ellis."

"And she's bound to us, whether we like it or not." He let out a harsh sigh. “And she’s my mate. I already claimed her.”

The room went quiet.

Even I stopped smiling for a second.

There it was again.

My mate.

Malakai had said those words in front of Magnus without hesitation. He had claimed Caidy in front of the entire Great House and put his name beside hers. Now he acted as if the whole thing had been nothing more than a political decision.

I wasn't buying it.

Evren finally spoke from the armchair near the hearth. "You really expect us to believe that was the only option?"

Malakai turned toward him. "It was."

"You could have found another way."

Malakai's brows pulled together. "Such as?"

"We could have refused her… or detained her… or anything."

"And started a war?"

Evren's expression didn't change. "Maybe."

"In our own home?" Malakai asked. "With our forces already preparing for the Ascendant Trial?"

Evren didn't answer.

Malakai took a slow breath before he spoke again. "If I hadn't claimed her, Magnus had every legal right to take her back. You all know that. He could have walked out of here with her, and none of us could have stopped him without violating Great House law."

Lucien shook his head. "And you didn't have to claim her as your mate."

Malakai's expression hardened. "Then who was supposed to do it?"

Lucien opened his mouth, but no answer came.

Malakai looked at each of us. "If not me, then which one of you was going to step forward? Which one of you is willing to claim her as your mate?"