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Authors: Megan Thomason
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protection. Anyone to cause her harm will have quick judgment rendered. In addition, we agree to the dissolution of her Cleaving to Ethan. Kira may continue to live under the same roof as Ethan for the sake of the child. However, Jackson will be there to protect our interests and keep her safe. Ethan isn’t trustworthy right now. When the time is right, Kira can choose who she’d like to build a life with.” Ethan shrinks into his seat which I’m not sure was by Eli’s design or because of Ethan’s guilt. It’s a bittersweet win for me. Sure, I’m free of being Cleaved to a man who hates me, but I still have to live with him. At least Jax will be there to run interference.
“Furthermore, Jackson will be our liaison with the Ten. He will have access to all Ten meetings we deem necessary for him to attend. He will monitor your actions, and when the Ten’s judgment is…suspect…Jackson will arbitrate. Our Council will be called in as needed to assist in the more ‘delicate’ matters. And if all else fails, we will be quick to escalate.”
There’s groaning and fidgeting at the table, but no one dares to voice an opinion.
In a fraction of a second, the Arbiters each have a member of the Ten in a stranglehold with grips strong enough that the Ten’s faces are turning purple.
Eli says, “Never forget that you cannot run from us, hide from us, or evade us. There are consequences for your choices, and if you continue down your current path, you won’t have just us to worry about.”
The lights regain their strength.
Jax remains.
The rest of the Arbiters are gone. And they’ve got Ethan.
CHAPTER FIVE
Ethan
My father’s pacing his blood-red office at the Cross with such ferocity that I think he’ll ignite the carpet.
“You betrayed us. You threatened to kill your own brother. You’ve treated the mother of your child like a common criminal. And you’ve set in motion a string of events that will not bode well for anyone. Have I left anything out?”
I dig my teeth into my lip hard enough to draw blood. He stops pacing long enough to await my answer. “In my defense, Jax was sleeping with my Cleave. ”
He looks incredulous at my answer. “You declared war on your own kind because of petty jealousy?”
“Half my kind.” I correct.
“Have you learned nothing? Arbiter genes are dominant. You owe your loyalty to us. Particularly since Jackson did nothing wrong. He respected your relationship with Kira at all times and went to extreme measures to keep her safe. Unlike some, he puts family first.”
I snap my head around and growl. “It’s clear that he’s your favorite son. But Jax kept Kira away from me for a year and then didn’t even have the common decency to tell me that she was alive…that my son was alive. He played father to my son. I will never forgive him.”
My father picks up his tablet and starts to read from it. “The first attempt on Kira’s life happened in Farm City nine months ago. Jackson saved her from a machete-wielding assassin. The second: eight months ago in Industrial City. An electric shock device was placed in Kira’s tub. A series of incidents happened in six different cities over a six week span while she completed her Daynighter training. The last incident happened in Military City. A bullet grazed her neck just missing her carotid artery. That’s when they went on the run and ultimately ended up in hiding. But despite his attempt to keep her safe, there was still the attempt here in Heart where she was sliced open and left to die. And those are only the attempts that nearly succeeded. There are at least a dozen more that she doesn’t even know about.”
“The Ten had nothing to do with those attacks. We would have kept her safe. Jax had no right to disappear with her.”
My father sets his tablet on his desk, walks over, and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Your colleagues are not trustworthy. Surely you are not blind. I trained you better than that.
“Furthermore, Jackson will be our liaison with the Ten. He will have access to all Ten meetings we deem necessary for him to attend. He will monitor your actions, and when the Ten’s judgment is…suspect…Jackson will arbitrate. Our Council will be called in as needed to assist in the more ‘delicate’ matters. And if all else fails, we will be quick to escalate.”
There’s groaning and fidgeting at the table, but no one dares to voice an opinion.
In a fraction of a second, the Arbiters each have a member of the Ten in a stranglehold with grips strong enough that the Ten’s faces are turning purple.
Eli says, “Never forget that you cannot run from us, hide from us, or evade us. There are consequences for your choices, and if you continue down your current path, you won’t have just us to worry about.”
The lights regain their strength.
Jax remains.
The rest of the Arbiters are gone. And they’ve got Ethan.
CHAPTER FIVE
Ethan
My father’s pacing his blood-red office at the Cross with such ferocity that I think he’ll ignite the carpet.
“You betrayed us. You threatened to kill your own brother. You’ve treated the mother of your child like a common criminal. And you’ve set in motion a string of events that will not bode well for anyone. Have I left anything out?”
I dig my teeth into my lip hard enough to draw blood. He stops pacing long enough to await my answer. “In my defense, Jax was sleeping with my Cleave. ”
He looks incredulous at my answer. “You declared war on your own kind because of petty jealousy?”
“Half my kind.” I correct.
“Have you learned nothing? Arbiter genes are dominant. You owe your loyalty to us. Particularly since Jackson did nothing wrong. He respected your relationship with Kira at all times and went to extreme measures to keep her safe. Unlike some, he puts family first.”
I snap my head around and growl. “It’s clear that he’s your favorite son. But Jax kept Kira away from me for a year and then didn’t even have the common decency to tell me that she was alive…that my son was alive. He played father to my son. I will never forgive him.”
My father picks up his tablet and starts to read from it. “The first attempt on Kira’s life happened in Farm City nine months ago. Jackson saved her from a machete-wielding assassin. The second: eight months ago in Industrial City. An electric shock device was placed in Kira’s tub. A series of incidents happened in six different cities over a six week span while she completed her Daynighter training. The last incident happened in Military City. A bullet grazed her neck just missing her carotid artery. That’s when they went on the run and ultimately ended up in hiding. But despite his attempt to keep her safe, there was still the attempt here in Heart where she was sliced open and left to die. And those are only the attempts that nearly succeeded. There are at least a dozen more that she doesn’t even know about.”
“The Ten had nothing to do with those attacks. We would have kept her safe. Jax had no right to disappear with her.”
My father sets his tablet on his desk, walks over, and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Your colleagues are not trustworthy. Surely you are not blind. I trained you better than that.
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