Page 50 of To Ashes and Dust
Tobias remained silent, his eyes wide with terror.
Damien continued when Tobias didn’t say anything, his tone full of a cold calm. “Did you know there’s a vital artery in a person’s tongue, Tobias?”
Tobias’ body quaked under Damien as he continued. “Have you ever seen a man bleed out when it’s cut?” Damien laid the black and gold blade across Tobias’ tongue. “I wonder if you’d die from blood loss, or if you’d choke on your own blood first.”
Tobias shrieked, tears welling in his eyes as he begged wordlessly.
I couldn’t speak, couldn’t pull my eyes away. Barrett placed a hand on my shoulder and I jumped, looking up at him. His eyes were glued to Damien, but he didn’t look fearful. No, he looked confident, prideful even. I reached out to his thoughts.
Should we stop him?
No. This needs to be done. Tobias will never stop, and if Damien allows him to get away with insulting you, his queen, as well as insulting him and questioning his role at this table, it will show him Damien is weak. This is how things are done here, Cas. Trust in your mate.
I willed myself to breathe deeply, my head held high as I looked back at Damien. He held Tobias’ gaze, dark power rolling off him in waves. Tobias sputtered as pearls of blood formed where my blade met the flesh of his tongue.
Tobias muttered frantic words I could barely make out as apologies or pleas to stop.
None of the Kyrios moved. If anything, Lysander looked to be the only one who looked nervous. The others—Xander, Hector, Aster, and Alec—all stood by their king in his decision.
Damien released Tobias’ cut tongue. Tobias’ bloodied hand rose to his face, the rich liquid dripping onto his dark purple coat.
Damien stepped back, wiping the blood from my blade across Tobias’ pants. He turned and walked back toward me as he adjusted his coat, and Zephyr released the guard, sheathing his dagger before following. “You are relieved of your title as Kyrios, Tobias. You are no longer welcome in this hall.”
“Who would you hope to replace me? I’ve been in this seat for over a century,” Tobias muttered, still trembling.
Damien didn’t answer, not bothering to give him a second glance.
As Tobias opened his mouth to speak again, a thought crossed my mind. I took a deep breath, holding my head high. I’d never felt more confident in any decision I’d ever made, and I spoke, cutting off any words he’d planned to say.
“Perhaps Calista should take your place.”
19
DAMIEN
Silence swept across the hall, the Kyrios all snapping their heads toward Cassie the moment the words left her lips. I almost couldn’t stop the smile fighting to spread its way across my face as I left Tobias shaking in his chair.
Well played, mea luna.
She didn’t waver, her head held as proudly as any of her past lives had done, and I wanted to kiss her. My mate. My queen.Mine, and mine alone.
“W-what?” Tobias stuttered, and I resisted the urge to look and see just how red his face must have been. I almost hoped he’d try to take a step toward her, say another word or threat so I could slit his throat once and for all.
She continued, her voice as solid as the stone throne she sat in. “I’ll say it again, since you seem to be hard of hearing, Tobias. Perhaps Calista can take your seat at The Council. With all the new free time you’ll have, maybe you can join our ranks in The Order, since you seem to know how to bring down the darklings.”
“A female has never sat on the council,” Lysander said, almost an argument, but he was smart enough to keep his tone in check.
She leveled her gaze on Lysander. “A femalehas ruled at your king’s side for centuries, has fought and destroyed more darklings than you could ever hope to.” Her eyes drifted to each of the Kyrios as she continued, her chin held high like the goddess she was. “Perhaps it’s time I’m not alone at this table.”
She drew a deep breath, and I wondered what was swirling in that beautiful mind of hers. “There will be a change to the laws limiting the lifestyles of females within the aristocracy.”
My pace slowed as I neared the head of the table, and for a moment I saw her, all of her, each of her past lives sitting on that throne, as if she’d never missed a day in that seat. The pride swelling within me was immeasurable.
Tobias scoffed. “This certainly doesn’t seem like the time to be worrying about such thin—"
“What change are you proposing, Your Majesty?” Xander inquired, paying no mind to the male who no longer held any sway at the table. Tobias stiffened, his lips peeling back from his teeth.
“The laws that place a female of the aristocracy under the rule of another who might exploit her,” Cassie said, shifting her gaze to Xander.
