Page 179 of Iris
“I think that’s the right plan. But I’m not sure the old geezers who are lining up for the position really fit that criteria.”
“I agree.”
“I think we can do this.” Sophine goes back to the window and stares out.
I choke on my next breath. “Wait—we?”
“I nominate you, Iris Gardener, for the position of Councilwoman.”
Did I—did I hear her right?
“M-me?”
She nods and crosses the room to stand before me. “I’ve been the only woman up here for far too long.”
“But—”
“The rest of the Council will still need to hold a vote, but it’s very rare that they go against me. So, if you’re serious about changing Sabine for the better, take the job.”
She holds out her hand for me to shake.
“What do you say?”
When I get out of the room, Penrith is there waiting, sitting on the bench against the wall with her cane beside her. Her smile is big and warm, the complete opposite of the ice that is her sister.
“Well? Did she offer you the job?” she asks.
“How did you…?”
“We’ve been talking,” she says. “A little. I trust her in this.”
I shrug. “That’s only if the rest of the Council agrees to let a young female Omega have a position of power…”
“Oh, they will.” She winks. “Because if I’m right and you are in fact like me, you won’t let them live it down if they don’t.”
I grin. “Not a fucking chance.”
CHAPTER
FIFTY-SEVEN
Killian
We will rebuild. We will survive and thrive. We always do.
But for now, until that can happen, we’ve temporarily hunkered down in the abandoned store where we hold our Nightshade meetings. Now that the fires are out and the Black Briar has been deemed safe to search, that’s what we’ve been busy doing.
It’s mostly ash, but we were able to find a few owls from Emmie’s collection, important papers and money from our fire-proof safe, and a picture of Amelia that I had in my room.
As long as we have each other, that’s all we really need.
There’s only one piece of our pack missing, and I feel that absence deep in my chest. It’s a constant throb I can’t make go away.
Emmie and Freya play on the floor with Delores and what’s left of her owl army. Xavier leans against the wall and shakes his pack of cigarettes, only to reconsider lighting up.
He sees me watching him and signs,
I’m done with all things fire and ash for a long time.
