“Unfortunately, Bennett, that’s because blood is thicker than water,” Max snapped. “Napoleon is an heir to an original, and whether he ever gets to plop his scrawny arse into one of our chairs doesn’t matter. The point is, he is blood. When you threatened him, you stepped over the line, Bennett. Way over the line. The council wasn’t livid. They were enraged, and even though they may still fear you and your kind, they couldn’t stand idly by and watch you ride roughshod over the son of an original. Bennett, we both know why you were given a seat on the council, and over the years, you’ve used it to your advantage. I’m not saying I fault you for it. I don’t. I applaud that you took it upon yourself to protect others like you, if there are others like you, but that fear only goes so far.”

Bennett’s face fell. “I thought they respected me.”

“They do. You’re intelligent and have proved your worth time and time again, but you didn’t earn your seat because of blood. You earned it because of brawn, and it’s that brawn that made them see red. The only way I could stop them from rendering such a verdict was to tell them the truth about our…um…our connection.”

“So they all know I’m your great-whatever granddaughter?”

“Yes, it was the only way.”

Bennett leaned forward in her chair. “And?”

“For a few minutes, they were actually excited about it, happy to hear I had family in the family, so to speak, and then things took a turn.”

“Why?”

“When Etienne came up with the idea for the council, he pictured it much like a pie. Sliced into equal proportions, each original would have no less and no more than the others. As you well know, most of the originals have offspring, yet it doesn’t matter how many children they have because they still only have one seat at the table. However, even though one’s last name is Archer, now there are suddenly two people sitting on the council with Lumley blood in their veins.”

Bennett huffed. “At the risk of repeating myself, Max, so what? It’s not like you and I ever opposed each other on any vote taken, and everyone has their alliances. Concepcion sides with Simeon more times than not, and Yannick and Garrick usually side with you. What’s the big deal?”

“It’s not about the votes, Bennett. It’s about the power,” Max said, leaning in. “You know each coven’s breadth is monitored. That way, no one flock can get so large as to present a threat to the others, and that’s what Simeon latched onto.”

“Simeon? Are you saying he knows about all of this, too?”