“Until it does, as Consort, I’m not obligated to take any action.”

“She’s right,” Desandra said.

Robert glanced at her.

She shrugged. “I’ve read the book.”

Robert’s eyes narrowed. “I can take my concerns to the Council and make it very difficult for you to avoid questions.”

The best defense is a good offense. “We both know that doing so will predispose Curran and me against Clan Rat.”

“We’re already marginalized!” Robert said.

“How are you marginalized?” Desandra gaped at him. “You’re the second-largest clan in the Pack!”

“Yes, we are, but when it was time to go retrieve the panacea, our clan wasn’t represented.” He raised his hand and began counting on fingers. “The delegation included Clan Heavy, Clan Bouda, Clan Nimble, Clan Wolf, Clan Cat . . .”

Oh my God. “The jackals didn’t go either.”

“The jackals didn’t ask to go. We specifically requested a place and we were cut from the list.”

“It wasn’t a plot against you. You were cut from the list because I was under pressure from Aunt B and I asked Curran to make space for her.”

“That’s precisely my point! You’re biased against our clan, because we voted against you when Curran fell into a coma.”

I couldn’t believe it. “Are you serious?”

“Yes!”

“This is ridiculous.”

Robert shook his head. “No, it’s not at all ridiculous. When Jim provided us with the report of your trip to the Black Sea, it didn’t contain three things. One, it said nothing about your prior relationship with Hugh d’Ambray, which obviously existed. Two, it didn’t include the fact that you and Hugh d’Ambray had dinner in private. Three, it completely omitted the vision everyone experienced at the final dinner.”

“What vision?” Desandra asked. “The one where you hacked people to pieces?”

I glared at her. “Thank you for confirming his paranoia.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I do what I can.”

Robert must’ve been holding back for a while, and now he kept going like a runaway train. “I have a responsibility to my clan. These are my people. Nothing will deter me from advocating on their behalf. This lack of disclosure combined with your personal bias—”

“I don’t have a personal bias, but you are working on it.”

“—with your personal bias is dangerous for my clan. I want to know the nature of your relationship with Hugh d’Ambray . . .”

“He wants to screw her, because she beat the shit out of him and they both have daddy issues over the same guy,” Desandra said.

Robert froze midword, blinked, and looked at me. “Hugh d’Ambray is your brother and the two of you are sexually involved?”

Why me, why? “Desandra, you know what, don’t help me anymore.”

“I got tired of listening to him,” she said.

“Will one of you explain this to me?” Robert demanded.