‘I sincerely doubt that.’ Tharin stretched. ‘You have been nothing but useless this entire search; they wouldn’t be any closer to finding the grimoire even if they had you.’

‘Don’t speak to her.’ Kellan’s voice echoed in the barren room, rebounding off the white columns.

‘What are you going to do about it? Turn me to ash?’ he barked.

‘I might,’ he answered.

Tharin slammed his hand on the table, rattling glasses of water. He felt Bethan shake beside him.

‘During autumn’—Tharin pointed at him—‘he threw a knife at my head. In my own office.’

‘If I aimed it at your head, why aren’t you dead?’ Everyone gaped at him. He shrugged. ‘I missed on purpose. I’m an excellent shot.’

‘That’s an entirely separate matter,’ Ursula said.

‘No, this is what I’ve been telling you all. The fae from Zakros haven’t changed. They are still quick to anger, quick to draw their weapons. He’s dangerous and has to go.’

‘Enough, Tharin,’ Ursula said. ‘You’ve said what you needed to say. Now shut up.’

Kellan could see why Circe admired her so much; Ursula could be ruthless. She was a quieter force than Julius and Tharin, much like Edington, who had not yet uttered a word the entire meeting.

‘Tell us what happened,’ Julius commanded.

‘The one I killed went to tackle Bethan. I had to use my flames. I hoped it would be enough to make him stop. I didn’t intend for the flames to spread like wildfire.’

He didn’t want to relive it. It wasn’t the first time he’d taken a life, and it wouldn’t be his last. But politics swarmed around that kill, so he wasn’t sure if he had done the right thing.

‘I yelled out for help; that’s when the crowd must have appeared. The other two ran off,’ Bethan said.

‘Do you think they were part of the Adelian Resistance?’ Ursula said.

‘I don’t know any other groups who run around in bright red cloaks,’ Kellan answered.

Bethan nodded.

‘Did you see their faces?’ Julius asked, taking notes in a notebook.

‘Only the one that I—’

‘I didn’t recognise him, but he was young,’ Bethan said. ‘They all looked young.’

‘Who is the Unseen?’ Kellan asked. ‘One of them said that was who he was working for.’

Tharin adjusted his weight awkwardly, and Julius spoke.

‘We believe that this Unseen person is the leader, or someone that they look up to from the past.’

Kellan frowned. ‘That tells us nothing.’

Julius’s lip curled upward. Ursula turned to him.

‘And what of your investigation?’ she asked.

Julius shook his head, setting his pen on the table.

‘The Adelian Resistance is not on my priority list, but rather the vampires that are going to be the cause of the Blood Plague.’

‘You are the Minister for Defence,’ Ursula yelled. ‘All threats should be a priority. They tried to attack her for the sake of the Trine. I hope you’re not being lenient with them because we all know the Whittakers run in your circles.’