‘Ursula,’ Edington called out.

With one shout, the room refocussed on what they were all there to do.

Decide his fate.

‘We need to discuss a punishment,’ Edington said.

Kellan dropped his head. The corner of Tharin’s lip quirked as he rubbed his hands together.

‘You did what we required of you,’ Julius said, ‘but, we don’t deal with things as violently as you fae do.’

‘You’re sending me back, aren’t you?’ Kellan stated.

Bethan’s worried eyes met his, the first sign she’d given him that they were okay.

Julius nodded.

‘No.’ Edington’s voice boomed. ‘He stays; if the Blood Plague does occur, we will need Zakros’s aid; we mustn’t insult his queen by sending him back. After all, their army is far superior to Gaea’s.’

‘This isn’t what we discussed.’ Julius’s brows knitted together.

Tharin glared in Edington’s direction. ‘He needs to be punished. He is a murderer.’

‘Don’t rot your brain over this, boy,’ Edington murmured, his grey eyes staring directly at him. ‘There will still be consequences.’

He bowed his head, awaiting the punishment; he would do whatever it took to stay there.

‘Kellan, you are forbidden from using your powers. Do you accept?’

The flames constantly churning in his veins diminished. It seemed far too easy, too light of a sentence, but he wasn’t going to argue.

It would be hard to be without his magic but not as scary as explaining to his mother that the reason the alliance fell was because of him.

He clenched his jaw. ‘I accept.’

‘Good,’ Edington said before turning to Julius. ‘And the photo Rhiannon Shade took?’

‘Deleted,’ Julius said. ‘I used an enchantment to remove it permanently from her phone. I already had her father on the phone; he will have a word with her. I also spoke to the bystanders and told them that the attackers were part of the resistance. The damage won’t be too bad.’

‘Excellent,’ Edington said, leaving. ‘This meeting is over.’

Bethan let out a heavy breath beside him, and he flicked his gaze to her and saw she had pressed a palm to her heart.

‘I’ll send a car to bring you both back,’ Ursula said warmly. She pulled out a phone and moved into a corner to dial a call.

Tharin stormed out of the room after that, colliding with Kellan’s shoulder as he passed.

Kellan laughed at his childishness, gesturing for Bethan to follow him out.

‘Bethan,’ Julius called, ‘I have to ask. Has there been any advancements in getting your magic back from the potion Sunni gave you?’

Potion? Kellan thought. What potion?

He spent every day with her, and he didn’t see her take anything other than copious amounts of tea Elnora had given her.

‘Unfortunately not, but my parents’ magic returned shortly after taking. So, I’m sure mine will too,’ Bethan answered.

The crack in her voice made Kellan certain that doubt laced her answer.