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"Splendid," Blackbourne continued into the silence "Let Mathias d’Arc’s naistered in the scrolls If there are no more nominees, then--"
"I no loud, clear It sent a shiver across Ice’s skin He felt everything fro from the others Or maybe that was his own nervousness
Blackbourne reared back "Rykard, the ainst Anarki who killed his sister, then yes"
"He’s not Privileged," Caued "He does not e to the Social order, then How can we effectively govern all when only one class is represented a us? If Mr d’Arc is correct, and the Deprived are planning an uprising,one of their own?"
"This is quite abrupt," Spencer argued
"So is replacing a Councilman who’s been brutally ht sed
"Honestly, I see no reason to refuse It would be bad press during these difficult times if word reached the Deprived that we refused to consider a change in the Social order to possibly include one of their own Iine the fever to rise up then"
"I assure you," Mathias spoke suddenly "I can quiet theue’ elements of the Anarki, sir?"
Bram’s question was perfectly pointed And with it, he took his life in his hands Neatly, Bram had boxed Black-bourne and Spencer into a corner
"Clearly not," Tynan added "or randfather would be with us"
With that, Brauh they’d eschewed it for centuries, the Council elders all agreed, soe the Social order to allow Deprived Council representation
"Any other objections to Rykard’s noed
Dead silence
Ice sed a lump of nerves A blast of amazement whooshed over him The nomination to the Council seat that should have been his two hundred years ago was now in his grasp It should have been sweet victory that the verychaht for petty irony now Revenge wasn’t sweet--or even hiselsehis future on track
One step closer
"Shall we schedule the official vote for, say, three days hence at ive each of us tiive Mathias a time and location where he could devise a plan to kill every Council linature that would display to all the fact he had issued a Call to Sabelle?
Ice gaped across the table from Bram, ready to stand and protest The other three wizards at the table beat him to it
"I think tiued "Everyone is present, and I see little reason for the delay"
Heart stuttering, Ice listened as the others grureement That suddenly, it was time to vote
"I vote Mathias d’Arc," Blackbourne, the eldest, said, not surprisingly
"As do I," Spencer chimed in
Bloody hell Ice had held out some hope, no matter how little, that Spencer had been swayed to vote with the MacTavish told the others
"Beco, have you?" Spencer taunted
"It’s better than being Blackbourne’s bitch"
Despite the tension in the roohed He’d never known the MacTavish clan well, any of the them because of their associations with the Rions But now, he somewhat liked the outspoken wizards
"I vote Mathias" Camden’s voice shook as he entered his vote, and no wonder, with the evil ain, Ice wished he could pour hih the little mirror and attack Mathias, ony as he deserved Instead, he clenched his fists and glanced at Sabelle for support She smiled and nodded
"One more vote for Mathias d’Arc decides it," Black-bourne reminded
As if anyone needed to hear that
"He won’t have my vote," Bram vowed "Rykard will represent the Deprived well He knows thee to them, smooth relations, as it were"
Blackbourne snorted "Your opinion This is not the time for commentary O’Shea? Keep in mind that a vote for Rykard sends us to a dreadful tie that should be avoided at all costs No Council has ever had to enforce a challenge to dispute a tie"
Tynan cleared his throat "Well, I’m sorry to say, then, thatabout so dreadful, but my vote is for Rykard"
"Bloody stupid--" Blackbourne cursed, then huffed, as if getting himself under control "Well, then Tomorrow, an hour past dawn, both candidates will present thee God help you both"
With that, Blackbourne severed the connection The others followed suit Ice paused, unease skittering through hie?"
"Indeed" He exhaled, looked at Sabelle with regret, then shook his head "I never iht for certain he would devise soht as Council elder to do so"
"But he chose not to, so what happens next?" Sabelle de, you will appear at Blackbourne’s estate as instructed You will battle with Mathias there for the right to the Council seat"
"What sort of battle?" Her eyes narrowed "What do you mean?"
Bray "A battle that ends when one of you surrenders or dies"
CHAPTER SIXTEEN