Claimed by the Primals

Chapter Thirty-Five

The next day, the first day of negotiations, was clear and bright. The predicted weather was to be hot and humid. It felt too nice of a day to be politically, and possibly physically, facing off against my sworn enemies.

As per the laws of the resolution, the first negotiation was the handover of survivors from the fight that caused the resolution to be needed. This included Isaac and our other surviving brother, as well as the bodies of the dead. Abraham and my brothers had been treated with respect and dignity, and the undertakers had done their best to follow the traditions of the angels.

All the meetings were to be held on neutral ground, which sounds kind of weird seeing as the whole area was supposed to be neutral. What they really meant was a location agreed by both parties. Because there were so many people to accommodate, this meant meeting in the middle of butt-fuck-nowhere in the woods.

Considering all that happened, I'm pretty sure that was the best place for it. But, at the time, I was unhappy. Because it was so far out, we had to get up extra early. If you thought I could have slept in the car, you would be mistaken. Thorne was there in the back seat with me running over page after page of notes.

Then again, I didn't exactly sleep well the night before. The last twelve hours before the first set of negotiations went by in a blur of last-minute discussions and wild arguments. Menes finally grew a spine, and allowed Thorne's people to question Amara, despite Rajya's continued objections.

Unfortunately for him, the damage was already done.

Esraa was heartbroken and refused to even look at her mate. Her sons, especially Warrick and Nimat who Menes had sired, stood behind her and let their anger and disappointment towards their father and sister known. Kade's family, of course, thoroughly backed them up. Violet hadn't left Esraa's side the entire time, while Ravi and Alan tag-teamed on providing sustenance and additional comfort.

The rest of the anubi were divided. Some of them still supported Rajya and Amara, as they were the current and future matriarchs. Some felt that Amara and I were both victims and Rajya had taken her obsession too far. The rest were firmly on our side and said Amara had crossed the line and betrayed the family.

For her part, Amara does sound apologetic and seems to genuinely regret her actions. She swears up and down, even now, that she didn't tell Lana anything. But the details are inconsistent, so I don't know how much to believe. First, she told us that she went out looking for the 'other side' of the story and only Lana would give it to her. But in the interrogation, she said that Lana sought her out and told her the story. Honestly, I could believe both versions, so I assume the actual truth is something in between.

A part of me really wants to sympathize with Amara. The good part of me wants to understand what she was feeling. Because, in a way, I do get it. I'm the youngest daughter of a powerful family too. I had a lot of expectations and pressures dumped on my shoulders by my mom and dads, and I did things I didn't want to because that's what Godric demanded.

The rest of me, though, can never forgive her. She can spend the rest of her life apologizing, and it won't make a difference. I've washed my hands clean of her. Kade is in the same boat, and, for now, so is Warrick. I won't stop Warrick if he wants to make amends one day, but I also won't promise that I would.

Menes was already pretty much on my shit list too, and this just made it official. I don't think I'll ever forgive him either. I think I'll wait and see what happens with him and Esraa. The last I heard, they had agreed not to do anything drastic, and wait until they returned to Egypt and the rest of the harem before deciding anything. But they were also sleeping in separate rooms, so...