The Ancients

Epilogue: The Council

"My point is that there haven't been any travellers who stumbled upon our village for centuries. Everett Valley is extremely secluded, we are hidden by the Great Mountains, as you all know. I don't believe it to be a coincidence that they are applying to live here, out of all places." Iliria straightened herself.

"And as it is stated in the letter I received, should the vote to permit their arrival exceed the votes for dismissal, they are to be kept in the unknown of our ways. You need to help me understand how that makes sense. Why should the humans be welcomed into our homes but know nothing of how we live? We might as well dismiss this now."

Iliria let her words sink in until she continued to speak. But before she could utter another word, Sir Francis' voice cut through the brief silence. "We shall not harbour prejudice so strongly, Iliria. While we clearly stated certain reasons for them to be allowed safe entrance, you should have also read the lines that state reasons for caution. And that is what our secrecy option is—a precaution. We cannot be certain they are trustworthy and will keep our ways within our borders. But ignoring—what you have referred to as not a coincidence—would be just as unwise."

Now it was Iliria's turn to let the words sink in. She withdrew herself, even when the discussion continued, and instead surveyed the hall.

All nine of them were evenly seated around the large, obsidian table. It was more of a heavy plate placed on one thick, short pillar, than the classic dining-table. 

The round plate had a diameter of at least two meters and was coated in ancient carvings.

The first elders of Everett Valley had found the plate where the Iarhus stood now. According to the scrolls that told stories about Everett's history, it had once been the ritual grounds of the little village when there had still been witches here. 

But the witches had long left Everett Valley when the shifters and vampires overthrew them.

The shifter council member placed her hand onto the cool, black surface of the table and inhaled steadily. She felt Loana's gaze upon her, along with Madame Esmara's, but she ignored the lot of them. The pain was making itself feel-able inside her again. 

It pulled at her soul, ripping it further apart than it already was. If Iliria could compare her soul to anything, she would compare it to a worn piece of fabric, torn and falling apart, only existing because there were tiny little threads keeping the pathetic excuse of fabric together.

It may as well just tear for good, she thought to herself.

All it caused her was pain. She felt it ripping every single day for the past seventeen years. Some days were worse than others.

"We shall each place our votes," Madame Esmara announced, pulling Iliria back into the discussion and out of her lingering thoughts.

It was the exact reason she'd signed up to be one of the two shifters representing the wolves within the council. It distracted her.

It kept her away from home. Away from the three reminders of the pain that she carried with her every waking moment of her miserable life.

They reminded her of what tore at her morals. The sorrow that kept her up at night. The grief that ripped her insides apart. And the anger that surged between it all.

"As the elders of the sacred council, we shall watch in silence as our youngers decide the Thrakos family's fate. We will place our votes and seal it. Begin."

Six heads nodded. Nicholas, the representing human along with his wife, Carolina, placed their hands onto the sun that was carved into one of the dozen mandalas. It was their deciding sun and there was an identical mandala at each of the nine seats.