This isn't going to work right now. We're wasting precious time. Our responsibilities took precedence over our emotions, even though it killed me. We needed to eat this loss now… for the greater good. This entire deal could blow up in our faces if we pushed too hard, knowing the arbiters. Sure, we had majority support for the moment, but the tides could change quickly.
I swallowed my questions and arguments, giving Dorian a sharp look from the corner of my eye. “Our priority is the Immortal Council,” I muttered. He raised a brow, as if to ask, Are you sure? Another beat of silence passed within our group.
"Fine. This isn't the time to have this debate," I admitted. "I'll agree to your terms for the moment, and we can drop it for now in light of the battle. After the fight… Dorian and I will figure it out, but only after everything is fully settled." I added the last bit for my own conscience. I needed to convince them that we would drop it, for now. Yet, hope danced inside me, promising that this wasn’t our final option. There were potentially more people than just Dorian and me to think about in terms of vampire-and-human romance, but we’d have to save the world first before anything. They could think what they wanted. I’d agree… for the moment, but the tides would change. I only hoped that meant Dorian and I would be together, in the end.
Dorian’s scowl remained etched on his face. "I also accept these terms." I heard the same resignation in his voice. We both knew this wasn't settled, but we had a war to win. It would be suicide and inevitable doom to lose their support. I let out the tiniest sigh.
"We appreciate your understanding." Xiu sent a pointed look at Ruk. "Any further questions, before we move on to other points of business?"
Every eye and orb turned their attention to Ruk.
"I'm sure everyone knows I have my own conditions to trot out," Ruk said. He sent a pointed look at Un, who looked a shade nervous. It was time for another uncomfortable conversation. I bounced my knee anxiously underneath the table. Perhaps Ruk would choose tact, to soften the blow of admitting that he’d broken even more laws in the Higher Plane? His profile beside me looked elegant and refined. A weight had lifted from his shoulders after his debt was paid. "As much as it pains me to admit, Un was right. I did break another rule. As did he." He gave a sharp-toothed grin.
And there goes tact.
Xiu sighed. "Kindly spare us the rhetorical devices and proceed with your point. We need to discuss how you intend to fix the tear, and then you can address your other confession."
Ruk deflated slightly. "First, I need to be in the Immortal Plane, where I built the barriers in the first place. I want to go with Lyra and Dorian on the mission, but there is the issue of my confession… I did bring another lower-plane being into the Higher Plane, long ago. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she was dangerously injured. I brought her here simply to heal her, and I fully intended to return her to the Immortal Plane. Un discovered her during my next absence and took her from my estate." His tone transitioned to humility, and he even lowered his head. "I am sorry for my lies, but it was for concern over Aurora. You may not understand that, but you understand the importance of logic. Since she's been in stasis this whole time, she's learned nothing about this plane, and I always intended that to be the case. Please take the lack of harm to the Mandate, and my honest admission, into consideration. When this is all over, I will accept the debt of my punishment."
Eyes shot toward Un. What he'd done had finally come out.
"Is this true?" Xiu asked, but something in her eye told me she already knew. A storm was brewing there.
"Yes," Un begrudgingly admitted, crossing his arms. This was the forfeit of his bet on the Games.
Xiu's face hardened. "This is a serious crime." Arbiters shifted at the end of the table, a muttering of whispers quickly silenced by Xiu's icy stare. If they wanted to talk, they'd have to do it in their heads. She leaned back and closed her eyes. "You won't be surprised to find that the majority support a large debt for the both of you. We can settle that after we find a solution for the tear."
"My thoughts exactly." Ruk gave a nod of appreciation. "I'll right the wrong that I did, but I must heal her first, and I can only do that in the Higher Plane. You have to understand, she is still a living creature and must be returned home. She’s not a risk to the Mandate. You have my promise on that."
Un gave a resentful nod. "I never took her out of stasis, either. I merely copied Ruk's chamber design and transferred her to my own." The thought of Aurora floating above us in the castle made my skin crawl.
"Where is she?" I asked, dragging my eyes up to the ceiling. A painted mural of orbs in an amphitheater greeted my eye. Juneau would've liked this estate.
"Still there," Un promised. At least she's safe.
“I’m willing to pay whatever you want for it, but let me heal her,” Ruk said, angling toward Xiu. She stared down the length of the table.
“Just when I thought we were past your surprises,” Xiu muttered. “Given the circumstances, we can allow this crime to go unpunished for the moment, but we have another matter to address with you, Ruk. We took away your energy as punishment for staying in the lower planes after the Separation, as well as assigning your debt. Now, it is with some dark humor that we realize sending you back to the lower planes without your power would be unwise. We need to stop this nonsense in the lower planes at all costs, and so we are willing to suspend your punishment—temporarily. Therefore, your old energy will be restored to you when you go back to the Immortal Plane. This is only short-term, as we’ll still have to deal with the hiding of Aurora—for you and Un—in a separate trial after all this. Of course, if you save the universe, I’m sure that will garner you virtual blanket forgiveness for that transgression.”
Hope rushed through me. Even if it was temporary, Ruk at full strength was exactly what we needed in a crisis like this. Although, it was sad to think he might never get his powers back permanently. Dorian’s silent presence reminded me of our own difficult compromises.
“Aurora’s healing is another transaction entirely, though,” Xiu said. “You have no estate left to offer. Are we to take your word that you’ll come back to hand over the eventual universal energy that you collect for the next thousand mortal years?”
“I give you my word.” Ruk shrugged with a somewhat sheepish smile. “Though I know my honor is somewhat controversial, in this crowd.”
That was one way to put it. I studied the faces of those in humanoid form. Pik and Sen looked open to the idea, but the others appeared more guarded. And then, an unexpected person cleared his throat.
“I think we can trust him. I mean, any arbiter with good sense would stay behind to suck up as much universal energy as possible after destroying their estate,” Un said with a little scoff. “And Ruk has always been stubborn with his convictions. We can send someone to supervise him if we must.”
Un sticking up for Ruk? I suspected he had ulterior motives. Perhaps without Ruk around, Un would try to win sympathy from anyone who would listen to his story of how he had stolen Aurora for the good of the arbiters overall. He wanted Ruk gone for a reason.