The beast and the blessed novel by Ashley Breanne novel Chapter 111

Six: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

"I don't really think we have any time to waste." Rona insisted as I glared at her. I wasn't ashamed to be the first one to admit that I had woken up in a terrible mood. I replayed the situation with Tobias a thousand times before finally falling asleep. "I'm sure the others would like to go home soon."

I knew the situation's urgency, but this did not qualify as an emergency. If anything, Rona's reaction to having to wait only made me more suspicious of her. "From your careful choice of words, I take it that you would prefer to stay in the castle, so I don't see what your hurry is. Other things need to be done before we can fill the two empty council seats."

Talia's betrayal and Agatha's death had hit me harder than expected, and I was angry that two of the women who had trained and raised me were now gone. They were both dead and now I had to pick two witches to replace them.

'We will start bringing in pledges for consideration over the next few weeks, but I want any personal drama to be put aside right now." My glare moved from Rona to Cora, and she adjusted in her seat as she pursed her lips. Ever since Rona had caused Cora to lose her leg in battle a few years ago, the women were at each other's throats.

I couldn't forget Margot and Aisha. Those two women couldn't be trusted to be left alone either, not after an incident where Aisha trapped Margot in a room with a rock troll as a practical joke. Margot got out with a concussion, a few broken bones, and the desire to dangle Aisha over the cliffside of one of the most inhabited siren coves along the coast.

She hung there for two days before someone found her and pulled her in.

I hated all of them except Agatha, but she was gone. Now I was left with four other women, and I didn't trust a single one of them. Nor would I trust any of the pledges they would bring in.

"For now, the meeting is adjourned." I stood and made my way to the door, hearing their grumbling behind me as I went. Today was not the day for them to test me, and it seemed everyone except Rona got that memo as she trailed after me on my heels.

Rona had always pushed my buttons, the evil bitch. Her mother used to bring her here to 'play' with me when we were kids while the council met. Her idea of fun was trying to bury me alive or burning the hallway outside of my room to see how long it would take me to escape. Not too long ago, she killed her mother, stealing her power and taking her seat on the council. Rona had never been tried for it, and it had never been proven.

Still, we all knew what had happened.

As far as we knew, Agatha had no blood relatives left with magic. After betraying the crown, Talia's kin would never be trusted, leaving two seats empty.

'What is with the delay?” Rona sneered. "Too scared to do your job?"

The dining hall fell silent as I stepped inside, Rona's voice echoing across the high ceilings. "Not at all, but I am not going deal with filling three council seats instead of two.'

"Unless you are resigning, there are not three seats open." The hopeful undertone of her words made me grit my teeth, but seeing Tobias sitting at the table eating, looking as unbothered as ever, caused my temper to flare up into a rage. He seemed so calm and collected when I had been up all night reliving the most humiliating and heartbreaking moments of my life.

"I will not be resigning, Rona. But if you do not leave me alone, I promise that there will be another seat open because I will rip your throat out." I spun around to face her, cocking an eyebrow as she stopped a hair's breadth away from slamming into me.

"You're threatening me, and in front of all these people? That's not very professional of you." She chided.

"I am not known for being professional, Rona. I am known for being efficient and deadly to threats against our people. They know I will fight every threat against them, no matter the cost." The rest of my threat was cut short by the feeling of the hairs rising on the back of my neck and the familiar heat of a body stopping inches away from my back, distracting me.

I could feel him even though I couldn't hear him, and I hadn't turned to see him.

"All I am saying is that if we put this off for a few weeks, it might end badly. The sooner we can get those seats filled, the better." Rona's gaze was locked over my shoulder on Tobias, and I began seeing red. I didn't like her looking at him like that, and I loathed that he felt the need to come to protect me as if he hadn't ripped my heart out last night.

"I will say this once and only once. That is not your call. As the King's Royal Advisor, I lead the council, and it is my decision to make. The meeting has been concluded, and right now, you are doing nothing but wasting our time. Select your pledge and be prepared to present them at the next meeting. Beyond that, our conversation is over." I held her glare as the silent room watched on in amusement.