Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(81)

Which wasn’t entirely true.

Each of the Rulers handed their corresponding Elder a fairly thick file. I almost groaned seeing how—in such a short time of being here—I already had a file that thick. Because it was mostly about me and what had happened since I’d been named Prodigy Elemental.

King Collins sat down on my right, as per normal.

Elder Fergus sat directly on my left, relaxing easily on his chair. He was comfortable in his own skin, which was another sign of a self-assured Royal: someone who was at home in a conference room with many dignitaries.

I, on the other hand, took a calming breath. Inside this room…once more.

King Collins bent, whispering at my ear, “You’re not leaving this damn room again.”

My gaze swung to his. “I only knocked over a plant.”

A frank look. “I’m not talking about that. As soon as you left,” a head tilt down the table, “he started arguing and wouldn’t shut up.”

My lips parted in an ‘O’. “About?”

“I know you’re informing her what I spoke of,” the One groused from down the table. My attention swung in his direction. His glare was in full force. “Since she still has my property, I would prefer to do it.”

Instant reply. “My property. Not yours.”

Everyone stopped their quiet conversations or their studying of reports.

All eyes were glancing between us.

King Collins waved a hand. “Be my guest. I’m sure she’ll find your idea interesting.”

Well, I was bound to find it interesting with that lead-up.

The One rested his chin on his hand, gazing at me for a long moment, his silver eyes skimming over my face. “They believe it to be,” his head tilted, “cruel of me, since they do not know our ways.”

“Explain, please.” I leaned forward on my chair, my hands clasped calmly on the table.

“It’s no secret I can find any spirit anywhere on this earth. The only exception being you, of course.” A lazy shrug, even if his eyes were still narrowed. “My plan is to send one of our less fortunate individuals with the Primal Diamond to the location of Jacob Angel or Philip Masterson.”

I understood what he was saying and my gaze instantly hooded, not looking anywhere else but him. I was quiet while the newly arrived Elders had questions about what a Primal Diamond was, needing information to partake in this discussion. It gave me a moment to think. Queen Cooper gave a description, including a history of the diamond’s past and current ‘owners’.

Tilting my head back, I stared down the end of my nose into narrowed silver eyes. I rested more comfortably on my chair and steepled my hands in front of my mouth, thinking this through. When Queen Cooper was finished updating the newcomers, I stated quietly, “It would be a suicide mission, even if it was considered a mercy.”

He stated bluntly, “It would be their choice.”

This wasn’t what I wanted to do. “You would be signing their death warrant.” I inhaled heavily. “As would I, if I agreed to this.”

He lifted a white brow. “I know.”

My lips pinched behind my hands before I slashed a hand through the air, furious with his blasé attitude during a conversation such as this. “They are f*cking innocents, Leric. They can’t help how they are.”

He leaned forward on his chair, his eyes instantly furious, which showed me he did care about them. “And how they will be forever.” He stared at me pointedly. “Put yourself in their situation. If you were given the option of an honorable death, wouldn’t you take it?”

I ground out between my teeth, “Your plan is to send one individual, track them, and when they come back—too f*cking injured to be saved—we’ll have the location. While the poor, innocent bastard dies in front of us?”

“Yes.”

“Your damn job is to protect them. Not to send them off to be slaughtered.”

His nostrils flared. “Caro, this isn’t an easy decision for me, so don’t make it any harder by attacking my position.” He stared me down. “I want you to seriously attempt to put yourself in their situation. I know what I would want if I were them.” He shook his head slightly, lifting his hands as he sighed. “But what would you want?”

I stared down at the table, again leaning heavily on my elbows…but I already knew the answer to his question. My eyes shut slowly, my voice void of all emotion. “There’s no guarantee this individual would even make it back to us. He or she could easily die there, and then the diamond would be in the wrong hands.”

With wide eyes, King Collins interjected, “Caro, you cannot seriously be considering this…”

Roselle’s voice was rough. “You may think you know our ways, but you know nothing.” I opened my cold eyes to her. Her face was flushed with anger as she glared at King Collins. “This is a hard decision to make but with all due respect to you, King Collins, and the rest of you here,” her jaw clenched, “you all need to shut the f*ck up and trust Ms Jules to make the correct decision.” Blue, frosty eyes met mine. “I have no idea how the hell you’re going to survive here with them.” She stared at me hard. “You should rescind your choice and come home where you belong.”

“Roselle, enough,” the One murmured quietly. But it was a direct order. “Her choice is currently here.” Silver eyes met mine in the silence Roselle’s outburst had created. “To answer your question, I can find any spirit anywhere.”