To be a fly on the wall when he started noticing books out of order or a frame on the wall tilted just a bit to the side. I shoved his wireless mouse in the drawer and innocently took a seat when I heard a door slam somewhere outside. His door flew open.
Harris Martingale had his lips pursed so tight they were nearing a white shade as he whooshed into his chair.
"We won't tolerate your games this year." Spoken so matter-of-factly.
It would be wise to remind him. "I didn't choose to come here."
I wondered how much of his grey hair was caused by me.
"The only other option is a dungeon in Eden. There it will give you time to make arrangements and then they will execute you. If that is your choice, then I will make the call now."
He lifted the phone receiver, and I held up my hands. "Wait, Harris, love, let's talk about this for a minute."
He placed the phone back down with narrowed eyes. Eden's dungeon was no joke. And it was possibly the only thing that could actually hinder my powers. It was one of the few threats I could believe in. Eden was part of heaven and where they housed those who had violated any of our supernatural laws under heaven's ruling family.
My grey area of existence afforded me a few privileges. Neither side wanted me under control of the other. Since they didn't know the extent of my powers, it was too risky to allow either side the control over my opposing powers.
"I was acting in self-defense. One of those mean angels was trying to do terrible things to my mind."
Puppy dog eyes failed me as a forehead vein popped up on his head. "I will never know why your father thought you would work here. You are a disappointment to his legacy."
My humor vanished in an instant. That was an unbelievably low blow. "Guess we'll never know what he thought. He's dead because of your sister, or did you forget that?"
Harris ignored my remark. "Until you can act with decorum, you will be a ward of the Crowns. Normally it would be under your liege, but you have both. Any actions you are responsible for will be punished as they see fit."
I jumped to my feet. "The fuck?"
"Language! This is what you have brought on yourself."
My eyebrows shot up. "What I brought on myself? Maybe if your family wasn't so fucking meddling, I would still have mine! You all drag me back here to be near that murderer and think I'll be okay with all of this?"
For a moment, I thought I could see a flash of pain in his eyes. "It's not a choice. The princes will decide how to proceed. Now get out of my office."
A small frown marred his face as he turned his attention to the computer and his hand met the air. I stormed out before he could call me out on rearranging his desk or before I could do something I might actually regret. Deep down, I was hungry for revenge. I wanted his sister to watch the life drain from his eyes. I wanted her to lose everyone and feel that anguish it brings.
Tony laughed when he saw me and I held up a single finger. "Don't say a fucking thing to me, Tony."
He held upon the door and waited for me to step through. "I could have told you it was going to end badly. You didn't even make it fifteen minutes."
I stopped in my tracks. This traitor! "You knew?"
He nodded his capped head and motioned me down the hall. "They've had contingency plans in place since they discovered your location. With the royalty attending, they couldn't leave anything to chance."
"We are so not best friends anymore. And I'm not buying you a Christmas present."
He laughed and nodded towards another open door.
"So good of you to join us, Ms. Rebecca." That voice...
Oh God, no. "I changed my mind. I'll repent. Can't I just do a hundred Hail Mary's or something?"
"Contingencies." His hands turned me back around towards the room and gave me a little shove forward.
This was bogus. I hated Mr. Grande. I mean, I hated everyone, but he and I did not get along at all. We were those demons that were constantly going head to head with one another and fighting for some shred of dominance. If I were without my angel half, he and I would have been equals. But my angel half made me the stronger supernatural, and it infuriated him. The stringy-haired man looked like a giant praying mantis. How the heck he was an incubus, I would never know. He certainly didn't look the part.
"I was wondering how many minutes it would take you to be brought here once you arrived."
Funny. "Oh wow, you're so hilarious! Here, let me grab on to the desk because you're just so funny I'm about to fall over."
Why was he smirking? "Have you decided on a punishment, Prince Andul?"
Oh hell. I didn't even realize they were in the room with us.
"I have." His accent was thick and English.
I pressed my tongue against my teeth. "And why is he deciding my punishment? They took away your administrative powers, old boy?"
His jaw tightened before another smirk. "It was his subjects you injured."
"Oh, come on! There was no physical damage done. And what about the turd that started all this? What about him? Pretty sure what he did was just as bad. He had no clue what he was doing!"
"You are the one who ran?" His annoying British voice turned my attention back to him.
It was funny how far Angel had chosen to sit from Demon. At least now I knew his name. Andul fit, I guess. If I paid attention in any of my classes, I'd probably know more about them.
"Obviously."
His eyes narrowed as he approached.
"Your Highness," I muttered.
He paused in front of me. "Demons love deals, so I'll make you one. Pass the final test and you are finished. Fail, and you continue with the level that you test at."