But he wasn’t in the room when they arrived. Breathing deeply in relief of that, Aimee took a moment to look around the large circular room. Decorated in burgundy and gold, the room had large open windows that spanned from the top of the gilded ceiling to the black marble floor under her feet. Lushly decorated, it should have been tacky, and yet somehow the elaborate colors and designs worked together to create a beautiful canvas.

A large round table was set in the middle of the room with an impressive throne resting off to the side. She would take a guess that was Savitar’s seat.

Most of the Katagaria were already there and seated at the table. Aimee stepped back, somewhat intimidated by them. Dev stayed by her side with a stoic look that made her wonder what he was thinking.

Maman smirked at the vacant seats as she stepped near a tall, dark-haired panther. “Looks like the Arcadians are holding true to form, eh, Dante?”

“Always chickenshits, Lo. They won’t face us alone even here.” He looked past Maman to meet Aimee’s gaze.

Maman smiled warmly as she introduced them. “My daughter. Aimee, meet Dante Pontis.”

Aimee extended her hand to him. “You own the Inferno in Minnesota.” Though not an official sanctuary itself, it was still a well-known club.

“You know it.” He shook her hand, then held it out to Dev. “Good to see you again.”

“You too.”

Aimee frowned at the brotherly familiarity between them. “How do you two know each other?”

Dante winked. “Scouting bands… and other things.”

Aimee held her hand up in protest of what he was about to say.

“That was before Dante mated.”

Dante tapped his heart. The love in his eyes said it all. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way, Dev. One day, I hope you know the joy Pandora brings to me.”

“Yeah, that’s not what you said when she was pregnant.”

Dante laughed.

Fury and Vane entered the room, their faces grim.

Aimee went over to them immediately. “Have you heard from Fang?”

“No.” Vane’s voice was filled with emotion. “I was hoping you had.”

She shook her head as the rest of the members flashed in and took seats at the huge round table.

She and Dev stepped back as two large doors were flung open with primal powers that shook the room. Savitar, dressed in a long flowing robe that reminded her of an Egyptian design, strode in with an aura of power so potent, it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

His long dark hair flowed over his shoulders. Dark-complected, he wore a well-trimmed goatee, and when he scanned the room, his deep lavender eyes seemed to glow.

Every member stood as he walked over to his throne. He appeared to be furious and there was a noticeable panic emanating from every creature present.

Savitar glowered at them. “Cop a squat, animals and folks. I don’t want to be here any more than the rest of you so make it fast and get out of my hair. Let’s quickly run down the bullshit pedagogy. Hear ye…” He paused as if holding back a desire to hit something. “Who the hell wrote this crap? Welcome to the Omegrion Chamber. Here we gather, one rep from each branch of the two patrias. We come in peace”-he paused to snort derisively-“to make peace. I’m your mediator, Savitar, and if you don’t know that by now, you need to be hit in the head with a jackhammer and replaced because you’re too stupid to represent your patria. But in case you’re dense and forgot, I am the summation of all that was and what will one day be again. I make order from chaos and chaos from order, which is how I got drafted into this shit. Now let’s get on with this before I start splitting your hairs.”

His gaze went straight to Maman. “Nicolette, there have been a number of complaints against Sanctuary lately.”

Aimee’s panic swelled.

Maman, on the other hand, kept her composure. “Complaints? From whom?”

Savitar leaned to the side as he narrowed his gaze on her. “A group of jackals who say you not only refused to help them apprehend a wanted criminal but that you also gave him their location and set him loose on them.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but Savitar held his hand up to silence her. “A pack of wolves has said that when one of your Sanctuary staff attacked them unprovoked in an alley outside of Sanctuary, you not only condoned his actions, but refused to hand him over. Likewise, you knowingly allowed Wren to be falsely accused and pursued by this council. And that you personally attacked a tiger in your own home. There have been others who say that you pick and choose who you help and when, rather than welcome everyone in as you’ve sworn to. What have you to say?”

Maman didn’t blink or flinch. “They’re lies.”

Vane stood up. “I back Nicolette with all good confidence.”

Savitar’s attention swung to him like a potent laser. “Boy, I haven’t even started with you yet. Right now your word doesn’t mean much.”

Aimee cast a scared look at Dev.

He took her hand and held it while he motioned for her to remain silent.

Savitar pinned Nicolette with a harsh stare. “Did you or did you not have your son warn Constantine that a group of jackals were after him?”

“They attacked my daughter in my own club. They threatened her life.”

Aimee looked at the blank seat that was Constantine’s. What had happened to him? Why wasn’t he here to back Maman?

Savitar gave her no quarter on the issue. “You should have told me, Nicolette. Unleashing their enemy on them is against the neutral code and you know that. And you still haven’t answered my question. Did you tell him?”

“Yes. I, not my children, informed Constantine that they were after him.”

She felt Dev’s hand tighten on hers at the lie. Dev had been the one who told Constantine. Maman was protecting him while offering herself up on the chopping block.

“And when Eli Blakemore and his pack told you, in sworn testimony, that his son and friends were attacked outside your club, did you fail to hand over the attackers?”

Aimee stepped forward.

“Don’t!” Dev snapped in her head. “Savitar will kill you.”

“This is wrong!”

“Aimee, don’t embarrass Maman. You know better.”

She did, but it was hard to stand here and listen to her mother being attacked over things that were exaggerated.

Maman lifted her chin with the dignity of a queen. “I don’t trust his pack or the lies they tell.”

“Did you fail to hand over their attackers?”

Because of her… Unshed tears choked her as she realized how much trouble she’d gotten her mother into. No wonder Maman was so harsh at times. While Aimee had known Savitar was unfeeling, seeing this…

What had she done? She’d endangered her mother while saving her friend.

And Maman was taking all of the blame on herself to protect them.

“Oui, I did in fact.”

Savitar shook his head. “And when we stood here and issued a warrant for Wren, did you not lie to the members of this council?”

“No, I spoke what I believed to be the truth.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolument. Yes.”

Savitar let out a tired sigh while he thoughtfully stroked his chin. “Lo… of all the members of this council, you knew better. What were you thinking?”

“What I was thinking was that Constantine, as a Regis of this council, should be warned. His pursuers came in and held a knife to the throat of my only daughter and they attacked my sons. Had I not cared about our license, I would have destroyed them on the spot. Instead, I thought it only fair that I warn Constantine that these people”-she spat the word-“would not honor the laws of sanctuary and for him to not bother seeking one.”

Savitar sat forward. “Limani means sanctuary. Telling a marked enemy where to find those out to kill him isn’t the code. What about the other accusation?”

“Blakemore is a pig. His son attacked Wren in the back alley and we captured him there, again after he attacked my daughter who was trying to help Wren.”