153
Another week passed by and Link had bought out my personal shares in the lair businesses. He still wasn’t happy with my decision but he understood it better now. I had handed over everything to him and now this really was his lair and territory.
I was standing outside the meeting hall where the High Council was currently questioning Anthony. I’d be called in soon enough but I wasn’t particularly worried. The Council always conducted their hearings behind closed doors, meaning that it wasn’t open to the public. The Council members, the Elders of the region and the affected parties were allowed inside.
Lucas was standing next to Megan even though I’d told him not to come. When I told him that I’d given the lair to Link I was stunned into silence when he didn’t yell at me but actually agreed that it was the best thing I could’ve done.
“It’ll be fine,” Lucas said.
“I know, Dad,” I said.
“If things turn south we can always just kill everybody,” Felix said.
“That’ll definitely score you some points with Ava,” Lucas said.
“I didn’t say it was a good idea,” Felix said as I laughed.
The doors of the meeting hall opened and I saw Elder Michael as he searched for me. He nodded once he saw me and I took a deep breath. Lucas slapped me on the back as I walked toward him. His face revealed nothing and the doors closed behind me.
“Sire Ryder, you may approach the Council members and be sworn in,” a man said.
“I vow on the life giving breath of Typhon that my testimony will be true in its entirety,” I said.
“You may be seated,” the same man said again.
“The Council members are from left to right, Sire Edward McNeil, Sire Malcolm Finch and Sire George Murphy,” Elder Michael said and sat down.
“Please indicate if any of the facts mentioned are not true,” Sire Edward McNeil said and I nodded my head.
“You and Ava Jacobs Grey met in Bermuda where she became pregnant. You were informed about this and then confirmed both pregnancy and paternity, which indicated that you were the father. You then proceeded to marry her since a bonding ceremony would have most likely killed her and the child. After said legal wedding you informed your Elders that you wouldn’t be claiming this child as your heir. You then proceeded to cheat on your wife during a trip to Chicago with your friend who you claim is Ava’s bonded half. You abandoned Ava to go to Montana where you found your previous girlfriend and then proceeded to mark her without ceremony and without permission,” Sire Edward said.
“That is mostly true,” I said.
“Which part isn’t?” Sire George asked me.
“Megan is my true bonded half, circumstances were created where she was thought to be dead. She disappeared on the day of our bonding ceremony and I didn’t just mark her. We were both in the presence of Typhon in the dragon realm where he joined us together,” I said.
“So you say,” Sire Malcolm said.
“After returning from Montana with said bonded half, Ava went into early labour and gave birth to a stillborn daughter. You waited exactly four hours before telling Ava that she had been moved out of your life and told about divorce proceedings,” Sire George said.
“Yes,” I said.
“Has Ava in any way or form been a bad wife, partner and part Drakaina to you or this lair?” Sire George asked.
“No,” I answered.
“Yet you treated her as such,” Sire Malcolm said.
“When we met in Bermuda we both agreed that we were only having fun, passing the time. I didn’t plan on ever seeing her again. I agreed to those terms because she wasn’t dragonkin. This was exactly what I didn’t want,” I said.
“Yes Sire but …”
“I wasn’t finished. I did the right thing, I brought her back to Princeton, cared for her and gave her whatever she asked for, there is no heir now and I will not have my bond with Megan broken to be bonded to Ava,” I said.
“You made a commitment to Sire Anthony that his daughter would be bonded to a Sire, since you took her innocence and impregnated her. What would her bonded half have to say should he come to know that his future wife has already lain with another man?” Sire Edward asked.
“You make it sound like we all marry virgins. Would Sire Anthony still feel the same way should he know that I have already relinquished my lair to my second in command, Sire Lincoln, who by the way is already bonded. Sire Lincoln has already bonded with the lair, been accepted and taken over all the responsibilities. I am still a Sire yes, but I have no lair,” I said.
“What!” Sire Anthony yelled out in anger.
“As for Ava’s bonded half, he knows exactly who she has lain with and he doesn’t care. He still wants to claim her but she is the one denying the bond,” I said.
“Sire Anthony has in fact asked for your bond to be severed in order for his daughter to retain the future Drakaina title,” Sire George said.
“I have no lair, no title, I remain a Sire because of my bloodline, there is nothing I have that Sire Anthony could possibly want,” I said.
“You remain firm in your decision?” Sire Malcolm asked.
“I’m not sorry that I marked Megan, I’ll never be sorry about that, I’m not sorry I gave up my lair and I’ll never apologize for either,” I said.
“We will reconvene in an hour to give you our decision,” Elder George said.
“I would just like to add that as of yesterday Ava and I are no longer legally married,” I said and stood up from my seat.
“Noted Sire Ryder,” Elder Malcolm said.
I left the meeting hall and everybody looked expectantly at me. “We’ll know in an hour,” I said.
Ava had left the meeting hall shortly after I did and she stood to one side with her brother, Andy. Anthony emerged forty minutes later and kept glaring at me. I turned my back on him and smiled as Megan took my hand.
“What do you think will happen?” she asked me.
“I’m not sure anymore. Felix was right about her father, he wanted the bond with Ava and he was furious when he found out that I didn't have a lair anymore,” I said.
“I think Ava’s going to reject me after the hearing and go back to Los Angeles with her father,” Felix said.
“Felix … I’m sorry …”
“It’s nobody’s fault, brother,” he said.
“Have you both lost your balls somewhere?” Lucas asked.
“I don’t know about Felix, but Ryder’s are intact, I checked this morning,” Megan said as Lucas started laughing.
“Bloody hell Megan and here I thought you’d at least vouch for me,” Felix said.
“Have you thought about where you’re going to settle down? I’ve got a list of a few lairs with questionable Sires,” Lucas said.
“I don’t know, Dad, I’ll decide what to do after the outcome here, we might stay as Link’s guests for a while,” I said.
“We’ve already discussed leaving, Link needs to fully take over here without your interference,” Megan said.
“You could always come home for a while,” Lucas said.
“Yeah maybe,” I said as the doors of the meeting hall opened once again and the Elders walked out followed by the three Council members.
“Thank you for your patience,” Elder Malcolm said.
“We have taken all statements into consideration and we have made our final decision. This decision cannot be appealed and it will be final,” Elder Edward said.
“Sire Ryder Grey, you have admitted your guilt in unlawfully marking Megan Greer while legally married to Ava Jacobs Grey. Your intent at the time of marriage was to fully bond with Ava. You have also dissolved the legal marriage after the death of your first born child and legal heir. Since then you have also transferred your lair and all that it entails to Sire Lincoln Houseman who is now the true Sire of Princeton. You have shown no remorse for your actions and have made it clear that you firmly believe that you have committed no crime here. Do you still stand by that decision?”
“Yes Elder,” I said.
“Sire Ryder Grey, henceforth you will live out the remainder of your days in exile. Any Sire that does business with you or harbors you in their territory unlawfully will also be exiled. You will have no rights in the dragonkin community and no protection from any regions Elders. Your bloodline makes you a Sire but after today you will not be recognized as such. You are now fair game to any lair out there but will still be held accountable for any crimes against dragonkin. Furthermore you cannot claim any lair in the future as a Sire,” Elder George said.
“Exile? Exile! Are you fucking insane?” Lucas yelled.
“Dad …”
“This is bullshit!” Lucas yelled again.
“You will have twelve hours to leave this territory. You may settle down wherever you wish although permission has to be granted to you from the reigning Sire, though I doubt any of them would grant an exiled dragon permission to settle,” Elder Edward said.
“I accept exile Elders but be warned that since I am no longer recognized as dragonkin in your community I no longer have to adhere to your laws pertaining to business and war,” I said.
“Is that a threat Mr Grey?” Elder Malcolm asked me.
“On the contrary, I don’t threaten but I do keep my promises,” I said.
“Does your bonded half now regret being marked by you?” Elder Edward asked.
Megan turned to look at the three Elders from the High Council and her eyes flashed yellow for a few seconds before Kaida separated from her. “With all due respect Elders, fuck you.”
“What she said,” I said as Kaida roared at them and merged with Megan once again.
She took my hand and we walked back to the house. I could sense Kaida’s power and the effect it had on the Elders. They were all silent and for a moment it was quiet as we rounded the corner and then Felix were right beside us.
“Now that was a good show,” Felix said.
“Exile,” I said and raked my hand through my hair.
“We’ll be fine,” Megan said.
“Yes we will,” Felix said.
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