"Bring her here," Tamer said.
"No."
"Then I'm not going to believe a damned thing you're saying."
"And I won't share how to counter her mutation so you don't end up at Sasha's feet."
"Fuck you, Kris!"
"Enough," Andre said with a sharp look at both of them. "Kris, the Council will need some sort of proof that this isn't another ploy by one of you to wipe out the others. It's been calm for the past few hundred years, but I don't think any of us have forgotten that five hundred year period where we were at each other's throats."
And they'd lost two of their brothers to the war. Andre himself had ordered their exiles when it was revealed they were Sasha's spies. He didn't say this, but Kris knew it was on everyone's mind.
"Would you object to my visiting her?" Andre finished.
"Nope."
"Good enough, Tamer?"
"For now," Tamer allowed. "No compartmentalizing this info, Andre. It's a common threat to all of us. According to the rules, we get to know everything."
"Everything," Kiki emphasized.
"You are entitled to know of anything that threatens you," Andre clarified. "As you know, I'm the only one here who actually adheres to our rules."
The others smiled. There was one rule they all knew better than to break, or Andre would order them killed. So long as they didn't put out a hit on one another, they could decimate each other at their own battles, lie, cheat, spy, steal, anything and everything.
"Other news," Andre said. "Kiki."
"Everything's fine."
"Kris?"
"Ditto."
"Tamer?"
"Same."
"Erik?"
"Nope."
Andre pursed his lips again. Kris sat back, satisfied. He'd done as required and alerted them about a potential threat. As far as he was concerned, he'd do nothing else, even if he learned how to counter it.
"Same time and place next month," Andre said, standing. "These meetings need to improve, brothers. We are not one another's enemies, and we'll never defeat our common enemy so long as we're squabbling."
No one spoke. Kris remained where he was, aware they'd destroy each other if allowed. Their turf wars and battle against the Dark One --and now Sasha --had stirred up some of the bloodiest wars in mankind's history.
One by one, the others left, until he was alone with Andre.