56. Kian

56

KIAN

A s Kian surveyed the familiar faces of his council members seated around the conference table, he once again debated the wisdom of his decision to add new ones. Perhaps it would have been wiser to keep the original group, which included a core of experts in different fields for most decisions, with the addition of the Head Guardians when the voting regarded issues involving clan security.

It had been an advisory council rather than a political one, and it had functioned perfectly. Now, with the addition of Kalugal, Jade, and Toven, it had turned more political, something he should have considered before inviting them to join.

Kian trusted all three and liked them as people, but he was uneasy about their vote potentially swaying decisions regarding the clan based on political agendas rather than the good of the community.

Politics was the bane of democratic societies and would eventually lead to their downfall. Their leaders were no longer public servants elected by the people for the people. They were turning more and more into tyrants, controlling the populace with fear and propaganda and silencing opposing voices so they could perpetuate their power and money grab.

The more things changed, the more they remained the same.

He should have separated the functions, included the newcomers only in informative meetings, and excluded them from decision-making. Thankfully, the clan representatives still outnumbered the others, but things might change soon enough. The Kra-ell birth rate was much higher than that of immortals, and in a century or two, they would outnumber the immortals in the village.

How long would he be able to maintain a majority of immortals in the council?

Even under the best of circumstances and the best intentions of each faction, the Kra-ell were very different people than the immortals and the gods. Other than mutual security concerns, their interests did not align with the clan's, and they might take his people for a ride none of them wanted to join.

He would have to come up with a solution for separating the two groups while still maintaining control over the Kra-ell, at least until he was sure that they wouldn't go back to their old ways of enslaving humans for free labor and breeding.

"Are we ready to start?" Shai asked.

Kian nodded, signaling to his assistant to begin the recording. "Would you like to start us off with your report about the bulletin board?"

Shai stood up. "As requested, we posted a bulletin asking for the perpetrator of the recent thefts and sabotages to come forward with a promise of leniency. Unfortunately, no one has confessed. However, the post has generated quite a colorful array of responses from the community." He paused, a hint of a smile lifting his lips. "Should I recite a few for the council's amusement?"

"Are any of them malicious?" Kian asked.

Shai shrugged. "Not explicitly, but discontent was implied. Someone suggested jokingly that the Kra-ell must have invisibility powers we don't know about and are doing those things to us out of spite. Another mentioned mischievous spirits and gremlins who love to cause trouble, which, in my opinion, is another thinly veiled reference to the Kra-ell."

As everyone cast glances at Jade, she shrugged. "People like to talk and complain. I wouldn't take it too seriously."

Nodding, Shai continued, "My personal favorite was: 'Wake up, sheeple! It's obviously a conspiracy to keep us distracted from the real issues, like the fact that the café ran out of pistachio ice cream and hasn't replenished it since last Tuesday.'"

Kian found the comment amusing despite the possible note of truth in it. He had considered that the small thefts and sabotages were meant as a distraction from a bigger plot.

Amanda chuckled. "Maybe it's a poltergeist. You know, one of those noisy, troublemaking ghosts from folklore. They're said to move objects around and cause general chaos to get people in trouble."

Kian shot his sister a mock stern look. "I think we'll stick to investigating the living for now, but thank you for the creative suggestion."

She dipped her head. "You are welcome."

Kian turned to Jade. "I'm sorry that so many are quick to blame the Kra-ell."

Jade shrugged again, her face a mask of indifference. "I share their opinion, so I can't be angry at them for thinking that. The problem is that I can't find the culprit despite my efforts, and that is after employing my most intimidating methods save for resorting to torture."

Kian winced. The Kra-ell were, in many ways, savages who appreciated strength above all else, and to hold their respect, Jade needed to be brutal, but he didn't want to know what her methods were. As the leader of the combined community, he should know that, but since he was contemplating separating their people at some point, in the interim he could let Jade govern them as she pleased.