Tiberius' POV

I was twenty damn minutes late.

As soon as I pushed open the double doors of the council chamber, a familiar voice rang out across the stone-floored room.

"No rush, Tiberius," Victor drawled from his usual seat. "We’ve only been waiting for twenty minutes. Our time’s clearly not as precious as yours."

A few chuckles rippled through the group.

I smirked and made my way to my chair. "Tell me, Victor," I replied smoothly, "whose ass were you ...