Page 42 of Fighting the Lies

Nuka pulled her back up to standing by the hair.

“Now will you marry me and quit this little game?”

“Yes.” Defeat started to shut her body down. She would exist from this point in a shadow. She was vaguely aware of Nuka calling the guests back into the wedding. He had straightened her dress out and pulled her hair back into position. The tears in the corners of her eyes didn’t fall. They couldn’t, not when she was little more than the shell of a person. The ceremony continued around her. She nodded when required and spoke when prompted. The words meant nothing to her. The words ‘man and….’ flooded into the part of her consciousness that was left, but the sentence was never finished.

Chaos broke out all around her. Silhouettes of people fighting. The sound of Ethern calling out ‘Stop’ permeated her brain and with a rush of air she came back to the here and now. He was here. She sensed it. Scott. He had come for her.

“Scott.” She called out in desperation, the echoing plea vibrating off the high vaulted ceiling.

Nuka pulled her close to him, his hand tight around her throat. “Do you mind we’ve just been married?”

“Hey babe, Nuka has seen our favourite film as well.” Scott was there in front of her sporting a cheeky grin. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the reference to the line from hers and Scott’s favourite film. “I wonder if he remembers what happens to the bad guy in the end.” His face turned to thunder. Scott’s hands turned to claws.

“Stop the fighting.” Ethern interrupted again.

“I want them all arrested.” Nuka spat out. “They’re trespassing.”

“They came with me.” The multi-shifter Council member held his hand up and suspended all the sparring pack members in mid-air. Katia was mid punch on Nuka’s delta, Jackson. The black panther’s features were contorted in shock at the svelte tigress being about to best him. Brayden and Selene were tag teaming another couple, and they also looked to have the advantage. Kas, as always, stood back at the door. He was the tactical master. He didn’t enter the affray until the time was right, and it would inflict the most damage. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. “Bring in the jury and judge.”

“What is going on?” Ciaran stepped forward and entered Ethern’s personal space.

“New evidence has come to light surrounding the murder of Emma’s father.”

“What new evidence?” Her brother, who had been cowering in the corner when the fighting started, emerged to stamp his foot like a petulant child at the interruption.

“New evidence. Mr Kas Lincoln will present it, when the jury and judges are settled.” Emma observed the hesitant parties file into the room. The chairs had been knocked over in the tussle, and when Ethern removed the suspension, the Glacial Blood pack helped right them for the judges and jury to sit on. Nuka’s pack surrounded their alpha in a protective cocoon. She was still held by the polar bear, but Scott was directly in front of them. He would not let her out of his sight for even an instant. When one of Nuka’s pack tried to stand in front of her, the glare from her lover, which reminded everyone there that he, Scott, was a Moroccan King and all that entailed, had the wolf move sharpish with his tail between his legs.

“I don’t see why we are being brought here.” The judge flustered when Ethern came to his side. “I have already passed judgement. That was commuted and a different sentence imposed.

“This new evidence is likely to clear Miss Bryant of all wrong doing.” Ethern explained. “This marriage that she is currently being forced into is not one that she chooses. She was given to her brother’s pack as her punishment. If the evidence clears her, she will be free to choose her own path and marriage. She will not be prescribed to do as her brother requires.

“Should we not have a re-trial and return Miss Bryant to prison?” The judge enquired. The response was an air filled with growls from both Nuka and Scott.

“I believe that we are able to save time and money for the Council by carrying out the trial here. I’m sure nobody could have any objections.” Ethern’s gaze was solely on Nuka when he spoke.

“Very well. I just want to make sure I’m home soon. You pulled me away from dinner with my wife. She’d caught a massive hog today.” The judge rubbed his rotund tummy.

“My apologies, your honour.” Ethern turned to Kas. “Mr Lincoln, the floor is all yours.”

“Thank you.” Kas stepped forward with a confident swagger. Nuka rumbled a warning low in his throat. Where she was still pressed hard up against him, she felt it cascade through her body. “The evidence on which Miss Bryant was convicted is the sword and the resulting fingerprints on it.” Kas motioned towards Jessica who carried a large case. She opened it and revealed the sword. The fingerprints were still on it; Emma could see them glowing eerily fluorescent blue. “What if I were to present evidence of a genetic anomaly that Miss Bryant has which results in her having the same fingerprints as another human being.”

“That is not possible.” The judge slammed his fist down on the table.

“Your honour, many people would say that we are not possible. Humans who shift into a variety of animals. Some of our type would even say that a shifter who can change into more than one animal is not possible, but we have two in the room. As if on cue, Ethern and Selene, in tandem, changed from a snow leopard, to wolf, to lion, to polar bear and finally to a bird. They were proving Kas’ point. A few members of the jury, who had obviously never seen a multi-shifter, gasped and covered their mouths in shock.

“Oh please.” Nuka grumbled.

“You’re just jealous that you can only be a pathetic little bear, and the little is not referring to your height.” She retorted, Nuka strengthened the grip around Emma’s neck. She coughed, and Scott stepped forward. She pushed into his head and told him she was fine. He retreated back to his observation vantage part and continued to listen to Kas.

“Miss Bryant has the same fingerprints as her mother. Therefore, it is conceivable that Mrs Isabella Bryant could have murdered the victim.”

“Is that your argument to try and clear my bitch of a sister.” Phillip stood up to Kas. The height different was over a foot, and her portly brother looked stupid next to the towering figure of her Alpha. “My mother died the day I was born. She couldn’t have possibly killed my father.”

“I have to agree with Mr Bryant.” The judge spoke up. “It is not possible for dead people to murder someone. Mrs Bryant’s death is documentation in the archives were signed off by her husband himself. He would know if the woman had died. This is a waste of our time. Miss Bryant is guilty.” The judge picked his gavel up and went to hammer it onto the chair next to him to end the case for a second time. She held her breath, but with a subtle flick of his hand, Ethern knocked the gavel away.

“I do believe that Mr Lincoln has not finished yet.”

“I haven’t. Thank you, Mr Lennox.”

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