Page 43 of Fighting the Lies

“Whatever.” The judge folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “Make yourselves look stupid.”

“As Mr Bryant so rightly pointed out, Mrs Isabella Bryant died the night of his birth. It was certified by her husband and thus to all intents and purposes she’s dead. However, something else happened that night. Mrs Isabella Bryant was also reborn.”

“What?” Emma spoke out this time. Her mother was reborn. She was thoroughly confused.

“My apologies, Emma, this must be stressful for you. I will get to my point.” Kas smiled at her, and she nodded back.

“Emma’s father, Isabella’s husband, had found out something about his wife. He found out that nine months previously she had taken their daughter and given her to my pack. There was nothing that Mr Bryant could do to get his daughter back as she refused to leave. Therefore, she was under my protection as that is the governing rule of my pack. He could not take her without starting a war. That was not something he was equipped to win at the time. Instead, he took his anger out on Mrs Bryant. He raped her and she conceived a child, Nicholas. Mr Bryant had planned to kill his wife to make an example of her, but when he discovered she was carrying a child, and a male at that, he allowed her to live. He started rumours of her ill health during the pregnancy, so that when he came to kill her after the boy was born, nobody would be the wiser. There was a problem with this. When he came to kill his wife, she’d already disappeared. He had her declared dead, after a lengthy search. It had been surmised that she had indeed died during the escape as it was so soon after the birth. Mrs Bryant didn’t die, though, and is happily living her life.” Kas sat down happy at the argument he presented.

“A fantastic tale brother.” Nuka dragged her forward to the centre of the room. Scott prowled along behind them. “It doesn’t really work, though, unless you can actually present the woman.”

“Damn it. I knew there was something I forgot to do.” He winked over at the side of the room where what looked like a woman sat next to Jessica with a hood pulled over her face. Her aged hands reached up and pulled the hood down to reveal the bright eyes of the woman who had given birth to her. Emma’s heart flew. Her mother was alive and in the same room as them. She wanted to go to her and embrace her, but Nuka still held her tightly. Phillip let out a cry of anguish and fell to the floor. He didn’t remember his mother at all. She’d left him. Her mother got to her feet as a collective hush washed over the rest of the room. She came to her son and knelt beside him.

“I’m sorry. I chose my life over yours. I tried to rescue you so many times over the years, but your father had you so heavily guarded. The last time I tried I realised that it was too late. You’d become the excuse for a man your father wanted you to be.” She wiped a tear away from her eye. “My leaving made you a monster. I will never forgive myself.”

Next, her mother turned her attention to Emma.

“My daughter did not kill her father. I snuck into his room that night and removed his head. I’d been waiting for revenge for many years, and the opportunity presented itself.” Jessica, who’d been sitting with her, stood and presented her with the sword. Her mother took the weapon and wrapped her fingers around it in exactly the same position as the blue fingerprints. The entire room gasped when they noticed that her little finger was missing. There has never been a finger print for that position. That was why. “As you can see, it was me.”

Nuka, who had still been holding Emma, let go. She rubbed at her neck. Scott was there in an instant and had her wrapped in his arms.

“I want her arrested.” Phillip called out while her mother placed the sword down on the table beside her. “If Emma didn’t kill her then I want my mother arrested for the murder.”

“No.” Emma pushed away from Scott and to her mother’s side. “He was going to kill her. She was abused by him. It was self defence.”

“Defence so many years after the event doesn’t count.” Phillip was motioning for the guards who’d accompanied the jury to arrest his mother.

“That may not count, but given your mother has no legal entity, as technically she’s dead, we can’t arrest her.” The judge bent over to pick up his gavel and banged it on the table. “Case dismissed. Miss Bryant, Mrs Bryant, you are both free to leave. Emma looked to Kas who sat back on his chair with a smug expression on his face. Nuka paled and was already half way to vacating the room. Another one of his plans had failed. She couldn’t help but feel relieved.

“This isn’t over.” Phillip grabbed the sword and swung for their mother. Emma was on him in a flash. Her body might be weak from the abuse it had suffered, but she wasn’t going to let something like that stop her from protecting her mother. Phillip swung again, this time at her. She bent back and the sword missed her by inches. She kicked out with her foot and struck at Phillip’s leg. He yowled in pain but did not drop the sword. He made for another attempt to cut her down, but she was quicker and brought her hand down on his sword arm, cracking the bones in a loud noise which vibrated around the room. Phillip dropped the sword, his broken arm no longer able to support its weight. He slumped down onto his knees. Emma picked it up and readied herself for a death blow. She swung but stopped. This wasn’t her. This was the woman who was allowing herself to be consumed by the lies that surrounded her. She was better than that. She had fought the lies and won.

Scott took the sword from her.

“Shall we go home?” He asked.

“Yes.” She stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Just like Robin Hood, I got my Maid Marian.” She laughed, a genuine, full of relief laugh. It was then that she noticed Kas and Nuka by the door. She pushed past Scott eager to hear what was being said.

“I warned you what would happen if you messed with my pack again.” Kas was angry. He was at his full opposing height, and even though they were identical twins in every way, the elder looked taller and stronger. “You have twenty-four hours to leave this land. This is part of our family heritage, and thus is mine. If you don’t leave, I’ll burn this house to the ground with everyone in it.”

Scott grabbed her by the wrist and spun her back round to face him so she didn’t hear Nuka’s reply. Instead, she melted into her lover’s mahogany eyes, the events of the last few minutes leaving her body exhausted but happy.

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