Page 98 of Savage Union

“Bailiff,” he said, not taking his eyes off the big Galafruxian. “I believe we have a new criminal who needs to be apprehended and tried.”

“Guards!” the bailiff called and nodded at Gurflug. “Take him into custody.”

“Very good. We’ll have his trial next, since all his shipmates are here to testify already,” the judge decided.

“But…but I am innocent!” Gurflug burbled as the guards led him away. “I was only getting my revenge! It’s my right! You don’t know how badly I was treated! They wouldn’t even make slime soup for me!They made me take a shower!”

They dragged him away, still howling and complaining, and then the judge looked back at me.

“Very well—that was an interesting interlude, to say the least. But it’s time we got back to the case at hand. Captain Turk, I have heard testimony both in your favor and against you and I find it hard to decide which is the truth. Do you have any other witnesses to call?”

“Yes, he does!” Slade stood up before I could answer. He shot me an angry glare and then looked back at the judge. “Your Honorableness, may I testify?”

“Of course.” The judge nodded at the bailiff who escorted Snuffy away from the witness stand and then beckoned Slade forward.

My mouth went dry as I watched my best friend of many years take the stand. What was Slade going to say about me? It was clear he was still angry—not that I blamed him. Was he going to bury me?

I just didn’t know.

59

TURK

“All right, Grr….?” The judge looked at Slade with raised eyebrows.

“Grr. Slade of Clan Cruel, Your Honorableness,” Slade supplied.

“Very good, and can you tell us your relationship with the defendant?” the judge asked.

“I can. I met Turk at a Clan gathering back when we were just boys,” Slade said. “He has been one of my best friends ever since. I guess I’ve known him almost twenty years now.”

“I see—that’s a very long connection.” The judge nodded thoughtfully. “And what have you come here to say today?”

“First, I want to make it clear that I’m not speaking for myself—I’m speaking for my little sister,” Slade said. “Jessina—the one who everyone thinks was kidnapped.”

Everyone in the room drew in a breath and I felt my heart thudding against my ribcage. What the fuck was he going to say?

“I see. Well, I will allow it since you are related so closely to the victim,” the judge said nodding. “Please tell us what she said.”

“First of all, she wanted to be very clear that no one kidnapped her,” Slade told him. “She disguised herself as aboy because she didn’t want to marry the male our Sire had chosen for her. Also, she wanted the Court to know that she is an excellent Cross-Dimensional Navigator, which is how she convinced Turk to hire her.”

“All right, so far that seems to corroborate the testimony of Grr. Yorrin.” The judge nodded. “Did she say anything further?”

“Yes.” Slade’s jaw clenched and he gave me another glare that made my stomach fist. “She wanted this Court to know that whatever she and Turk got up to was fully consensual. She claims that they are Fated Mates and her body…” He had to stop for a minute, his jaw clenching. “That her body ‘craved’ his and he only helped her because she showed symptoms of The Needing.”

Everyone in the court started murmuring and I saw a lot of people looking at me. Not everyone outside of the Brutal Clans believed in the idea of Fated Mates. It was kind of an old-fashioned concept—one that was slowly falling out of favor, though it had been very popular at one time. I held my breath, waiting to see if the judge believed it or not.

He seemed to ponder a long time, his head bent to look down at the floor as he considered. At last he raised his head and looked at Slade.

“Very well, Grr. Slade. And is that all you have to say?”

“That’s all, Your Honorableness,” Slade said shortly.

“Very well, then you may go. And I am ready to render my verdict.” The judge looked at me. “Will the defendant please rise?”

I rose unsteadily, still unsure of what might happen. Would he sentence me to prison for life? Order me never to see Jessina again? Or even order my execution?

I had no idea.

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