Page 130 of Her Rabid Beasts

Disappointed.

Scythe is disappointed in me. I shake my head back because he doesn’t understand. That makes those eyes go colder, sharper. They seem to cut at my own the longer I stare at him, so I look away.

“Titus Clawson,” Xander snarls. “Why have you called this trial without giving due formal notice?”

Oh, so this wasn’t supposed to come about like this?

“There has been a great transgression,” a tiger standing next to Titus calls. “Valuable property has been stolen.”

“Can he speak for himself or is he too stupid? Or Rabid? Which is it?” Xander asks loudly.

There’s a hiss from the felines, but Titus steps forward and levels Xander a glare like he’s not scared of him. Like he’s trying to send a message. It’s dominant and I’m surprised at his confidence when speaking to a dragon. He speaks slowly but in an equally confident cadence. “My laptop was stolen. I have a witness.”

The serpents shuffle around and Thomas Krait is gently pushed forward.

“Tell them,” Titus says, gesturing towards Xander.

Thomas’ tongue flicks out once. “I sssaw them leaving the dorm. Followed their heat. Sssawthem…” He looks at me and I know he’s trying to tell them about my invisibility, but doesn’t have the words. “I sssaw them with the laptop. Thieving it and taking it to the anima dorm.”

Everyone looks at the dragon truth-teller with bated breath.

“Truth,” Xander declares in a deadpan. “Whodid you see exactly? Point to them.”

Thomas steps forward and points to me. “Aurelia Aquinas”—then he shifts his index finger to Sabrina—“and that one.”

“My name isSabrina,” my leopard anima retorts, crossing her arms and glaring at Thomas.

“Speak only when spoken to,” Xander snaps at her. Sabrina takes a step closer to me. But then Thomas moves his finger to Raquel. “Then that wolf hit me.”

Savage’s head snaps to stare at Raquel and my wolf anim seems to shrink back a little under that violent, withering gaze.

“Truth,” Xander declares.

“May the three accused step forward,” Xander calls, beckoning to us like we’re children. We do, the three of us standing in a line. I’m happy that Stacey gets saved from this.

“Sabrina Panthara,” Xander says. “You first. Tell the court what you were doing with Titus Clawson’s laptop.”

Sabrina opens her mouth.

“Don’t lie,”Raquel warns to our minds.“You’ll be punished for it.”

“Nothing,” Sabrina says snidely. “I didn’t actuallydoanything with it. I just took it.”

“Truth,” Xander says slowly. “From where did you take it?”

“From Titus’ room.”

“How did you get in?”

“I picked the lock.”

“Truth,” Xander declares. “Raquel Loba, did you strike this here, Thomas Krait?”

“No,” Raquel answers evenly. I try not to glance at them but they continue, enunciating carefully. “I just sh-shoved him. He fell over and g-gotscared. Shifted and s-slithered away.”

A couple of wolves laugh behind us. Not at Raquel’s stutter but at the vision of what happened. I’m so proud of my wolf anim.

“Truth,” Xander says, and I can tell he’s trying not to smile. “Why did you do it?”

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