Page 130 of Dark Shadow of Guilt

“I do. I was promising that the testimony to this point would help my next argument.”

He called Alarik back to finish his statements. Michael asked, “As a healer, you examined the defendants?” He spun toward the OC. “With their permission, of course.”

“Yes,” said the Aeternal from Scath.

“What did you find?”

“Their hearts are linked by a thread that binds them together, similar to our mated Aeternals.”

The OC rubbed his jaw. “Similar but not the same.”

“True, though...”

With a wave of his hand, the OC silenced Alarik.

Michael continued to plug away at the mate defense. “And Ohngel and Indigo?”

“The same. I saw the thread, the mating bond.” The Aeternal mage flicked his gaze to the throne, probably expecting to be stifled again.

Michael surrendered his witness to the prosecution.

Tetrys rose. The male was pompous but loyal. And boring. He gripped the lapels of his somber robe. No color for him. “How can you be sure the thread you see is a mating bond?”

Alarik shifted from foot to foot. “I cannot be one hundred percent positive, but both couples have similar connecting threads—heart to heart.”

“But you are not one hundred percent certain?” Tetrys faced the crowd, performing for them.

“No. But...”

“Thank you. You are excused.” With a flourish of his robe’s hem, Tetrys sat.

Michael called Freki to the stand, an irritating creature who was never at a loss for words. “Why the fuck are you calling my wolver to testify? My first. One of my flawed creatures.” He muttered so low, most could not hear, “I did better with Unicorns.”

“I heard that,” said Freki. “A bunch of sissies. Too busy primping their manes.”

Michael glared at the witness until he stopped talking. “I called Freki to testify because wolvers are well acquainted with mating bonds.”

“We are,” said the wolver, plopping onto his haunches. He growled at the OneCreator. “And I am not flawed. You just don’t like lip. Even when it’s the truth.”

Michael began quickly as if fearing the response. Or a lightning strike. “How does mating work?”

“Can’t tell you how. Only that it does. A male wolver can be going along minding his own biz.Pow! A female struts by wagging her tail, and the bond snaps into place. When it does, neither can fight the attraction. They mate for life.”

“Has it happened to you?” asked Michael.

Freki’s snout dipped toward the floor. “Yes,” he rasped, his voice halting.

“Where is your mate now?”

Freki cleared his throat. “She was killed, shredded by a Flesh Eater a century ago.”

Madeline gasped and slapped a hand over her heart, a sympathetic tear streaking down her cheek.

“What would you have done to save her?” asked Michael.

“I would have offered myself to the Scourge. I would have done anything necessary.”

“What if there was a law forbidding it?” asked the Bearer of Death.

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