Page 12 of Black Hand
“Get out of my way.” I glared, tensing up to fight my way out.
“Your presence is needed. The Council wants to see you.” Stepping to the side, he kept the stupid look of victory I never wanted to see on his face.
“Good, ‘cause I want to see them, too.” Walking by him without punching him was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but somehow I managed.
What I didn’t manage was hiding my reaction to what met me when I walked out of the room. The walls were lined with bare-chested fighters, daggers and swords strapped to their bodies glinting in the lighting. Stern faces carved out of granite stared straight ahead, and not one of them blinked when I passed between them. Johnathan’s presence at my back was an added bonus for my anxiety to hit new highs.
“They should’ve done this the moment I walked out of the cages,” I said, and I wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular. I was only trying to hide the fear choking me.
“What do you mean?” It took him a long time to speak. I supposed hearing me speak of the cages had caught him off guard.
“Have all the guards line my path wherever I go like the royalty I am.” Glancing over my shoulder, I was confused by the widening of his eyes, but he recovered too fast for me to decipher the look. “It should be like this all the time. And you should bow when you address me, too.”
“Keep talking shit like that and you won’t last long enough to enjoy the guards.” The kiss ass even went as far as shoving me between his shoulder blades, which made me stumble forward.
Good thing too or I would’ve missed the unassuming people sprinkled between all the massive bodies. My blood turned to ice when I saw their lips moving in a chant and their hands gliding in front of them.
Witches.
The damn Council brought the witches into their nest. That would explain why I couldn’t break out of my room, as well as why no one got pissed enough at my screaming to come and shut me up. The only place I’d seen the witches was when metal bars were surrounding me, their chants keeping be compliant and turning my brain into goo. How did shit get this bad, and especially without any warning whatsoever? So lost in my panic, I didn’t realize I’d reached the chamber of the Council until Johnathan yanked me next to him with a firm grip on my arm. I didn’t break that arm only because I was still trying to process what I just saw throughout the mansion. Fucking witches were sitting among us. They were so rare to find that if I told anyone they guarded the cages they’d think I was hallucinating because I’d been deprived of nourishment. How the fuck did the Council find so many of them? And how did they have the guts to flaunt them in our faces? I counted at least fifteen from my room to the chamber.
“Go in,” the guard that entered the chamber grumbled as he came out.
It was the second time I’d come face to face with the Council and only someone’s grip on my arm kept me standing. Seeing Veronica bloodied on her knees in the middle of the wide room cracked open my heart and my legs almost gave out. Her bruised face shook sharply in a no, which was the only thing that stopped me from bolting to her. My gaze snapped at the three males who were watching me intently with various expressions plastered all over their faces. The leering disgust and anger I could deal with. It was the anticipation in Isaiah’s eyes that sent ice shards through my center.
“Brooklyn, I am pleased to see you are unharmed.” Frederic’s gaze flicked to my neck where the purple and blue fingerprints of the shifter’s hand had long since disappeared.
“I’m sure you are.” It was out before I could stop myself. “Sire,” I added lamely through my teeth.
“Come closer, child.” Samir beckoned me with his hand, and Johnathan finally released the death grip he had on my arm, leaving red lines where his fingers used to be.
“You see, Brooklyn. Veronica here was not who we thought she was.” Isiah spoke as my numb legs carried me to stand next to Samir. I curled my fingers around the seams of my pants to stop my hands from shaking. “She was in cahoots with our enemies and helping them plan an attack while we took care of her as one of our own.”
“She is one of us,” I snapped at him.
“Bee, don’t.” Veronica’s cracked voice was barely above a whisper, and that sound stabbed me right in the chest.
“Is she now?” Turning his upper body to better face me, Isaiah arched an eyebrow while he eyed me like a cat would a cornered mouse.
“She is loyal to the Syndicate. I would place my life as an assurance.” Ignoring Veronica’s burning stare, I kept my focus on Isaiah.
“Yet she helped the shifter who attacked our home escape.” Cocking his head to the side, he smoothed the fabric of his robes unhurriedly. “What say you of that, Brooklyn? Will you still place your life on the line on her behalf?”
“He must’ve forced her.” Blurting out the first thing that came to mind, I lifted my chin stubbornly. I had every intention on fighting them tooth and nail to let her go.
“Forced her?” Barking out a laugh, he exchanged looks with Frederic and Samir and dread started pressing on my shoulders like a boulder. “The one that managed to kill sixty-three of our kind decided to force our little Veronica here to help him escape? He sure could’ve picked someone smarter for that. No offense dear.” Isaiah threw the last part at Veronica and my jaw almost hit the floor.
“I’m sure he didn’t have time to do IQ tests.” Samir snorted at my snarl.
“If he picked her for his escape, perhaps she had help from someone smarter.” Muttering under his breath, Frederic didn’t lift his head from polishing his nails on his robes.
“I’d ask if it was Johnathan, but you said smart, so …” My pursed lips were just to spite the kiss ass. Veronica’s soft snort had tears burning the back of my eyes.
“The things you say, child.” Chuckling, Samir stretched out on his chair and shook his head. “Always so entertaining.”
Johnathan snarled and glared, obviously disagreeing with him.
“Did you help your friend?” Isaiah finally cut to the chase, and I had every intention of taking the blame. It was me who did it, after all. My mouth opened—
