Page 29 of Her Eternal Mate

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Outside, I saw Alexis sitting on a bench, a bottle of soda in her hand with a pack of fries.

“Where did you get these from?” I asked, surprised.

“I was just waiting here, fidgeting, when the receptionist asked me if I wanted anything. I told her that I hadn’t had breakfast, so she brought me these fries and this soda,” Alexis said. “I can have her bring some for you too.”

“No, thank you. I’m not particularly in the mood for anything to eat or drink. After speaking in there, I’ve got all this rage and anger that was pent up inside me now running amok. Suddenly, I have someone to blame for all this. It’s the Court’s fault, isn’t it?”

“You did say before that they are medieval bureaucracy,” Alexis replied. “Perhaps that’s all that they are. Effete. Powerless. Political.”

“They’re going to call the verdict in about half an hour,” I said. “Or sooner.”

We sat there side by side, looking at the extravagant decorations in the hall, those giant statues of werewolves, minotaurs, vampires, and wizards. There was a large dome at the top of the hall that had been painted with Renaissance-style artwork.

After half an hour had passed, Rogelio appeared from the other side of the door and beckoned us both in. Since my conscience was already clear, I was calm in my heart. I could sense through our bond that Alexis was too.

As we stepped into the room, I saw that the white shields were not there anymore. Instead, the five people who had been seated on the high platform were visible. Three of them were withered old men, and the other two were women who, by their looks, seemed to be in their forties.

“We have pondered much over your unique cases,” the first woman spoke, her eyes exploring the contents of the file laid out in front of her. “And it has not been an easy verdict, especially after taking into account everything that has happened, including the lapses of the Clandestine Order in matters such as the vampire cartel and the Occultist’s son, who is now leading an army of mercenaries.”

“So you admit that you have done wrong,” Alexis said.

“The Court is just one part of the Clandestine Order. We, who belong to the Court, are very impartial about everything, including the Order. And so, we must recognize that there have been lapses in the behavior of the Order. But you two are not without your fair share of faults,” one of the old men spoke.

“So what’s it going to be, then?” I asked, staring at him. It appeared that he had cataracts in his eyes and was not staring back at me.

“Patience, Mr. Wilhelm Grimm,” the second woman said. “It would seem that patience is not your strong suit.”

“I have been patient for more than seventy years when I was captured by Edward Beckett. Do not make a mockery of my suffering by telling me that I’m not patient.”

Will, calm down. They’re trying to get a rise out of you. It seems that they’ve already made up their minds. So, don’t give them anything that would turn their minds otherwise.Alexis spoke softly in my mind, her words soothing me.Let me handle them for you.

“While you waste our time here,” Alexis said, “there is a war happening out there. A war where our brothers and sisters are endangering their lives to keep the humans of Fiddler’s Green safe. You have recognized the fact that Blair is a threat. Well, we are doing what we can to subdue that threat. So, without further upset, if you’d rather not waste any more of our time, what is the verdict? And what happens if you find us guilty?”

“If found guilty,” the third old man said, “both of you will be sentenced to death in a manner of the Court’s choosing. Though, when it comes to werewolves, the death sentence dictates that we have them shot through the heart with a silver bullet or have their heads chopped off with silver machetes. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have not yet stated whether you are guilty or not.”

I looked at Alexis, our minds already communicating nonverbally about the possibility of them finding us guilty. If they did, we’d have to make a run for it. There was no way in hell we were letting them execute us.

“And now, the verdict,” the first woman said, clearing her throat and bringing up the file in front of her face.

Chapter 13

Alexis

My heart felt as if it was jamming in my throat. It was not out of fear or worry, or tension. It was out of anticipation. Back when I used to be in school, I was always anticipating what my GPA would be or if I’d get valedictorian or not. And then the results would come in, and I’d find that I’d made valedictorian.

This moment, this unending abyss of a moment where the Court was silent as it readied itself to read out the verdict, was all about anticipation.

And then the woman who was holding her file opened her mouth, “On the count of disrupting the peace and quiet of Fiddler’s Green, we find you not guilty. As both your testimonies have shown, the werewolves were never the perpetrators of disturbance.”

“Phew,” I said out loud.

“We are not done!” one of the old men boomed through the room. “There are four more charges to read.”

I cast a look at Will, wondering if he was thinking the same thing. There were five charges in total? Was that the reason there were five people present in the court?

The second woman spoke this time, “On the count of killing other supernatural species, such as vampires, we find you not guilty. Clearly, from your statements, we have gathered that you were provoked and were acting in self-defense.”

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