Kari jerked her thumb to the wall. "The guard said that there were no shifters allowed and that these were closed-door proceedings."
"And evidently he doesn't recognize any of the elders here," Rex added, still holding his arm up for the giggling Meryn.
Aiden stepped forward. "Meryn, get off the Elder." He lifted her up and into his arms.
Declan was laughing. "Maybe if you visited more often, the locals would know what you looked like."
Kari smiled and walked past Rex. She wrapped her arms around Declan's neck and gave him a kiss. "I missed you this morning."
Declan smiled wide down at her. "I missed you too."
Magnus walked past them to stand beside Rex, looking at the wall. "For fuck's sake!" he exclaimed.
"Magnus cussed!" Meryn announced laughing.
Magnus turned to Rex. "My apologies. I had no idea that the guard was even here. He was not watching the door when we arrived."
Rex shrugged. "Shall we begin?"
They made their way inside the room, and the door closed behind them. DuBois and DeLaFontaine sat at one desk, Declan and Adriel at the other. Both desks faced a four-chair panel where the Elders sat. To the right were seats for any witnesses. Kari joined Aiden, Meryn, Beth, and Gavriel there. Rex glared at DuBois. Kari began to understand the term if looks could kill. Rex looked like he was two seconds away from ripping the man's head off.
"For the record, shifter Elder Rex Lionhart, vampire Elder Magnus Rioux, witch Elder Alastair Primrose, and fae Elder Dagda Vi'Ilsimir will be presiding over this case." Rex motioned with his hand to the men sitting beside him at the long desk. The witch Elder wore a deep green cloak over his clothes with the emblem of the triple moon embroidered on the chest in silver thread. The fae Elder wore a long gold and ivory formal robe, with a high collar that only seemed to accentuate his ethereal features. Both men stared at Ivan and Gerald with a flat look in their eyes.
"For the record, we need you to speak your name," Rex ordered Gerald.
Gerald DuBois stood. "My name is douchebag." Silence filled the room.
He frowned. "My name is douchebag!" he exclaimed.
Magnus and Rex along with the other elders' eyes went wide.
DuBois slammed his hands against the desktop. "I am douchebag." He looked around the room frantically.
Rex and Magnus could barely contain their chuckles. Elder Primrose flat out laughed, and Elder Vi'Ilsimir looked on, eyes wide and mouth twitching fiercely. When Gerald said, "I am douchebag," again, the fae Elder lost his sense of composure and began to pound on the elders' desk and laughing uproariously.
After a few minutes the Elders regained their composure. Rex, wiping his eyes, spoke first. "We will skip your name for now."
Ivan DeLaFontaine stood. "I was told that the son of the head of one of my Noble Houses was assaulted by Declan Lionhart yesterday," he began.
Elder Primrose waved a hand. "He was not assaulted. He received retribution for threatening a warrior's mate. He was taken to the detention cells for treatment and is fine. We are here today to address the charges against Gerald DuBois." Ivan sat down, looking thwarted.
Rex didn't even make a pretense of looking at any of the papers in front of him.
"Your sentence is..."
DeLaFontaine stood quickly, his chair hitting the floor.
"Sentence? I thought this was a trial."
Rex looked the man flatly. "It has been determined by the council that Gerald DuBois would not need a trial. Over two dozen witnesses have stepped forward to give statements. Regardless of the reason he assaulted a unit warrior and the fact remains that he resorted to violence." He turned to Gerald DuBois. "You are to pay a ten-million dollar fine for your assault on Declan Lionhart." Gerald's eyes bulged. Rex continued. "That money is to be set aside in a trust for any Noctem Falls citizen who may discover their mate among shifters and finds themselves needing assistance in starting over."
"This is biased panel! I demand that we replace Rex Lionhart with Elder Evreux for more neutral and impartial deliberation. The defendant's own brother should not be part of the Council panel," Ivan DeLaFontaine protested.
Elder Primrose's eyes flashed. "Denied! If he does not want to be at the mercy of an elder whose family member he nearly killed, then he should not go around attacking people. He is lucky it wasn't my brother. He would have been gutted and the warriors would still be looking for his spleen."
Elder Vi'Ilsimir cleared his throat, smirking as he looked at Ivan DeLaFontaine. "Funds are to be transferred by close of business today. Do you have anything to add as the Founding Family head?"
Ivan turned to Magnus. "I will see you tonight for dinner, Prince Magnus."