And there was another issue too. Even if these ‘normal’ people decided I was innocent, I still wasn’t sure what sort of consensus we needed to win. Hell, I didn’t even know what winning actually meant.
The Council had said they would have the final vote no matter what, so did these normal people matter in the end? Did they make a difference?
Was it all or nothing? I hoped not.
“Ava,” Tavlor said as he stepped up beside me, not touching, but close enough that I could almost feel the heat of him.
God, I’d missed him.
I nearly closed my eyes and swallowed. I wanted him to wrap his big, bulky arms around me, to tuck my head under his chin and tell me everything was going to be all right. He always had a knack for making me feel safe when I was scared or unsure.
Truth be told, I was just glad he was here, that I got to see him in the first place. He’d been away in a Fae realm, researching the laws and looking for things to help me with the trial. I wasn’t sure if he’d found anything, and this wasn’t the time to ask, unfortunately.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his brow furrowed with worry. He kept his voice low to ensure no one could overhear our conversation. We got a couple of stares from some of the normal people. It reminded me that hybrids—a half-Fae, half-warlock like Tavlor—weren’t welcome in most parts of society.
They could kindly fuck off, for all I cared.
I shrugged. “As good as can be expected, I think.” I lowered my voice, unable to stop myself from asking him, “Have you heard anything new?”
He stepped even closer and said, “Not really. Though from what I can gather, they are running this as fairly as we’ve asked them to.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. Really?
His lips thinned. “However, it is the Council.”
I snorted. He didn’t finish the sentence, because some unknown part of Tavlor still couldn’t bring himself to openly go up against the people who had oppressed him for so long.
Tavlor had stood by while they’d tested me, accused me, attacked me, and then sentenced me. Yes... he had come through in the end with a rescue plan and was here now, but would he stand by as they put my head on the chopping block once again?
I wished I knew without a doubt he wouldn’t do that again, but I couldn’t be sure. Tavlor respected authority. It was the biggest issue we had in our relationship. I didn’t know if he would pick me at the end of it all.
I glanced towards my father, who, somehow, had become quite mute since we’d walked in the doors. He wasn’t looking like his normal self and he’d totally ignored Tavlor’s presence. Which was most unlike him.
“Matlock,” I called out, keeping my voice low. “Are you okay?”
The main doors swung open and three Councilors walked in. I didn’t recognize them by their faces, but I knew from the way they held their heads, and the richness of their clothes.
Pompous assholes.
“Ava Melfi. To the accused’s box,” the main guy said, and I suddenly recognized him from the other day at my father’s office. He’d been one of the men to bring the official document by and picked up that Rasslor warlock who my father had knocked out with magic. He was a weasel, that one.
He pointed to a chair in the middle of the room.
I lifted my chin. “Before I do, I’d like to know how this is going to work. Are there questions, a jury, a judge?”
Because I had been sheltered my whole life, the only sense of trials I got was from Bella’s mystery which took place in the human realm. Besides that, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The man, I think his name was Thomas, turned red and I saw him fighting the need to yell at me, to demand I get in place.
But he calmed himself somehow. “We have gathered thirty regular Witches and Warlocks to listen to the trial, and they will come together at the end to discuss their verdict.”
I stared at him, surprised. “And that’s it? They have final say?”
I doubt that very much.
Thomas pursed his lips and his nostrils flared. “No. Their decision will be taken into account with our final decision.”
I crossed my arms over