The room was different than I remembered it, though I wasn’t sure how. What had they changed? My gaze flickered over the chairs, the walls.
I stepped closer to Tavlor.
“Do you have an escape plan if we need one?” I asked in a low voice.
He nodded once. “Always.”
I instantly felt better, relieved that my lover had a back-up plan, though I wasn’t sure what it was. And, really, I didn’t need to know. If Tavlor had one, I trusted it.
I turned towards the empty room. The back doors opened, people piling in. Some I knew, some I didn’t.
I dragged up my mental shields the way I’d been taught and pulled forth some powers, shifting them to my fingertips in case I needed to go on the offensive. My body stiffened, ready to fight if that was what it came to.
Thomas strode forward while my step-mother lingered in the background, hanging back in the last few pews. Why, I wasn’t sure. That wasn’t like her. I wanted to grin in amusement, but since I couldn’t be sure if this was a good thing, I didn’t allow myself to gloat. Not until I knew what was going on here.
My father walked forward, to speak with Thomas who seemed to be the representative of the Council once again.
“Matlock.” Thomas greeted him with a nod of his head.
My father lifted his chin. “Thomas,” he said, a sneer on his face. “What have you come to say?”
Thomas raised one eyebrow. “Would you like to sit down?”
He gestured to a nearby chair.
Matlock shook his head.
“No. After what my daughter and I were accused of yesterday and the tricks you pulled to make sure I was at a disadvantage, I want this over as quickly as possible,” he said.
I had to clench my teeth to keep my mouth from falling open. My father had this unshakable ability to radiate strength and power, even when the outcome was unknown.
Woah! Go, Dad!
As I glanced around the room at the other Council members, I could see they were all fighting a similar feeling.
They were shook.
My father had obviously never stood up for himself like this before, although I was pretty sure the Council had never come after him in such an obvious and dangerous way either.
It was great to see him acting and feeling so strong.
“Well...” Thomas started, looking around as though the answer to this situation was around him, rather than right in front of him.
He cleared his throat once again, seeming to shake away whatever thoughts had been plaguing his mind. It was obvious he hadn’t expected my father to be so confrontational and was now trying to figure out what to do next.
“Well, you’ll be please to know that due to the evidence that was presented yesterday, and the fact that Ava came back to the magical realm on her own accord, the Council has decided to withdraw claims of Treason.”
I could barely breathe. Relief flew through me on swift wings. In fact, I could have cried, but didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing how relieved I was.
So, I turned towards Tavlor, and focused all my attention on his strong profile, my eyes burning with tears.
They were letting me go.
They were letting my father go.
I couldn’t believe this. It was almost too good to be true.
We’d won.