Vindicated by Bella Klaus

Chapter Twelve

Ireeled backward in my seat, gaping at the dapper version of the Norse shaman, who couldn’t seem to remain dead. Silence spread across the courtroom as each member of the Supernatural Council scrutinized Grog’s bizarre appearance.

He might have combed his hair, cut his beard, and scrubbed his face red-raw, but beneath the ill-fitting navy blue suit lurked the scrawny body of a scumbag.

Minos folded his arms over his huge chest. “And you are?”

“A witness to the sacrifice of Lydia Gerrison’s wolf.” Grog swung his arm in my direction.

I clenched my teeth. What was he doing here? This had to be another ploy of Marchosias, but I couldn’t fathom why a primordial source of evil would get himself involved in the matters of the Supernatural Council.

Light flared from the corner of my eye. I turned toward the dais, where Fenrir threw himself against the shard of light’s interior. My breath hitched. He probably thought Grog had come to abduct me. I shuffled toward the far right of the table and placed myself in Minos’ seat.

My wolf pushed against the barrier separating us and snarled.

“It’s all right,” I said into our link. “He isn’t going to hurt us.”

“Your name?” Minos hissed.

Grog coughed into his hand. “Grogoor Halfdan-Ragnarsson. I was at the Moon Mixer during which Lydia Gerrison’s other half was sacrificed to the wolf god, Fenrisúlfr, and I can assure you that this conversation about stealing from gods is erroneous.”

“Arrest him,” I shouted but could make no sound.

A firestorm of frustration burned through my insides. Of all the times for someone to silence me, why did it have to be when I was in a room full of enemies?

I raised my hand, trying to catch someone’s attention, but they were all too busy gaping at the newcomer.

Grog smoothed his hands down his suit and preened. “If it pleases the court, I would like to explain exactly what I saw after Lydia Gerrison’s death.”

The angel prosecutor rose from his seat. “I have no objection to this new witness.”

King Hades gestured at Minos to return to his seat, but my advocate merely stepped aside to allow Grog to slither across the room.

“Mr. Halfdan,” said the prosecutor. “Please tell us what you saw on the night in question.”

Grog clasped his hands behind his back, looking like he was an expert on something other than mayhem. “Shortly after the sacrifice, Fenrsúlfr arrived for the wolf’s soul and absorbed it into his body. The ceremony ended, and we cleared out, leaving Lydia Gerrison’s body with her human soul for the reapers.”

The backs of my eyes grew hot, and my wolf snarled and barked and whined. Now that the heat was no longer fogging her mind, she remembered Grog for who he was: our murderer.

“And you’re sure that only the wolf’s soul was sacrificed?” asked the prosecutor.

Grog smiled, revealing a mouthful of broken yet gleaming teeth. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. If Fenrisúlfr returned, then it was to reap a soul that wasn’t part of his tribute.”

I slammed my palm on the table, trying to get everyone’s attention, but even that action couldn’t make a sound.

“Queen Lydia has something to say,” Mera said. “Whoever cursed her to silence needs to stop interfering with this hearing.”

The Fae King sniffed. “She’s likely to continue disrupting proceedings by shouting over the witnesses.”

“How would you like it if someone muzzled you with iron?” she growled.

“You wouldn’t dare.” The Fae King raised his chin.

“Remove that enchantment, or you’ll be in contempt of court,” King Valentine growled.

“Fine.” The Fae King rolled his eyes. “But don’t complain to me when she starts howling at everyone.”

With a pop of magic, something eased around my throat, and I exhaled a noisy breath and pointed at the shaman, who waggled his brows.

“That’s the shaman who slit my throat,” I said.

“Your murderer?” King Valentine asked.

I nodded.

“Arrest that man,” said the Angel King.

The shadows around the walls lengthened and stood upright, turning into a dozen enforcers in black. They were shadow mages, capable of imprisoning people in the dark.

The door behind us slammed shut, trapping Grog in the courtroom. I rose to my feet, and rushed at Grog with my hands curled into fists. “Why did you come here?”

He winked. “Trying for another chance with you?”

With a snarl, I swung at his jaw. The punch went through thin air, making me stagger backward.

“Light magic?” someone said from the dais.

I was too far into my rage to notice who spoke. Blood rushed between my ears, and the edges of my vision turned red. The pulse in my throat pounded with the force of a pair of giant fists, urging me to rush out of the courtroom and find Grog’s real body.

“Answer my question,” I snarled.

“I came to bear witness to the truth.” He stepped backward with his palms raised, and headed to the exit.

The enforcers threw ropes of shadows at him, but they only made the apparition flicker. I ground my teeth. They were better off scouring the hallways, or the closets, or the grounds to find where he’d stashed his carcass. Grog could be hiding anywhere within the wards, and nobody would ever find him.

“The testimony of wraiths is inadmissible,” Minos shouted from the front of the courtroom.

Grog pulled at his lapel, seeming to bristle. “I’m a living, breathing shaman.”

“Then drag your carcass here and prove it,” I said through my teeth.

He smirked. “I would rather not be burned for my troubles, beaten bloody, or arrested.”

“I motion to make this evidence admissible.” The prosecutor rose from his seat.

“This changes everything,” said the Angel King. “Since Queen Lydia’s human soul wasn’t sacrificed, and there was no sign of a wolf in the reaper cam, I can only surmise that Fenrir murdered a man to obtain a soul that should have been reaped.”

I whirled around and gaped at the man’s audacity. “You’re going to take the word of that criminal?”

“Lydia,” Grog said with a chuckle. “I might have slit your throat and drained your blood, but I know what I sacrificed to Fenrir, and it wasn’t your soul.”

“This is unbelievable.” Mera pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Grog Halfdan is wanted on suspicion of Lydia’s murder,” said King Valentine. “We need to dismiss this case in favor of finding where he’s hiding his corporeal form.”

“And he’s working with Marchosias,” I said.

The Fae King snickered. “That’s just one minority opinion.”

“I second King Valentine’s notion,” said Mera.

My gaze darted to the Mage and Witch Queens, who may as well have been stuffed dolls for the amount they contributed to this trial. I clenched my jaw. Why on earth did I think they might speak up when there was no direct benefit to them?

“Very well.” The Fae King banged his gavel. “It’s getting late, and some of us have other appointments. I find Fenrisúlfr guilty of an unprovoked murder.”

I rushed toward the dais. “No—”

Minos caught me by the arm. “Our case for the Supernatural Court of Appeals is solid, and I believe I can secure an innocent verdict.”

“You don’t understand,” I whispered to the advocate. “As soon as they hand Fenrir over to Queen Hel, she’ll make sure he never escapes her Faction.”

The defense lawyer squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled a noisy breath. “Unfortunately, the jurisdiction of this court only covers the Supernatural World.”

In other words, Fenrir was screwed.

Behind us, the shadow mage enforcers encased Grog’s apparition within a sphere of black and carried it through the courtroom. The door creaked open and clicked shut, but I barely registered the sound through the roar of blood between my ears.

I turned to Fenrir, who stared at me through dull eyes. Eyes that had once burned with the ferocity of his protective instincts. Now, the wolf I loved stared into my eyes as though committing my features to memory.

My throat thickened, and my eyes grew wet. Defeat crept through my bones like the onset of winter and hardened my heart into ice.

Maybe this sphere of light had been designed to imprison a god. Maybe the Angel King had spent the entire time since Fenrir had become corporeal setting him up for this terrible fate. It no longer mattered because I had to get him back.

“Your Majesty?” Minos whispered.

“It’s all right.” I shook my arm free of the advocate’s grip. “There’s one thing I haven’t yet tried.”

I glanced across the room. Queen Hel stood from her seat, looking like she was about to saunter to the dais and pluck Fenrir from his prison of light.

The Angel King’s voice drifted back into my awareness. “To streamline the rest of the trial, please vote with a show of hands if you find Fenrisúlfr guilty of murder.”

King Hades and the Fae King both raised their hands. The two cowardly queens glanced at each other and then at the other kings before doing the same.

The Angel King rose from his throne. “In the case of Fenrisúlfr versus the Supernatural Council, I find the defendant—”

“Wait,” I snapped.

His shoulders slumped a couple of inches. “Yes, Queen Lydia?”

“If you find my mate guilty, hand him over to that two-faced woman, or do anything else to persecute me or any other wolf, I’m going to bargain with Marchosias.”

He stared at me for several long seconds, his features falling slack. “Surely you can’t be serious.”

A rush of fury burned through my veins. I wasn’t sure if it was out of determination or desperation, but I raised my chin and fixed him with my filthiest glower.

“You’ve forced my hand,” I snarled. “Fenrir is innocent of cold-blooded murder. You don’t care because you’d rather hand him to his worst enemy as a bribe to leave and stop attacking your subjects.”

“Your subjects,” the Fae King muttered.

The Angel King lowered himself into his seat. “Lydia, you have to understand there are larger issues at play—”

“Then sacrifice your mate for the greater good.” I waved my hands toward Fenrir. “Because I’m going to get mine back with the help of Marchosias.”

His eyes flashed. “I would ask you to consider the impact such a bargain would have on the world—both natural and supernatural.”

“We’ve had this conversation already.” I folded my arms across my chest. “If you feel this strongly about keeping Marchosias where he belongs, set Fenrir free and banish Queen Hel from Logris.”

The Angel King placed his palms on his armrests and glared down at me with an intensity some might have found intimidating. Not me. How could I feel anything but contempt for such a low-down sneak? I met his stare, my nostrils flaring.

Fenrir was right to break away from these people. They were selfish, unscrupulous, and cared more about scheming than protecting their citizens.

Someone as shitty as Alpha Mondo would have slotted right into the Council, but it was no place for Fenrir and me. Not when the older members felt threatened that a god was joining their ranks instead of a mortal shifter they could intimidate. Not when they were so willing to sacrifice my mate.

“That’s your final word?” asked the Angel King.

My throat convulsed. I’d just threatened to destroy the world if they didn’t release my mate. Would they call my bluff? The consequences could be deadly.

“Yes,” I hissed.

“Very well.” He sat straighter in his seat, his features held in a tight mask. “I declare all charges against Fenrisúlfr dropped.”

“What?” Queen Hel shot to her feet so fast that her chair fell to the marble floor with a clang. “You said Fenrir would be mine.”

The Angel King shifted uncomfortably on his throne. “Queen Lydia’s proposal poses a greater threat to the Supernatural World—”

“I don’t take kindly to time-wasters and liars,” she hissed.

“And the Supernatural Council doesn’t respond well to threats,” the Angel King snarled.

Queen Hel pointed a flaming finger at King Hades. “What do you have to say for yourself, since you brokered this deal?”

The Demon King spread his arms wide in a shrug. “Never trust an angel?”

“Damn you all.” She placed her palms on the prosecutor’s table and set it alight. “The next time I attack Logris, it will be with the full force of the Sixth Faction!”

I curled my hands into fists and readied myself for an attack. Not that I could ever fight a rampaging goddess, but I still needed to stay alert.

Furniture crashed from the back of the room, where her quartet of bodyguards set their chairs alight before smashing them against the wall. My brows rose. Could she really get away with burning down the courtroom?

“Queen Hel?” The Angel King rose from his seat.

She upended the burning table, which spun toward the dais and broke into flaming splinters. “What?”

“I have a message from the administrator responsible for the management of Hell.” He tilted his head to the side. “You’re on probation for failure to secure a primordial evil and will stand by for an inspection in the next forty-eight hours.”

The glamour covering the withered side of her face melted away, and she bared her teeth in a snarl. She turned to me, her good eye glinting with malice.

“One day, I’ll tear that scrawny soul from your body and give you to my Hellhounds. After they’ve shat your remains, I will feed them to Fenrir.”

I curled my lip. “Maybe I’ll do that to you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she hissed through her teeth.

One of her huge companions placed her fur coat over her shoulders, and she swept out of the room, leaving a trail of fire.

I turned to the shard of light, where Fenrir remained trapped. Instead of his usual fury, his eyes were soft and shone with a level of admiration that made my breath catch.

Folding my arms over my chest, I raised my chin and grinned at the Angel King. Thanks to him and his colleagues, we now knew our friends, our enemies, and their motives.

And I knew exactly the leverage I would use the next time they tried to sell us to Queen Hel.

Minos cleared his throat. “Your Majesties, I believe it’s customary to release the defendant.”

The Angel King waved a hand, and the light encasing Fenrir shattered like glass. Both the Demon and Fae Kings disappeared from the dais, while the cowardly queens rose from their seats and huddled together like a pair of frightened owls.

Only King Valentine and Mera remained, each offering me warm smiles, despite my threat to condemn the world to the machinations of a primordial evil. But I think this was what they had been suggesting at my hospital bed.

“Lydia.” Fenrir ran across the courtroom and scooped me into his arms. “Once again, you have battled on my side.”

I stared up into his turquoise eyes, my chest bursting with love. The emotions surged to my throat, and I blinked over and over, to clear my vision of tears. He was finally free. Free from the Supernatural Council, and free from his wretched sister. For the next few heartbeats, we stared into each other’s souls, not needing to exchange a single word.

The next person who tried to wedge themselves between Fenrir and me would die.

“Let’s get out of this shit hole,” I said. “It looks like we’re going to prepare for war.”