We ignored Colleena's encouragements to change as we left. There wasn't time. I sped ahead, through the portal door before either of them, but Pharro caught up to me in the demolished doorway of the holding cell, Tritteon behind him, and caught my arm, pulling me close enough his mouth was beside my ear.
"Listen carefully. No matter what decision has been reached, under no circumstances must you allow yourself to lose control."
I jerked my arm free. "I'll be fine."
He grabbed me again and pulled me back. "Don't do that. You need to be emotionally prepared for what might very well happen. It would be enormously detrimental for you to be on his bad side. His position in the Creea is very influential and he could cause Rilyin a lot of grief where you are concerned."
I shook him off again. "I said I'll be fine."
His hand closed over my shoulder, but I ducked out from under it and turned away so fast my hair twirled outward. His fingers brushed over my brand, sending a sharp current shooting through me and my legs gave out and I fell to the ground at his feet.
Pharro swore. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"
Fury burned through me, but I forced myself to breathe. My claws shot out of my fingers and I pointed them at him. "Don't touch me."
He held up his hands, stepping back. "Alright. Just listen. If the verdict is guilty, their execution will be immediate, and...and because you were the one to request the trial, you will be required to assist."
I was immediately glad I was sitting. I shot a horrified look at Tritteon for confirmation, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. "What?"
"You are the assisting Head Guardian. It is your job."
"He can't make me do that! This is not my actual job!"
"If you don't follow through, he can have you arrested and incarcerated for several months for noncompliance," Tritteon said quietly.
"You understand how dangerous that would be for you," Pharro growled. "Your brand would be registered into public record and anyone looking for you would be able to find you easily."
It felt like someone socked me in the gut. I swallowed hard. "Do—do you know something I don't know? Did he—did he already tell you their decision?"
He bent and took my elbow, helping me to my feet, and I let him. "No. I don't know it yet. I'm only preparing you for a worst-case scenario—"
"The likely scenario," Tritteon mumbled.
I squeezed my eyes shut, burying my fingers in my tangled hair on top of my head. My brand tingled unpleasantly, and nausea bubbled in my stomach. I couldn't believe Pharro had touched it. I couldn't believe I even had it. I couldn't believe Tritteon could compel me without touching it. I couldn't believe there was a possibility I would be required to assist in an execution.
"Are you ready? We need to get in there."
"They're going to be denied, aren't they?"
Pharro hesitated and my stomach did a flip. "I really don't know."
"But you heard some of what they said. You even heard their accounts earlier today. Shouldn't they be fine?"
"I won't give you that kind of hope. This has never happened before. Tritteon isn't wrong to assume the worst." Something began to buzz in his pocket. "That will be him," he said, pulling out his Com. He answered it. "We are ten seconds away." He pocketed it and motioned for me to go in. "Be your brave, authoritative self."
I took a deep breath and went ahead of him. Everything would be fine. Everything would be just fine. Because it had to be. Their lives and Rilyin's life depended on it.
We stopped in front of the interrogation room door.
"We are outside," Pharro said into his Com.
The door hissed open and Dawith stood there, glaring at us. "Cutting it close. They will be awake any minute now. What..." His voice trailed off as he gave me a once over. "Why are you dripping wet, Miss Aveeve?" He spotted Tritteon behind me. "And you, Nazonna?"
I shot both of them a glance before looking back at Dawith. "What is wrong with them waking up before you've told us the verdict?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Sorry. I did not explain the entire protocol," Pharro said. "He doesn't know it himself, Theena."
"But you're—" I started.
"The middle-man," Dawith finished for me. "I present my superiors with my observations along with my summation and opinion of the evidence and they make the decision."
My heart sank. "You don't give them all of it?"
"There isn't time for that much information."
"Their lives aren't worth every detail?"
"Is she done?" Dawith growled.
"Theena, let him proceed," Tritteon said impatiently.
I gritted my teeth, my insides twisting at the command. I shot him a scathing look.
His eyes widened in realization, but he didn't retract it. He couldn't with Dawith there.
"I will remain out here," Tritteon said, nodding to Pharro. Because he didn't want to witness their execution, I knew he wouldn't say aloud.
Dawith walked back into the room to the table. A blue glow blinked in his hand and a small com appeared out of nowhere. He motioned for us to stand behind him and spoke into it. "They have arrived. We are ready whenever you are."
Vialla, Aeryn, and Gauwin were still motionless, their faces devoid of emotion. What would I really do if they weren't vindicated? I knew they were innocent. Would I really let him execute them? Would I risk having my brand registered?
"Focus," Pharro hissed.
An image had appeared on the wall above the table. Five people sat side by side facing us—two women and three men. One was High Councilwoman Gatten. The others were unfamiliar.
"Miss Aveeve, may I introduce you to the Creea High Counselors: Lord Holt, Lord Graim, Lady Gatten, Lord Sarlin, and Lady Vrayson."
I bowed. All eyes traveled the length of me, and I had to mentally command my body to refrain from its self-conscious fidgeting. We should have listened to Colleena and taken a few minutes to change.
"Miss Aveeve," Lady Vrayson said. "May we inquire the reason for your appearance?"
I hesitated. "Are you unaware of the incidents that have taken place?"
"They have not received the entire report yet," Pharro said.
"She is simply asking for a brief summation from your standpoint," said Lord Holt.
Pharro caught my eye and nodded like he was giving me permission to tell them.
"We had a run-in with Daniel Onra, Tritteon was shot—the majority of the blood on me belongs to him, I healed him, Carnac attacked, Tritteon and I went for a swim in the lake, we've both recovered." I took a breath. "Adequate?"
"That will do," Lady Vrayson said.
"We look forward to the full reports," Lady Gatten said, brows raised.
"Respectfully, High Counselors," Dawith said. "There are five minutes remaining. We may want to speed this up accordingly."
"Yes." Lord Holt cleared his throat. "Miss Aveeve, we have reviewed your peculiar case. I must admit, when Lady Gatten brought it to my attention, I assumed it was in jest. But after seeing the charts for Mr. Onra's Vek, I agreed with her decision to look into this further. We have never had a situation like this come across our desks. However, are you aware of the repercussions if we were to indeed vindicate your FengDohrn?"
I stood straighter, ignoring the horrible sinking feeling. That didn't sound good. "If I were to guess, I assume it would grant others permission to bring similar cases to your attention."
"That is correct. The No-Second-Chances Law would be put into question and the strides we have taken to enforce a good turnover of Guardian graduates could very well be challenged. Miss Aveeve, have you ever come in contact with a FengDohrn who felt leniency in the rules?"
I caught Pharro's eyes watching me carefully. "No, sir," I said uneasily.
"That is because when they made their mistake, they met a very quick end."
I swore under my breath. No matter what evidence they had been given, their minds were already made up. I looked at Pharro. "I can't do this."
"Don't do this," Pharro whispered. "Think of the consequences."
I took a step back. "I'm not Tritteon. I can't just turn it off."
"Miss Aveeve, please allow us to finish," said Lady Gatten.
"What was the point of sending you the evidence if your minds were already made up?" I demanded.
"Why would we have sent Lord Dawith to administer the Truth Drug if our minds had already been made up?" Lord Sarlin asked.
Cruelty, I wanted to say. But I kept it to myself. He had a point though. Tritteon had mentioned the Truth Drug being costly. Why would they have used three doses of it if they weren't willing to consider the case?
"Lord Dawith said you claim to have only known all three of them for a few days."
"Yes," I admitted.
"Your attitude toward them is highly unusual for such a timeframe," Lady Vrayson said.
"Lord Dawith seemed to think so as well," I said between my teeth. "But I fail to see how caring for another's wellbeing needs a timeframe at all."
"You are a FengDohrn sympathizer then?" Lord Graim—the oldest councilmember—asked.
"I'm not sure what that is."
He narrowed his wrinkled brow.
I held my breath.
"Despite the likely repercussions, their innocence is obvious," Lord Graim said, almost grudgingly. "And with the current situation the way it is, it would be dangerous and irresponsible to require that Princess Aundran, Princess Gralli, and Prince Sorrell find replacements at this point in time. The consequences far outweigh the risks."
"Miss Aveeve, we find your FengDohrn innocent," Lord Holt said. "All charges have been dropped. As soon as their Sponsors have each received the Truth Drug, the FengDohrn may be returned to them."
That tight, painful breath I had been holding shuddered out of me. "Oh, thank goodness," I burst. "I thought you were going to make me—I didn't think this would—thank you." I bowed low, composing myself. "Thank you so much."
"We look forward to meeting you here shortly, Miss Aveeve," Lord Sarlin said. He looked at Dawith. "Lord Dawith, we expect you here within the next two hours."
Dawith bowed. "Very well."
The rectangular image disappeared.
"Excellent timing," Dawith said. "They should be waking up any second now. They will be disoriented. Speak to them calmly—"
Aeryn gasped awake, his eyes wide. He doubled over in a coughing fit. When he finally calmed down, he looked up slowly. "How am I still alive?" he rasped.
"Truth Drug," I said with a smile.
"What?"
Gauwin and Vialla gasped awake simultaneously, devolving into similar coughing fits.
Gauwin recovered first. "Why are we not dead?"
"It was the Truth Drug," I repeated.
"Oh, cruel, Theena," she grinned.
"Wait," Vialla said hesitantly. "Does this mean you—"
Dawith snapped his fingers and their restraints fell away.
"Charges were dropped," I said.
Vialla burst into tears, Aeryn stared at me, dumbfounded, and Gauwin jumped to her feet. She was beside me in an instant. I should have been expecting it. But after everything that had happened, my reflexes were on the sluggish end. Her fist slammed into the side of my face. Lights erupted behind my eyes and when they cleared, I was facing Dawith and Pharro, their hands glowing, their expressions furious. And Gauwin was using my limp body as a shield.
I tested my feet against the floor and regained my balance. "Stand down!" I said to the two men, raising my hands in front of me. I threw up a shield in case they decided not to listen and jerked out of Gauwin's grip. "Seriously? In front of them? You couldn't wait until they left?"
"Now we're even," she said, letting me go.
"I'm pretty sure we were even when I saved your life."
"I wasn't feeling it."
I dropped the shield. "It's fine," I said, lowering my arms. "She promised she would do that after I injured her Sponsor. Nothing to worry about."
The two men lowered their hands slowly.
"That was a dangerous move, FengDohrn," Dawith said. "After everything she has done for you, you should show a bit more respect and gratitude."
"I was feeling emotionally blocked by unfulfilled promises," Gauwin smirked. "Now the respect and gratitude can flow freely."
I felt a light touch on my arm and Vialla buried her face against my shoulder. "Thank you, Theena," she said, her entire body shaking.
Aeryn bowed his head at me from his seat, watching me intently.
* * * * * * * * *