“W-what?” I just stared at him dumbfounded. I would argue, but he was right—at least half right.
“You're sleeping with Noah. Don't even try to lie about it. God Mason,” he clutches his head in frustration, “you don't even know him.”
“But I'm not sleeping with him!”
“I smell him on you. I use to think that his scent lingered like that, but deep down I knew. I knew that you two were sneaking around.”
“Please let me explain,” more tears flowed down my face. “It's not what you think.”
“Shut up!” he shouted, “for months I've tried to be nothing but the perfect mate for you. I tried to understand you but ever since you got here, you made it a mission to hate me. I was foolish,” he turned around, “I actually thought you could love me.”
“No, I do, but please let me explain,” I begged.
“If you want to be with him, then go be with him, but stop acting like you actually give a damn about me,” he paused then started back up. “You should finish getting ready. The trial starts in two hours.” He opened the door and slammed it behind himself.
“Myles!” I screamed after him.
*
*
After another 30 minutes of crying, Henry came to my room to tell me that t was time to go. I honestly didn't know how I would react to being outside. It's been so long since I left this house plus being at the academy may have taken a toll on me. Not to mention that Myles hates me.
We walk down the stairs and met up with Myles in the hallway. He wouldn't even look at me. I felt horrible. I never meant for him to find out that way. I wanted to tell him that I do care about him, but I'm just not stable enough to be with anyone.
Once the sunlight hit my face, I felt a little more relaxed. It had been so long that I forgot how good it was. It made me want to run.
“The car is over there,” Myles said dryly.
The “car” was actually a limousine. It surprised me how much I've seen them since they are a rarity. Myles opened the door for me, but instead of holding it open, he got in and closed it behind himself. Henry got in on the other side and I was left without options: do I take Myles's side and endure an hour of him glaring at me or do I join Henry's side and just sit there while he feels me up.
I ended up sitting with the driver. There was too much tension in the back. I wondered if Myles was going to tell Henry and that me all for poor ole Mason. I didn't think he would do something like that, but people can change when faced with different challenges and stresses.
I didn't speak to anyone the entire drive there. I wanted to speak to Myles, to tell him that he did not have the whole story, but what's the use. He'll never forgive me. Even though Noah and I have never slept together, we've kissed. It cheating no matter what.
“Alright, we're here,” the driver smiled at me.
I smiled back and opened the door. I hesitated before climbing out and closing it shut. My heart was beating ten times its norm. Myles and I have our problems but Heir has even bigger ones.
The courthouse was a gargantuan white building. It looked just like the pictures from my old magazines. All three of us, Myles, Henry and me, climbed the stairs. By the time we got to the door, I was ready to pass out.
“Follow me,” Henry said in a deep throaty voice.
Myles and I followed him. Myles still refuse to look at me even though I was trying my best to get his attention. I can't lose him. Without him, I have no one in my corner. Noah isn't here. He's never there when the really bad stuff happens. Right now, I needed Myles.
Right now I needed him to baby me, to tell me that everything is going to be alright. I didn't want to be responsible for another death. Jillian face kept popping up in my head. I remember her shivering on my lap and her eyes going lifeless. In an instant, she was dead.
“Mason!” Myles snapped me out of my trance. “Go.” He pointed to the huge wooden double door up ahead.
“Your not coming?” I turned around to look at him. He didn't look at me or speak, but I new the answer. I didn't have anyone on my side now.
As I went into the courtroom there were rows of benches full of people. I didn't know any of them. I walked up the middle aisle and some man waved me over. “Yes?” I asked.
“I'm Kent Opic,” I am the prosecutor. Kent was dark skin, with very long dreadlocks. He was very attractive but I could tell he was one of those men that liked to win at any cost. “You can sit right next to me or in one of the benches. This isn't going to be a long trial.” He smiled as he started fixing his tie.
I took the seat next to him as the crowds of people behind me roared with anticipation. I kept my head down until Henry pounded the gavel. To the front of the room were twelve seats for the Council. Henry sat in the biggest one looking down at us like we were ants.
“Everyone quiet!” he growled and the whole room went silent. “An inexplicable act has occurred and in my house nonetheless. Today we are here to seek justice for Ms. Mason Faye.” Eyes where everywhere. They were all staring at me. “Bring the boy out!” Henry shouted.
Not even a minute later and two guards brought Heir out in chains. They dropped him to the floor in the middle of the room. His clothes were dirty and shredded. I could tell that he hadn't bathe since he was at the house. He looked so bruised. I didn't remember him looking this bad. “Heir what do you have to say for your crimes?”
“I-I don't know. I don't remember,” he sobbed. “I don't remember, I just want to go home.”
“You have committed a horrible crime—attempted murder,” Henry said while surveying him. “You won't be going home or anywhere else for a very long time.”
“I didn't d anything!” Heir shouted. “I didn't hurt anybody.”
“Do you think Ms. Faye is a liar?”
“I-I don't know. I didn't do anything to her,” he looked at me with sadness in his eyes. “Tell them that I didn't do anything!”
“I can't,” I choked.
Heir started crying and I looked away from him. There were too many emotion with the looks he gave me.
“Mason Faye, come to the stand,” Arthur ordered.
I stood up and walked to the stand. I opened the small door and sat. “do you swear to tell the truth?” Arthur asked.
I nodded.
“Is it true that Heir tried to kill you?” A man in a blue suit came up to me. “from what I hear, he's been nothing but kind to you.”
“Yes.”
“You'll need to be more specific than that. Is it true that at the academy you cause a lot of trouble. Two girls ended up dying because of you.”
I thought about Jillian and I said, “Yes. I planned our escape.”
“That goes against the Council Law. So wouldn't you say that you have a habit of causing trouble Ms. Faye?”
I shrugged.
“I hear that you cause a lot of problems in your dance class at the academy. Two boys started fighting over you. Do you like doing what you do?”
“No! Conner was hurting me and he tried t—”
“Thank you that will be all,” he held his hand up and walked off. There was a few awes in the room.
Immediately the man in the blue suit sat down and Kent got up in his place. “Is it true that since you've been to the academy, it's been rough?”
I shrugged, “I guess.”
“Didn't you loose two of your friends there? You had no one. You were an outcast within the academy. As far as the academy was concerned, you were disposable, right?”
I didn't answer him. He was right, but I couldn't face that yet.
“They humiliated you there. You had to leave your home and no one was there to welcome you with open arms.”
“Okay, I get it. This isn't about me.”
“Heir tried to kill her. It's not hard to understand that. He almost took her life.”
After the blue suit guy and Kent went back and forth, I was bare. I felt like all of my secrets had come to light. Nothing was like I thought it would be. They picked me apart and left me with a hollow shell.
“Ms.Faye.”
My life was only going to get worse from here.
“Ms.Faye.”
How could all of this happen to me? How could I let all of this happen to me? I'm so fucking weak. It's pathetic. I was fooling myself the whole time. Those girls on the bus weren't stupid—I was. They already knew what was going to happen while I stayed in ignorance.
“Ms. Faye!” Arthur shouted.“You may leave the stand now.”
“But...”
“You may go now,” he said a little menacing. I open the door and climbed down off the stand. Eyes were following me and I felt like they were all judging me. I plopped down in the seat next to Kent. He had the hugest grin on his face.
“In light of what we just heard, Heir did commit a crime. He ruthlessly attacked a young girl. The mate of a future Council member nonetheless. This cannot go unpunished,” Arthur said.
“He is a menace and should be put down. I can't believe someone that I have had trust in for two years, betrayed me.”
“That's a lie!” I stood up and shouted. Kent tried to get me to sit down, but I pushed him off of me. “He didn't do anything! It was your fault!” I pointed to Henry.
Gasps sounded from the crowd behind me. I turned around and watched as some people chuckled, some scowled at me and the others were too shock to do or say anything.
“Me?” Henry smirked. I turned back around and glared at him. “You must be joking.”
“Are you accusing the Chief Council member of attempted murder?” Arthur asked. He looked down at me menacingly. “How dare you?! He brought you into his home. He gave you a mate and shelter! You're a disgrace. We should hold you!”
“Aye!” another one of the Council member shouted.
“He planned this,” tears threatened to fall. I kept them back. I could show weakness. I was already in this, but I hated how everyone was looking at me. “he wanted me to mate his son so he could take my baby! He put Heir up to this. Can't you see that? He's a monster!”
“Enough!” Henry pounded the gavel. “What proof do you have of these allegations?”
“You told me!”
“This is ridiculous. We will not sit here and listen to the words of a child. On with the trial. Heir you are sentenced to 6 months in Laskkar prison then you will have death by drowning. Court is now adjourned.”
“What?!” Heir cried. “Please!”
“Guards! Take him out of here!”
The crowd got louder. They were all either for Heir dying for against it, but none of that matter. A kid is going to be killed in 6 months. It's all my fault. I just can't seem to stop fucking up.
“No!” Heir screamed so loud I had to cover my ears.
“Don't take him!” I shouted. Before I knew what I was doing. I was fighting the guards off of him. One of them elbowed me in the face, but I still held on. One of the guards got enough and he pick me up by the waist and threw me. I slid a few inches across the room before Henry starting pounding the gavel again.
“Mason Faye. I am holding you in contempt of court. I am sentencing you to one week in Formal Jail. Take her away!”
“What?!” I clutched my nose.
More guards came into the room and headed straight for me. I got up off the floor and and ran away from them. The people on the benches were getting too loud and rowdy. Some of them attempted to grabbed me.
“Ahhh!” I screamed as one man put me over his shoulder and brought me right to the guards.
“Have fun in jail Ms. Faye, maybe you'll learn to be more obedient in there. It's going to be just like the academy.”