“His office, but Nadia—”
I’m already moving. Across the yard. Through the facility corridors. My wolf is pushing at my control.
He didn’t do this. The certainty is absolute and unexplainable.
Viktor’s office is on the admin levels. I take stairs two at a time, too impatient to wait for the lift.
The door is closed. I don’t knock. Just open it and walk in.
Viktor looks up from his desk. Startled. Then his expression shifts to something harder when he sees my face.
Tabitha is there too. Sitting in the chair across from Viktor. Her eyes are red. Face blotchy. Grief etched into every line.
“Nadia,” Viktor says. Warning in his tone.
“Is it true?” I demand. “You detained Jericho for Samien’s murder?”
“Yes.” One word. Final.
“You think he did it.”
“The evidence suggests—”
“He didn’t do it.” The certainty in my voice surprises even me. Absolute. Unshakeable. Coming from somewhere deeper than thought or logic.
Viktor’s eyes narrow. “The evidence suggests otherwise. Claw marks. Scorching. Discarded scales. He has no alibi for the time of death.”
“I don’t care what the evidence suggests. It’s all circumstantial. He didn’t do this.”
Tabitha makes a sound. Raw. Wounded. “How can you say that? Samien is dead. Dragon evidence everywhere. The Syndicate defector we barely know—”
“He’s not—”
“You brought him here,” Tabitha cuts me off. Her voice breaks with grief, turning rapidly to rage. “You vouched for him. Convinced everyone to give him sanctuary. And now Samien is dead because we trusted your judgment.”
The words strike deep. True and unfair simultaneously.
“I didn’t vouch for him,” I say. Keep my voice steady. “I brought him in. Viktor and the Council decided on sanctuary.”
“After you spent days with him.” Tabitha stands. “After whatever happened between you two made you defend him even now. Even with Samien’s blood on his hands—”
“Tabitha.” Viktor’s voice cuts through. Sharp. “That’s enough.”
She stops. Breathing hard. Tears streaming down her face. But the accusation hangs in the air between us.
Whatever happened between you two.
Viktor looks at me. Assessing. Reading what I’m trying to hide. “Nadia. You need to keep a clear head about this. Don’t let whatever is between you and Allon cloud your judgment.”
“There’s nothing between us,” I say. The words feel wrong leaving my mouth.
“Then why are you defending him?”
“Because he didn’t do this.”
“How do you know?” Viktor leans forward. “You have evidence? Proof? Something that contradicts the evidence?”
I don’t. I have nothing except the bone-deep certainty of my wolf. Nothing except the knowledge that comes from somewhere I can’t comprehend.
