“This is not done,” Port bellows, and for a guy that looks like he just finished puberty, he sure can go purple with outrage. “How dare the First interrupt this tribunal and make such ludicrous threats!”
The stout guys responds by opening the parchment again and reading it word for word.
Nope, definitely didn’t imagine that wholeclaim my rightful placepart.
“You tell the First—”
“Port, sit down before you say something that your whole House will come to regret,” Wella commands, and I’m surprised when Port actually listens.
He looks like he’s chewing glass as he sits his grumpy ass in the chair, but he does it nonetheless. Wella turns to the others.
“Are there any other pressing questions that need to be addressed?” she asks.
The stout dude unrolls his parchment again and reads it. Naree rolls her eyes, and Mote gives an outraged huff. Port gets even more purple but stays quiet. I look to Sabin and find the same confused expression that I know I’m wearing too.
“Fine, we are done with this Sentinel for today,” Wella announces, but the acid in her tone as she does—and the looks on the other tribunal members’ faces—scream that she’s not fucking happy about it.
I glare at the stout invader. If this guy, or whoever sent him, causes the tribunal to hate us even more than it seems they already do, there’s going to be a reckoning.
“Come with me, Vinna of the First,” the guy commands.
“Sure, just give me a minute to get dressed, oh, and figure out who the fuck you are and where you’re trying to take me,” I tell him with a glare and a look that sayscome the fuck on.
What does he do? He opens the damn parchment up and reads it again.
“Is there someone else here who doesn’t have a broken record for a brain that can tell me what the hell is going on?” I ask, turning to the angry tribunal members.
“Your family and House want to meet you,” Sauriel explains, like it’s all just as simple as that.
The answer feels like a punch to the chest. I turn to Sauriel as the last word leaves his mouth. Sabin’s and Torrez’s heads both snap in his direction, and we all just stare at him in shock.
“Tawv told us who your mother is. Clearly, they have found out too, and…” He gestures to the Sentinel stuck on repeat. “Would you like to meet them?” he asks me.
Panic and excitement flash flood through my veins, and I’m not sure what to say.Yes, I’ll meet them if you promise they’ll be nice to me? No, they can fuck off for leaving my mom to rot with Adriel instead of looking for her?My mouth is dry, and my chest feels heavy. I know I need to say something, but all I can think is…how much is this going to hurt? Can I withstand another cut or another blow from people who should give a fuck, but probably won’t?
My eyes move from Sauriel’s red-gold gaze to Sabin’s forest green one. I’m trying to be strong and not show how rattled I feel, but I feel fucking rattled.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” I admit to him, and a knowing and comforting smile spreads across his face.
“Are they good people?” Torrez asks.
“They are,” Sauriel responds.
I snort at the same time Port does. “By whose standards?” I ask as I give Port the side eye.
“The First, I’m sure you could guess from the name alone, is the oldest House of our people. They are powerful,” he supplies, pointing to the parchment-holding guy and toward the tribunal.
Yeah, I get that they might be the kind of people that say jump and everyone around them asks how high. I look from Sabin to Torrez, still unsure of what to do.
“It’s your call, Witch,” he tells me unhelpfully.
I chuckle when Ory and Naree both give a little gasp at Torrez’s pet name for me.
“If they hurt you, we’ll fuck them up,” Sabin states simply.
Sauriel turns to him, a hint of outrage in his eyes, and then turns to Torrez like he thinks he’ll find more reason there. Torrez shrugs, brushing off Sauriel’s obvious displeasure with Sabin’s statement.
“We will,” he backs his compeer up, and my heart swells with gratitude and appreciation.
