He sputters as the crowd snickers. “Are you saying the gods are still active?”
“Spoke to Hera and Athena the other day,” I reply truthfully. “And if you want to chat with Hera, you can visit her temple in Italy. There’s been some recent activity there—a perpetually blooming pomegranate tree—that is drawing in new visitors every day. She’s often there. I suggest you bring a gift. A good one. And pray she’s in a benevolent mood.”
Murmurs explode throughout the crowd, but Frederick stands, and the noise dies. He sits back down. Charles leans forward, but Frederick holds up a hand.
“Death matches are in less than two days. Let’s speed this up, shall we?” He looks at the other three judges. “Shall we move on to Mathias?”
Charles sputters, but the other two agree.
The woman turns toward Mathias. “Mathias Blackwell, state your case.”
“It’s true. We set up a meet, using a replica of the panel as bait, in the hopes of trapping Bennett,” he states. His gaze travels across the four judges. “He’s collaborating with humans. Using them to attack supernaturals with magically enhanced weapons. He sent those humans to Nolan Westgate’s memorial gala to steal the panel and key. They attacked me in their effort to find those items.”
The crowd surges forward, and Frederick signals to the guards to take up position between Bennett and the vampires. I look over at the mage, and he moves back a few steps. I smirk, and his fists clench.
“His men attacked the council’s security teams and killed Dr. Letz Samuels with a magically enhanced knife. All in the attempt to obtain the key that used to be in Nolan’s collection. Later, he sent humans to break into Phaedra’s condo in America. They attacked her, hurt her,” he growls, flashing his red eyes in Bennett’s direction.
Frederick glares at Bennett. “I personally hired Letz to catalog and auction off Nolan’s collection and fill the vampire coffers. If you’re found guilty, you’ll be held accountable for his death.”
Bennett pales, and I see him lift his hands. I step back into Mathias, but then I see the glint of silver and relax. They’ve cut him off from his magic.
Frederick glances at Mathias. “Continue.”
“We believe he killed Nolan, though we cannot prove it,” he reveals to the crowd, and they surge forward again, teeth bared, hissing at Bennett. He swallows but manages to stand his ground.
It’s ironic. Most of the people in here would probably have lined up to kill Nolan if they’d been strong enough, but for an outsider to do it, it’s an outrage.
This time it takes Frederick several minutes to gain control of the court.
“We believe he represents a danger to the supernatural society, and while we have reason enough to detain him for his crimes, I no longer wish to pursue that avenue,” Mathias states, to my surprise.
He looks down at me, and I see the muscle ticking in his jaw. “He attacked what is mine. My mate. For that, I call for a duela. To the death.”
The crowd roars and starts chanting, “Duela. Duela.” It’s obvious they won’t be rooting for Bennett.
I bite my lip, trying to hold onto a whisper of control. “Tell me you didn’t just ask for a duel to the death.” For me. I don’t say the words, but it’s obvious I mean them.
He bends down and snarls, “You’re my mate. Bond or no bond. He doesn’t get to touch you and live.” With those words, he straightens and crosses his arms.
First, he kisses me like he’s laying siege to my heart in front of an entire city, and now he’s asking to kill the mage who dared attack me.Damn him. I’m trying to send him home, and he’s making me fall for him. I mean. Seriously.
Frederick looks over at Mathias, and I catch a glimmer of satisfaction.Hmm.He was Nolan’s right-hand man. I wonder if he already suspected Bennett of killing him.
“Order! Order!” Frederick’s voice never rises, but it doesn’t have to. The crowd quiets. “We will adjourn and deliberate. Guards, escort Mr. Smythe to a cell. Make sure he’s comfortable.” He turns toward the two of us. “Escort Mathias and his mate to his quarters. Post a guard.”
Fury fills Bennett’s face for a brief second, then he smiles and blows me a kiss. “This isn’t over.”
Mathias tilts his head, considering the mage. There’s the slightest hint of concern in his eyes, but he blinks, and it disappears.
Relieved, I link my fingers with Mathias’ and look up at him. “Please tell me you have a shower with plenty of hot water.”
Mathias’room is sumptuous. Although I expected red velvet drapes and gothic décor, I’m pleasantly surprised to find a posh, sophisticated suite complete with a living room. Done in shades of brown and blue, the entire setup looks like a boutique hotel. A brown leather chesterfield, flanked by two velvet modern wingback chairs and marble side tables, graces the living room. Plump pillows in various shades of blue and brown pull the color scheme together.
The door from the living room leads to a luxurious bedroom. Center stage, the king bed, covered in a mocha brown velvet duvet, is piled high with pillows. There’s a matching dresser nearby.
Mathias pulls me into the bathroom. “Everything you need should be in here.” He clears his throat. “I’ll order some clothes for you. In the meantime, there’s a robe on the back of the door.” He abruptly strides out, shutting the door behind him.
I turn to the mirror and almost scream. Blood splatters cover my shirt, neck, and face. My usually tame hair is sticking up all over the place. I can’t imagine what the vampires must have thought when I walked into the trial. Might have helped our case. After all, it looked like we’d gone to battle and lost.
