The vine berry wasn’t as lethal as mavish root, but it was instant, especially in its pure form.She’d taught him herself how to spot poisons in the wild.How to use them to his advantage in a fight.
“The vipers favor mavish root poison.Slow and painful.Vine berry is harsh and fast.You’re not walking out of here, Alison, but you won’t die.Not by my hand.”
“I have less qualms about that,” Thalia said.Her breathing was labored as she rose to stand beside him, sword in hand.
“Try me as you’d like.It will never stick,” Alison rasped.
The shadows tugged at his senses as she crashed to her knees, alerting him to others moving through the greenhouse.
Thalia stepped forward and pressed her sword to Alison’s throat, drawing a line in blood.“You killed my mate, and I was promised blood.Your death is the only acceptable outcome.”
Connor hardened his heart against the turbulent well of emotion that rose.Just because he wasn’t willing to be the hand that killed his guardian didn’t mean that she deserved life.She was a dangerous threat to his daughters and to the future of magic.
He bit his tongue to cut off words about his plan to try her for treason as Ryan and Morgan appeared out the trees and stepped forward to flank them.
“Release her, Thalia.I’ll take it from here,” Morgan ordered.
“Did you get enough for a death penalty?”
“We got enough to try her for the murder of your team and for treason,” he confirmed.
Still, Thalia refused to drop her sword.“She’ll die?”
“Yes.But not before she’s convicted for murder and treason.”
“It will never stick,” Alison reiterated.
“It will,” Ryan declared.“You’re being tried by the Va’shana council.Not the military.Not the crown.The Va’shana aren’t opposed to issuing death verdicts.”
“No.”Alison’s eyes widened in surprise as Thalia finally released her and stepped back.
“You were a good teacher, Ali.An even better guardian.Despite everything, I’m grateful for that.But you will die at the end of this.For Jax and Drew.For Samir’s team.For all the mages and children yet to be born.We will protect them.We will protect this world without destroying the magic that flows from its core into all existence.Because you’re wrong, Ali.Magic isn’t a resource to fight over.It’s an inherent part of our souls.A vital element of all living things.I will spend the rest of my life guarding it.”
“Well said.”Morgan smiled viciously.“Alison, you are hereby under arrest by order of the Va’shana Council.Your life is forfeit to their judgement.”
With some effort, Connor moved away, letting Morgan take control.A tremor moved through him.It was really over.The shadows billowed around him comfortingly as he released another breath.
Thalia limped over to him, a little worse for wear, but her eyes clearer than they’d been since before Jax had died.Only one open wound that he could see.
“You good?”he asked softly.
“Yeah.”She nodded.“I’d prefer to have ended her life myself, but I’ll allow the Va’shana to handle her.But if they fail to give her the death sentence nothing will stop me from finding whatever prison they’ve hidden her in and killing her myself.”
“Fair enough,” Ryan said.
“Thank you for letting me take the fight, Connor.”
“We’re a team, and that moment was always yours,” Connor said, wrapping an arm around Thalia and hugging her close.She hugged him back, tighter than usual.“But did you have to give her my mother’s sword?”
A gurgled laugh sounded against his chest, and Thalia’s knuckles caught him in the ribs.
He hissed as the impact, light as it was, made the skin around his wound tingle.“Easy!”
“Not my fault you weren’t fast enough to get to your sword before she did.What are you whining about?That’s barely a scratch.”
Huffing in amusement, he hugged her again before releasing her but kept an arm around her shoulders.Both of them became serious as he met her gaze.“That’s why you quit the teams, isn’t it?So you could confront her?”
“One of the reasons.Didn’t feel right, otherwise.She was one of us.”
