Of course I will, but I’m, I’m—
What are you, Evalle?
A bad gamble.
No, you are a Belador who has sworn to protect your tribe, just as I have. I vowed to protect every Belador, too, which includes you. Even if this Tribunal will not recognize you as one of us, we do. I do.
Evalle swallowed hard at the gift of Brina’s faith, but that was even more reason to accept that she’d been cornered. She told Brina,I’ll . . .Evalle drew a breath, determined to get the words out. She could not put the most important person behind the future of the Beladors at risk.I’ll let them lock me up.
You. Will. Not. I will not allow it.
Evalle would never doubt Brina’s support again and she would not let her warrior queen down, starting with trying to convince the Tribunal not to place Brina in jeopardy.
Ares said, “I admire your loyalty to the Alterant, Brina of Treoir, but that does not mean she is safe to move among humans.”
“May I speak again?” Evalle asked Pele.
Ares ignored the direction of Evalle’s question and snarled at her. “Speak one last time and be done with it.”
Brina’s shoulders moved as though she’d taken a breath, preparing to intervene once more, but Evalle answered first.
“Is there not some way to clear my name once and for all? I only ask for the same chance any of you would want if you stood in my place today.”
Fury rolled through the air, and Ares’ formidable gaze turned black. He warned Evalle, “Do not compare yourself to me. I am a god.”
Evalle saw her last chance slip away with his anger.
Loki stopped playing with his tiny fireworks and glanced over at Ares, who didn’t notice the sly smile that lit Loki’s eyes. “I say we grant the Alterant’s request.”
Evalle’s mouth slipped open at the unexpected support from Loki’s corner, even if the real reason behind his comment was only to poke at Ares, who reached for his sword.
As moderator of this Tribunal, Pele took a step back, placing herself between the two gods once again. Addressing Loki, she said, “She must first answer for the three escaped Alterants.”
Loki nodded. “Agreed. Let the one who returns the three escaped Alterants to VIPER be cleared of prior transgressions. That would stand as proof of her safety to humans and solve the missing Alterant problem.”
That wasananswer, if nottheanswer, to Evalle’s problems. How would she find the escapees? And if she did find them, how could she condemn someone to life in a cage when she would fight to the death to avoid the same thing? “About those three—”
“Silence!” Ares shouted.
“Let the Alterant speak,” Loki said in the most gracious benefactor voice anyone had ever heard.
Evalle knew better and attributed the intervention to Loki yet again antagonizing Ares, but that was Pele’s problem, not hers.
Pele nodded. “You may speak.”
Ares sent her death looks.Not getting any yea votes from that corner.
Evalle said, “Thank you. If the three Alterants come with me willingly, I’d like to ask for a provision that they have a chance to plead their cases to a Tribunal court.”
Brina didn’t move, but her posture stiffened.
Ares said, “No.”
Loki beamed a rich smile. “I see no problem with that.”
“This is not a vote,” Ares argued.
“Oh, but it must be,” Pele said, stepping in before things heated up again. She turned her back on Brina, Evalle and Sen to confer with the two gods. Ares glared the look of death at Loki, who grinned nonstop.
