“Silence!” the Queen Justice roared.
Quiet descended in the courtroom once more.
The Queen Justice angled toward me again. “And have you ever considered twisting fate to your own advantage?” She arched an eyebrow. “Have you ever wanted to use your magic to give yourself immense power or to give someone else an advantage, something that they would not have otherwise been privy to had you not altered fate?”
My mouth opened again, the truth potion demanding that I say yes I’d done such a thing for the Dark Raider, that I’d granted his freedom, but my mate’s magic again pulsed steadily inside me. “No.”
Her eyes widened. For one brief, infinitesimal moment, she looked at me with a flash of guilt.
Even the kingsfae commander and magistrate on the other side shared uneasy looks.
Frowning, the Queen Justice leaned back, a wash of sympathy radiating across her face. Another moment of silence fell over the courtroom, but the Queen Justice straightened, her expression turning shrewd again.
Questions resuming, she didn’t relent. She came at me from all angles, digging into my past, asking me more personal questions, commanding me to reveal every intrusive detail about myself.
Yet each time the truth potion demanded me to reveal anything that might implicate Jax as the Dark Raider or something that would hurt Bastian or our friends, Jax’s magic saved me from responding.
However, as her questioning wore on, Jax’s magic was needed less and less. Most of her questions became more focused on my character, as though she thoroughly wanted to understand my motivations and nothing more.
It seemed the Queen Justice was more interested in learning about my risk to others versus trying to uncover details about the king’s malicious plan.
And by the time her questioning finished and the truth potion began to wear off, she at last stopped.
“I believe that’s enough for today. We shall adjourn and begin questioning again tomorrow.”
My trial continuedfor the rest of the week. Each day, the prison system continued to force the magic-suppressing potion down my throat, and my head was constantly swimming, so much so that I could barely walk, let alone fully understand all that was happening.
Yet, as my trial wore on, my surprise and love for my mate grew. Fae were brought in to testify on my behalf. Fae who only Jax could have told my magistrate about. Lillivel, Esopeel, Saramel, and even my former Emerson Estate guards were all called to stand witness to my character.
When Mushil was brought into the courtroom, I nearly wept. He looked healthy and whole, his walk smooth and even. And when he sat before the judges, he turned kind eyes on me and told the entire courtroom of the horrific abuse I’d suffered my entire life under Guardian Alleron’s care. And he further revealed that despite that upbringing, my demeanor remained kind and true. He testified that I was a rare fairy who the realm did not need to fear despite my immense magic.
But it was the last fairy to testify who truly seemed to capture everyone’s attention. When Norivun walked into the courtroom, every fairy in attendance took notice. The Solis royal’s huge black wings folded behind him, and his demeanor was as commanding and icy as his northern realm.
Norivun even ingested a truth potion as a sign of good faith before telling the courts of how the prince and I had uncovered what King Paevin had done with the gems mined from his continent. He further explained how it was the prince and me who’d worked tirelessly to ensure all of the half-breeds King Paevin had egregiously used be returned to their normal state of mind.
And he then went on to explain that a similar gem had been used to control me throughout my lifetime. That I’d worn a collar, like a slave, and that my guardian—who the courts had appointed to own me—had viciously used that gem’s control over me only to benefit himself.
Gasps had emitted from the crowd when that knowledge was shared.
Yet, despite all of that, Norivun testified that he’d never seen anything but me wanting to do good in the realm. That, despite all of the suffering I’d been subjected to in my lifetime, I still wanted what was best for others.
And even when the opposing magistrate and kingsfae commander had their turn to argue their side, it wasn’t lost on me that they didn’t seem enthralled with the idea of imprisoning me. Magistrate Fortifine’s case had been too strong, too convincing,
At last, as the trial came to a close and the Queen Justice had me stand before her, she handed down her sentence.
“Elowen Emerson, lorafin of Faewood Kingdom, the supernatural courts have ruled that you are not a danger to the realm. They have further ruled that you enacted your lorafin magic to twist fate as a way to save the realm from further misgivings.” She banged the gong near her bench. “Your charges have been dropped, and you are free to go, Lady Emerson, but let me remind you, should you use your lorafin magic to twist fate again, without the permission of the courts, you run the risk of being imprisoned once more. Do I make myself clear?”
Tears filled my eyes, and an explosion of satisfaction burst from Jax’s aura.
I dipped my head and nodded emphatically. “Yes, Queen Justice. I understand, and I can assure you that I will never twist fate again.”
CHAPTER 29
The bright sunlight hit my face when I walked free from the supernatural courts. Jax brushed against my side, his presence heavy and pulsing with magic. I paused, standing on the top of the wide stone steps as the hustle of Jaggedston filled the view in front of me. The potions still clogged my mind, dulling my senses and suppressing my magic, but as I inhaled the fresh afternoon air, for the first time in weeks, fear didn’t grip me.
My mate looped an arm around my waist, drawing me close. I’d been allowed to change out of the hideous Nolus jumpsuit into my own clothes again. And despite the potions’ nauseating effects, that simple act helped to ground me further.
All of our friends followed us out onto the steps too, including Esopeel and Lillivel. Smiles broke across everyone’s faces, and they all rushed forward to hug me.
