I nodded. “I will consent to an instant trial right now about the jailbreak, but only if you promise to reopen Sawyer’s murder case, take my testimony, and look ateverything.”
I had to bite my lip to keep from crying. Showing her and everyone here my rape would be one of the most horrific things I’d ever had to relive, but if it would save Sawyer, I would do it.
Her brows drew together. “You know of my abilities and you would consent to have me see that you masterminded a jailbreak?”
I nodded. “If you wouldalsosee that Vicon Drake raped me when I was fifteen.”
Every council member inside of the bubble gasped.
“Lies!” the vampire councilmen roared. “What a convenient little falsehood to save her beloved. Cry rape. Howoriginal,” he seethed.
I could see the veins in the witch’s neck twitch. She didn’t like him.
“Is she crying rape if she’s willing to allow my power to see the truth?” the witch spat at him, looking up at the vampire with a cold gaze.
He just puckered his lips, like he’d sucked on something sour.
“I will grant your request. Consider his case reopened.” The witch stepped closer to me, extending her hand, and I froze.
I had only flashes of memory from that night. I didn’t want to see the whole thing, to remember more. Sensing my anxiety, my wolf bucked against the collar and the chain went taut in the witch’s hand.
‘I have the memories. Let me do it,’she said.
It dawned on me then, she was right.Shewas the one who’d saved me and locked everything away to protect me.
‘Are you sure?’I asked.
She nodded.
“Let my wolf join me, and then I’ll show you. She has the memories of that night. The night my soul split in two,” I added, and glared at the male vampire.
At my request, compassion crossed the faces of the witch, troll, and light fey.
“I’ll allow that, but if you tryanything, I’ll kill him instantly.” The witch pointed to Sawyer and the dark fey broke out of formation to stand behind my mate.
Sawyer peeled his lips back, growling, but didn’t move.
The young witch councilwoman walked over to my wolf and unlatched the cuff at her neck. The second it fell to the ground, I dropped to my knees and opened my arms. Tears lined my eyes as she leapt into the air, going spectral, and slammed into my chest. I burst into sobs as she filled me up, making me feel whole and normal and sane for the first time since I’d left her.
‘Never again. I’m so sorry,’I told her, hugging my chest.
‘It’s okay,’she promised.‘We can get through anything.’
I looked up into the surprised faces of the council, wiping the tears from my cheeks. Why did everyone look so shocked? It’s like they hadn’t really expected her to join me. Maybe they thought my split shifting was a rumor and she was a decoy pack wolf or something. Shaking herself from her stupor, the witch held out her hand again.
“Do I, Callie Heartstone, have your permission to enter your mind and see all there is to see pertaining to the truth?” she asked.
Enter my mind?I wanted to cry out,Hell no, but I knew the truth was the only way out of this mess. “I do,” I told her, and then turned to Sawyer. “Promise me you won’t look.” My lower lip shook and his entire face fell. It was like I’d just stabbed him. You could see the pain play across his features.
‘Promise me,’I pushed through our imprint, relieved to find that the collar didn’t keep me from mentally speaking to my mate. I couldn’t live the rest of my life with this man if I knew that he’d seen the darkest night of my soul play out like a movie.
I just couldn’t. Some things needed to stay private in a marriage, and this was a deal breaker for me.
He swallowed hard, his eyes flashing yellow. “I promise.” His voice broke.
“Okay, very cute,” the vampire councilman sneered at Sawyer and I. “Let’s get this over with so we can lock them up.”
The witch’s nostrils flared in irritation, and then she looked at me, softening her gaze. “Show me your memory of the night of the alleged incident with Prince Vicon Drake.”
