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“Shall we move on to the matter of unsanctioned disclosure?” Constantin asks, enjoying himself.

“From what we’ve heard, Nick had no choice,” Roslyn begins.

“But he did,” Constantin fires back. “Protocol states he should’ve notified the council immediately so the extent of the disclosure could’ve been assessed. Instead, he freely offered our secrets to this outsider without approval.”

“The circumstances are extenuating,” Sigrid says. “I doubt we could’ve decided a course of action at that moment, with the investigation still pending. What else was he supposed to do, Connie?”

Constantin cringes at the nickname only Sigrid dares to use, and there’s a murmur of agreement from the human side of the table.

Caleb pushes his glasses back up his nose and taps his pen. “If she stays, decides to become a resident, isn’t this a non-issue?”

The entire room turns to Ellery.

Chapter 34

Ellery

Stay?

I’ve thought about it. Not like this, not with nine people waiting and my hand going numb in Nick’s.

My answer has consequences for him too. If I say no, what will they do to him as punishment for telling me the secrets of this town?

My mouth opens with no clue what my next words are going to be. “I⁠—”

“Miss Ashford can’t be expected to make a decision like that on the spot, nor can we assess Nick’s petition for disclosure until the investigation is complete.” Roslyn saves me.

“Given the circumstances, let us consider an interim measure,” Hazel adds. “Provisional approval, pending review in the new year. As it’s Nick’s petition, he must abstain. All those in favor?”

Roslyn’s hand goes up first, followed by Hazel, Caleb, Pete, Lloyd, and Sigrid. Everyone except Constantin, Anna, and Dominic. Of course.

“You should know what we’re ratifying, Ellery, since it’s your head.” Hazel folds her hands on the table. “If the request for disclosure is denied, your knowledge of the supernatural elements of this town will be removed from your memory. It isn’t cruel, and it doesn’t hurt. You’d wake up the next day like none of this happened. And you’d never know otherwise.” She smiles. “We’re voting not to do that yet. I’d like you to understand that we could have.”

They wouldn’t take a few minutes like Constantin did. They’d take last night. They’d take the alley and Nick’s face under the streetlight and the four hours on his couch after that.

Would they take the rest? The nights and weeks before it, when I didn’t know. The moments I shared with Nick. Once they were doing it to me, I wouldn’t know what I was missing. My whole life has been other people making decisions for me, but at least I always knew it was happening.

“I understand.”

Nick squeezes my hand so hard it hurts. It’s the only thing keeping me in this chair.

“And what is the punishment for the Valzera Guardian?” Constantin asks.

“That will be decided along with Ellery’s fate in the new year.” Hazel shuffles her papers and stands.

Nick’s quiet as we stroll along the frozen creek.

“Why didn’t you tell me they’d take my memory?” Just the idea of it scares me more than that guy last night with his teeth at my neck. If they’re willing to cut out what I know to protect this town, I shudder to think how they’d punish Nick for breaching the law.

“Because I won’t let it come to that.”

“Nick…” I plant my feet and tug on his hand until he’s standing in front of me.

“I won’t.” His gray eyes are storm clouds. “I won’t let them take anything from you.”

“They already have. I was in that alley, staring into the face of something that shouldn’t exist, and the whole town let me. Kept me naive to protect itself. I was the last person in control of my own life. Again.”

He pulls me into his arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything sooner.”