The Beholder

by Connie Hall

  Loud voices suddenly stilled.

  A sea of faces stared at her, judging her. A collective wave of suspicion and repugnance thundered at her, almost doubling her over. It was like hearing a thousand cats purring directly into her head. She wanted to rub her throbbing temples, but the handcuffs stopped her.

  The whole pride must have turned out for the tribunal, all in human form. She stiffened her spine and her courage. You can get through this for Kane.

  The courthouse didn’t adhere to the human’s judiciary design. Shaped more like a miniature coliseum, it held four galleries and circled a lower arena, where she stood at the moment. Near her sprawled a large ring, cordoned off by iron railings. At the front, a curved dais held the six council members, all robed in black. Gold honor stoles draped their necks and fell down their chests. What looked like hieroglyphics was embroidered in black on the stoles, which harkened back to the seniphs’ arcane beginnings. She wondered if they’d been doing this ceremony since Tutankhamen’s time. Had he been a seniph, too?

  Quinton sat front and center. Bruises and gashes dotted his face and neck. His lower lip looked torn and twice the size it should be. His bad eye was all white and added an even more zombielike quality to his face. He didn’t appear at all happy or at all impartial from the Pontius Pilate-glare she was getting.

  Nina didn’t realize she’d paused until Jake gave her a little nudge. The rotunda’s acoustics were phenomenal, and her footsteps echoed like bass drumbeats in the ensuing silence.

  “Bring in the other accused,” Quinton barked and pointed to a robed bailiff who stood at the end of the dais.

  The bailiff disappeared through a door behind the platform.

  After a moment, he reappeared. Arwan followed him, looking very official and trustworthy in her sheriff’s uniform. She looked bold and beautiful and all official business, her platinum hair braided in a chignon, her hazel eyes sparkling like hand-blown glass, her cheeks rosy red. She captured the attention of every male in the room. And she walked with the confident air of a woman aware of her own feminine power and her ability to manipulate any one of them.

  Where was Ethan?

  Kane walked in behind her, his chains rattling like Jacob Marley’s ghost.

  A collective gasp erupted from the assemblage.

  Nina sucked in her breath. Kane’s head had been shorn; only stubble remained on it. He wore a loincloth, and she could see the deep lacerations over his muscular legs, stomach, chest and arms. They matched the scars on his back. There wasn’t one place on his beautiful body that didn’t look ravaged. Dear God! She wanted to go to him, but when she took a step toward him, Jake stayed her with a hand on her shoulder.

  He said, “Stay where you are.”

  Kane saw the exchange, and his eyes shot green fire at Jake. Then his gaze met Nina’s. The remoteness and detachment in his expression frightened her. He had reverted back behind that wall he had built around his heart. He didn’t let his gaze linger long, and it shifted to Quinton.

  “Lay out your claims against me and the human,” Kane said, motioning toward Nina while avoiding eye contact with her.

  She felt her emotional connection to Kane slipping away by the second.

  Quinton pulled out a scroll that looked made of papyrus and unrolled it. His fat lip snarled as he began to read, “Kane Van Cleave, you are accused of bringing a gleaner into our midst, harboring said gleaner, lying to this council, the sheriff and your pride. You also jeopardized the pride by abducting a human, mating with her without approval—” all the females present gave a loud gasp at this “—and eliciting her help in your subterfuge.”

  Nina pursed her lips and frowned. Kane had told her they brought humans into the pride to eliminate inbreeding, but he hadn’t told her they needed approval first. So Kane had been breaking another law by sleeping with her. It didn’t seem fair.

  “What say you to these charges?”

  “Guilty.”

  “No!” Nina yelled.

  “Quiet.” Quinton looked down his nose at her from his high seat. “Humans are not allowed to speak in a tribunal.”

  “Even when I know the accused is lying?”

  Another gasp from the gallery.

  Kane shot her a “butt-out” glare. “I am guilty and take full responsibility,” he said. “The human had nothing to do with it. Let her go.”

  One of the council members with a gray goatee and a gouge over his right eye spoke. “Kane, you know we cannot do what you ask. She is a risk to us all.”

  “I kidnapped her and forced her to help me.”

  “He’s lying,” Nina said, impassioned to save Kane from his own sense of honor. Where was Ethan, damn it!

  Quinton pounded the dais with his fist. “Quiet, all of you!”

  Silence grew so heavy in the air it throbbed against Nina’s eardrums. From years of hunting, seniphs had a way of stilling their breathing and bodies. She heard only her own heartbeat and breaths booming in her ears.

  Another council member broke the hush. “Let the woman speak. I wish to hear what she has to say.” He addressed Nina. “Do you have proof of these accusations?”

  “I do.” Though he’s not here yet.

  Several other councilmen nodded and voiced their agreement on listening to her.

  Quinton relented. “Very well. Speak then, witch.”

  She wanted to say, “First of all, I’m not a witch,” but she kept to the subject. “The real guilty party here is Arwan.”

  Another sharp inhale from the onlookers. Arwan stiffened and looked at Nina as if she wanted to rip her eyes out and eat them.

  “How so?” Goatee asked.

  “Ask her why she imprisoned Ethan in the dungeon of the old jail.”

  Kane’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “She’s lying,” Arwan ground out. “Kane has hidden Ethan away. Not even the doom demons could get the truth out of him.”

  Quinton looked at Kane. “If you have any loyalty to this pride, tell us where he is.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “He doesn’t,” Nina spoke up. “I escaped my cell and found Ethan in the basement. He told me himself that Arwan put him there and tortured him. She has made fools of you all. I let him go.”

  Another twitter of disbelief at Nina’s bravado.

  “Liar!” Arwan bawled. “I had no reason to imprison Ethan. I would have destroyed him if I had found him. And she expects us to believe that Ethan didn’t kill her with his burning powers?”

  “Magical crystals were draining his strength and keeping him under control,” Nina said.

  Arwan laughed out loud, mockingly. “Another lie.” She walked along the dais, meeting the eyes of each council member. “Are you going to believe this slutty witch over me?”

  “No,” came a loud cry from the bystanders.

  “It’s the truth!” Nina cried.

  “Silence!” Quinton bellowed, his voice carrying with a foghorn’s intensity. The room quieted; then he said, “If anyone else speaks, I’ll clear this court.”

  A hush blanketed the air, but Nina felt the animosity for her rise a hundred points. If looks could fry, she’d be well done by now. What if Ethan didn’t show up? Had she misjudged him? She might have signed Kane’s death warrant by trusting his brother to do the right thing.

  Kane stepped forward, his chains rattling. “The witch is lying. I’m guilty. Sentence me, but let her go.”

  Nina looked askance at Kane, but he wouldn’t look at her and missed it.

  Quinton said, “She’s wasted enough of the court’s time. Kane, face your peers for sentencing.”

  Nina wanted to scream that Ethan could confirm the truth of her words, but she knew it would be futile to argue with Quinton.

  Kane turned to the seniphs in the gallery. He didn’t bow his head but looked straight into the eyes of each shifter there.

  “You can no longer hold the alpha. You will be stoned to death in accordance with our laws, at sunrise tomorr
ow morning.”

  Some of the females wailed aloud. Nina felt as if her insides were being pulled from her body.

  “Do you accept your fate?”

  “I do.” Kane’s baritone carried loudly through the court. “What about the human?” Kane asked.

  “She will be bound and stoned with you.”

  “No,” he ground out. After a moment his eyes gleamed as if he remembered something, and he blurted, “I invoke the Law of Champion in her behalf.”

  “What is that?” Nina whispered to Jake.

  “Instead of being stoned, a champion will fight for your life,” Jake said.

  “What if I don’t want that?” Nina glowered at the side of Kane’s head, because he refused to make eye contact.

  “Then you die with Kane.”

  Louder, Nina said, “Thank you all the same, but I turn down your law. I’d rather be stoned.”

  “Then I accept for her.” Kane cut his eyes at her, one brow arching cynically.

  Nina didn’t see one hint of the man who had held her and made love to her. This Kane was aloof, cold, hiding behind the emotional barrier he’d erected. Pain squeezed the region over her heart. She turned away from Kane and asked Quinton, “He can’t do that, can he?”

  “Yes, for he’s admitted he’s the reason you are involved in these charges.”

  “Well, just peachy,” Nina said. “I don’t have a choice, it appears. What kind of kangaroo court is this? Other people can choose what affects you, no one listens when you’re telling the God’s honest truth—”

  “Quiet.” Quinton peered down his scabbed and swollen nose.

  “It has been done. A champion will be chosen.”

  Nina tried to cross her arms over her chest in a huff, but the handcuffs pulled at her wrists and she grimaced and lowered her hands.

  Quinton spoke to the gallery. “Anyone willing to champion this human step forth.”

  Nina thought Kane would be the first to stand up for her, but he didn’t move. She watched as ten males stood up and walked down the gallery isles. All were young, muscular, cocky and eager. One towered over all of them. He must have been seven feet tall, barrel-chested, with linebacker-size shoulders and arms. A shock full of curly black hair stuck out all over his head. He was the most frightening of them all.

  Nina bent near Jake again. “I didn’t think anyone would stand up for me because I’m human.”

  “Don’t get a big head. We only tolerate humans. They are competing for title of alpha.”

  “Oh—wait! Does that mean they’ll fight Kane?”

  “Yes.”

  “But he’s wounded. It won’t be a fair fight.”

  “He’ll die in battle and save face. A true warrior’s death. It’s better than being stoned.”

  No, no, no! Kane was going on a suicide mission to save her. “If my champion is defeated, what happens?” Nina asked.

  “Kane will continue to fight until he’s defeated.”

  “Oh, no!”

  Jake’s gaze roamed up and down her body. “The winner also wins you and keeps you as a concubine. You will never be able to leave the pride.”

  “Nice.” Nina watched as the ten men lined up before the dais, facing the crowd. One of them, who had a beaver face, winked at her. She averted her gaze as quickly as she could.

  Quinton waved a hand toward the group. “Choose your champion.”

  Nina stepped forward, but Jake grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. “Not you,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Wait a minute, this is my champion.”

  “The person who invoked the law chooses.”

  “What kind of archaic rules are these?” She shot him a look of mute appeal and dread as she wondered which shifter Kane would choose.

  Kane looked each man in the eye then pointed to the Jolly Dark Giant. “I choose Tibor.”

  Nina felt the pit of her stomach drop. No, no, no! Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Ethan, where are you?

  Ten minutes later, Kane listened to the catcalls and whoops from the gallery as he circled Tibor inside a metal arena that had been set up in the courtroom’s center. Some seniphs were in favor of Kane. Most wanted Tibor to be vindicated. Two years ago, Tibor had challenged Kane for title of alpha. Kane had won and spared Tibor’s life. Because of that act of mercy, Tibor had been the brunt of jokes for two years. Tibor had an ax to grind, and Kane knew this fight would be to the death and no mercy would be involved. And Nina would at least have a life.

  He had a hard time keeping his gaze away from Nina. Her vivid blue eyes gleamed with worry, disappointment and a tenderness that tugged at his insides. And the tears. He couldn’t stand to think he’d made her cry. He hated that he’d dragged her into this, and he hoped she forgave him. The moments he’d shared with her had been the happiest he’d had in a long time. But he knew reality would come back to forge a path between them. He should never have let himself grow close to her. Never.

  And where had she come up with that lie about Ethan? He didn’t believe she’d spoken to Ethan and that Arwan had imprisoned him in the dungeon jail. Arwan may have had a crush on Kane, but she would never stoop to such lies. She wouldn’t betray him like that. Yes, she had brought the council to Ethan’s den, but she had just been protecting her own life. Maybe Nina was just trying to protect Kane and delay the inevitable. But who had taken Ethan? And was Ethan dead already?

  He was glad he’d remembered a way to save Nina at the last moment. At least she wouldn’t have to die. Thoughts of Tibor with his big beefy hands all over delicate little Nina made jealousy pour through his veins like hot lava, his beast’s anger rising like a high tide within him.

  They had shifted to fight, and Tibor in lion skin was an impressive sight, even to Kane. He outweighed Kane by seventy pounds and was half a foot taller. The muscles beneath his fur rippled as he crept slowly around Kane. Kane could smell the fear pheromone coming through Tibor’s sweat glands, and it was a heady smell for the beast in him. He felt the need to spring building in him, the need to sink his teeth into flesh, the need to dominate. Don’t be in a hurry. Concentrate on the eyes and wait. The attacker never had the advantage. It was the second blow of a careful defender that did the most damage. He’d learned that from his father.

  Tibor attacked, jaws and claws thrashing.

  Kane leaped over his opponent and aimed for his neck. He felt Tibor’s jaws sink into his haunch.

  Kane bit Tibor’s throat, but his aim was off. He had a mouthful of fur and skin. Not the windpipe.

  Tibor recovered and slammed his body into Kane. All Kane could see was the killing gleam in his opponent’s eyes.

  Chapter 16

  Nina couldn’t stand it any longer. She might lose her life, but she couldn’t watch Kane die right before her eyes. She grabbed Jake’s arm and commanded him to sleep.

  He fell at her feet.

  She hopped over him and ran for the makeshift arena.

  “Get her!” Quinton yelled.

  Nina was already over the iron rail and inside the ring. Tibor’s and Kane’s massive jaws were going at each other as they rolled on the ground. After three tries, she managed to latch her handcuffed hands onto Tibor’s tail. She gave him an order to sleep. He tumbled over and thumped against the floor, eyes tightly closed, lips blood-covered and still snarling.

  The spectators screamed obscenities at her for interfering, and she wondered if this was what it had been like for the gladiators of Rome. Some were leaping down from the gallery, shifting. They bumped into each other and began to fight among themselves. Utter chaos.

  Someone pulled the emergency fire alarm, and the sprinkler systems rained down. Nina could hardly catch her breath for the water hitting her face. This captured the attention of the seniphs, too. True to their feline nature, they didn’t look happy about getting wet.

  Nina saw them sputtering and shaking off water as she ran to Kane. He rose, shifting into human form. He was naked, blood leaking
from the bites on his body.

  He said, “You shouldn’t have interfered. It will just make it worse.” The water hitting his wounds caused him to flinch in pain.

  Nina felt someone grab her from behind. Arwan called out, “Watch her hands.”

  A small contention of chaos still continued at the main door. Through the huddled fray, Nina caught quick glimpses of Ethan’s face. He’d made it. She wanted to leap with joy, but all she could manage was a long, ragged exhale of relief.

  One of the contenders, Beaver, jerked Nina to her feet from behind and locked her arms against her chest. At the same time, six men leaped on Kane and stopped him from rushing to Nina’s rescue.

  She struggled to touch her captor to give him an order, but she couldn’t break her hands free. Beaver had a death grip on her arms. She stopped struggling, her attention drawn back to the door.

  Ethan tossed three seniphs up against a wall like they were tennis balls. He warned them he didn’t want to hurt them, but he’d kill them if they attacked again. His eyes had such a killing flame in them that the seniphs backed off out of fear. The pride members who’d formed a closed ring around him also parted.

  The sprinklers had stopped, and Nina had a clear view of Ethan. Their eyes met and connected for a second. His expression said, “Hey, I made it. Don’t be angry.”

  Ethan turned to the dais where the councilmen looked stunned. “I wish to be heard. Then you can do what you will with me.”

  “No,” Kane blurted as two men dragged him to his feet and clamped the chains back on his arms and legs. One of the men was licking the blood off Kane’s hands.

  Ick. Nina had forgotten how much seniphs (no matter what skin they were in) liked the taste of blood. She shifted her gaze back to Kane. He knew Ethan was making the ultimate sacrifice. He seemed to be oozing torment from every pore. She could feel it like a rainstorm inside her mind.

  Ethan shook the water from his face and said, “Don’t worry. I wish to clear your name, brother, and set the record straight. It’s time.” Even though Ethan’s eyes flashed flames, Nina saw flickers of compassion for his brother there.