by C. L. Bright
Since I was heading back to the cell, I didn’t think I’d hear from them any time soon. There would likely be an argument about whether they should trust a word I’d said and more arguments on whether it mattered if any of what I’d said was true. I’d broken a lot of laws, even if I wasn’t actively working with rebels.
As I walked by, I caught Nicolas’s smirk. I expected to see him shortly after I got back to my cell. He hadn’t liked being chastised during the hearing, and since he couldn’t take his anger out on anyone on the justice panel, I’d pay the price.
Chapter 3
I didn’t look up right away when I heard the door to the detention area open since I expected it to be Nicolas. When no one taunted me or started making threats, I looked up to find Ambrose watching me.
I stood and met his gaze as several beats of silence passed.
“Sorry I didn’t come to see you earlier,” he finally said. “I tried, but they wouldn’t let me in, and then Father sent me away.”
“I understand,” I assured him.
“Why did you lie to me about Juliet?”
“We’re hunters,” I replied with a shrug. “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have offered to help Juliet. I shouldn’t have offered to help her, and I knew everyone would tell me I was wrong for doing it. There’s just something about her. She makes me see the world in a whole new way. She makes me see how wrong I was about her kind.”
“I was shocked to learn the truth,” he admitted. “She doesn’t seem like an animal. It was easy believing she’s a witch.”
“Do spellcasters ever give any shapeshifters a chance to prove they’re more than animals?” I asked. “Those who work at the trading posts probably have a slightly different view since they interact with shapeshifters in human form. We hunt them and force them to stay in their animal form so other spellcasters can use them. They’re drained until there’s nothing left.”
Ambrose cringed. “What we do isn’t that bad. You make it sound like we’re enslaving familiars.”
I’d been on the other side of this conversation when I’d first met Juliet, and now I felt foolish for my earlier beliefs.
“This is crazy,” I muttered.
“Which part?” Ambrose asked. “Or have you realized the whole thing is crazy?”
“It’s all crazy,” I admitted. “I haven’t known Juliet long, and she changed views I’ve held my entire life. Of course, I’d never spent any real time around shapeshifters before meeting her.”
“We spend a big part of our lives around familiars,” Ambrose argued.
“We capture them and bring them back here in animal form,” I pointed out. “All our experiences are with them in the worst possible situations, and I’d never spoken to one before Juliet. She was the first one I’d ever seen in human form. How is that possible? They have two sides, yet we only see one.”
“With good reason,” Ambrose stated. “Look what happened the first time you spoke to one. We can’t do our job if we start worrying about how it affects them.”
“It’s not right,” I stated.
“Keeping our distance from those we might need to kill?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes, it makes it easier to kill them if we only look at the differences between shapeshifters and spellcasters, never the similarities.”
“Life is simpler that way,” he argued.
“That doesn’t make it right, Ambrose.”
He let out a frustrated breath. “This is worse than just not being able to do your job. You threw away your life and lied to your family for a familiar.”
“Do you think of Juliet as nothing more than an animal?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I wish I did. When I heard about what she really is, I thought Nicolas was lying. Juliet seemed so much like us.”
“She is like us,” I told him. “Sure, there are differences, but there are differences between each family. We all have our unique gifts.”
“We don’t turn into animals,” he pointed out.
“I know Juliet isn’t what you believed she was, but she’s still who you thought she was. She saved my life at significant risk to herself. Juliet could have left me to die and found her way to the rebels. That would have been safer for her than returning to Azuredale. Bringing her here put her in so much danger.”
“But you didn’t see any way around it,” he added quietly. “You wouldn’t have brought her here had you not believed it was the only way to keep her safe. You’re a planner.”
“I didn’t have time to plan this situation with Juliet,” I said with a bark of laughter. “I have this strong connection to her. We belong together.”
“And you were willing to risk everything because of that connection,” he grumbled. “You threw it all away.”
“She’s worth it. I’m sorry I had to lie to you, Ambrose. You’re my brother, and I love you.”
“But you also love her,” he added with a sad smile.
“I do.”
He nodded. “I’m not angry with you, Dante. At first, I was a little angry, but mostly I was hurt that you didn’t come to me. Now, I see why you didn’t. Do you think Serena will be okay? She’s so fragile and terrified of shapeshifters. Will Juliet be able to protect her?”
“Serena isn’t exactly defenseless,” I reminded him. “I should have done something to stop Nicolas from tormenting her.”
“We all should have,” Ambrose agreed. “I tried pretending nothing was happening because I didn’t want Nicolas’s attention focused on me, but that was selfish.”
“We both screwed up,” I stated. “Serena will be fine. The shapeshifter with her and Juliet owes me his life.”
“I hope your trust in the rebel isn’t misplaced, though I suppose you didn’t think you had any other choice in that situation either.”
“I didn’t,” I replied. “Of course, I didn’t anticipate coming back here and being accused of plotting with the rebels. I thought I’d just be facing charges for helping Juliet and freeing Serena.”
“Something tells me you still would have sacrificed yourself for Juliet,” he remarked. “I suppose at least if you die, you’ll do it with no regrets.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I said with a bark of laughter. “There are a lot of things I wish I’d done differently, but I don’t regret helping Juliet and Serena escape.”
“You will,” Nicolas said with a cheerful smile as he made his way into the room.
“Don’t even think about touching my brother,” Ambrose snarled.
Nicolas quirked an eyebrow, looking thoroughly amused. “What? No love for me? No love for your big brother?”
“Not when you’ve come in here to torture Dante,” Ambrose told him. “I know you’re responsible for his injuries.”
“Dante was injured trying to escape.” Nicolas was starting to look angry. “Are you taking the side of this traitor? Maybe someone should look into your loyalties as well.”
“You know Ambrose isn’t part of this,” I told Nicolas. “He came to get answers from me.”
“And did you get them?” Nicolas asked Ambrose. “Did our baby brother confess all his sins?”
“I’m not playing games with you,” Ambrose snapped. “You got what you wanted. Dante will no longer be a threat to you, so let’s go.”
Nicolas didn’t look like he intended to leave, and I was starting to worry about Ambrose getting in trouble.
“You should go,” I told Ambrose.
“I’ll leave with Nicolas,” Ambrose replied.
Nicolas’s eyes narrowed. “I would hate to have to break Laranissa’s heart by having another of her sons arrested, but your behavior is very suspicious.”
“Imagine how suspicious it would look if a third member of our family was implicated,” I mused. “The entire Verdugo family could end up under investigation, including you.”
Nicolas glared at me as his jaw clenched so tightly that I saw the muscle tick on one side. “Fine,” he bit out. “W
e’re leaving. You’ll be dead soon anyway.”
Ambrose cast me a sad smile before leaving me alone.
Much as I appreciated the reprieve, something told me Nicolas was right; I didn’t have much longer to live.
Chapter 4
It had been several hours since I’d been sent back to my cell, and I’d started to suspect my sentence wouldn’t be announced until the next day.
I wasn’t sure if I should consider it a good or bad sign that it was taking them so long to decide. It could mean that not all of the panel members were convinced I should die, or it could mean they hadn’t agreed on a method of execution.
A guard brought me a small meal after Ambrose convinced Nicolas to leave, but I barely touched it. Instead, I laid on my cot and stared at the door.
As the hours ticked by, I realized Ambrose must have found a way to keep Nicolas from returning. I was grateful for the reprieve since I needed time to recover.
I let out a humorless laugh at my ridiculous thoughts.
Time to recover before I died?
I still appreciated the break from Nicolas’s torture, though it gave me too much time alone with my thoughts.
My separation from Juliet felt more unnerving the longer I was away from her. It was as if a piece of me was missing.
No one had ever mentioned a familiar bond resulting in any kind of separation anxiety. Had that been the case, spellcasters would do more to keep their familiars alive.
The bond between two spellcasters was somewhat more complex, and I’d heard of them having separation issues. Few spellcasters entered into one of those bonds, most choosing a commitment ceremony instead. That’s what my father had done with Laranissa.
As part of the bonding ceremony, each spellcaster had to give up a small piece of their magic to the other. The bound couple could sense each other even when they were apart. That had always sounded intrusive, but now I found myself wishing I could feel Juliet’s presence in my mind.
Closing my eyes, I focused on her. While I could still sense the weak tendrils of our connection, I couldn’t follow that connection to its source.
I longed to touch her magic, to feel her close to me even at a distance. Reaching out, I tried again to follow the link, but I hit a wall.
I let out a frustrated sigh. With the cuff suppressing my magic, I’d never be able to trace the link no matter how hard I tried. It said a lot about how strong our bond must be that I could sense it with the cuff on.
I stood and paced the cell, unable to handle the wait. Taking several deep breaths, I tried to think clearly.
Juliet had to be safe. If not, I wouldn’t still sense our bond, or would I? If Juliet died, would I still feel that small bit of magic she’d shared with me?
No!
She had to be okay.
When the door opened, I froze, wondering if Nicolas had returned.
“Dinner time!” a warlock I’d never met announced as he entered the room with a tray.
He was much older than the others working in the detention areas, already having gray hair and lines on his face. It took at least two-hundred years for spellcasters to age that much.
“It hasn’t been that long since I ate,” I remarked suspiciously as he slid the tray through the slot in the bars.
“This is better than what you had earlier,” he told me.
It certainly smelled better than the lukewarm soup I’d had earlier. I was also hungry, having barely touched that soup.
“I’m surprised you ended up in a mess like this, Dante.”
“Have we met before?” I asked, making no move to grab the tray.
“No, but I’ve heard enough about you,” he replied. “Eat your dinner. You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”
“My execution?” I asked with a wry smile as I finally grabbed the tray and set it on the small table.
He quirked an eyebrow. “You’re sure you’ll be executed?”
“Considering the charges against me, that’s what I expect. I suppose they might consider my reasons and give me a lighter sentence.”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath on that,” he said with a bark of laughter. “You’re guilty of enough crimes that no one cares much about your motives. They want to make an example of you. Besides, no one wants you to share your new thoughts on how spellcasters have wronged shapeshifters.”
“Azureans don’t use the term shapeshifter,” I said with narrowed eyes.
He smiled and nodded. “No, they don’t. Now, eat. As I said before, you’ll need your strength.”
He left without giving me a chance to respond.
I stared at the tray.
I didn’t know if I should trust the warlock. Something about him seemed off. He hadn’t acted like the other guards.
I let out a bark of laughter and shook my head.
It was crazy to be paranoid about the guard’s motives.
What was the worst he could do to me?
Poison me?
I was going to die anyway, so I decided I might as well enjoy a nice meal.
Chapter 5
Even before I opened my eyes, I knew I was no longer in my cell.
No dampening spell restrained my magic, and the mattress beneath me was much too comfortable. I also felt warm as if sunlight was coming in through the window.
This had to be a dream.
That was my first thought. Either that or the food really had been poisoned, and I’d passed on to the next realm. The lingering pain in my shoulder and ribs made that last unlikely.
Opening my eyes, I looked around the room. Sunlight streamed through a crack in the cream-colored curtains. There was a small dresser across from the bed. Paintings of trees and flowers hung on the walls. I looked to my side and saw a glass of water on the bedside table.
I definitely wasn’t in my cell, which made no sense.
How had I gotten here?
Where exactly was I?
The last thing I clearly remembered was eating. After that, things got fuzzy.
I’d felt so drowsy that I’d had to lie down just before everything went black. My last fleeting thought had been that they’d decided to execute me with poison without telling me.
I’d been drugged, though I had no clue why. No one would have needed to drug me to convince me to move to a nicer location.
I sat up slowly, expecting the pain from my injuries to be much greater. Either I’d been unconscious for several days, or a healer had worked on me while I slept. I rolled my injured shoulder, cringing slightly.
Walking to the window, I pulled the curtains to the side and looked out. Two young children were playing just outside. There were other homes nearby, all much smaller than the family estates in Azuredale.
The door opened, and I turned quickly to face the older warlock who’d brought me the drugged food.
“You’re finally awake.” He sounded irritated by how long I’d been unconscious.
“Yes,” I replied. “Where am I? Obviously, I’m no longer in Azuredale.”
“No, you’d probably already be dead had I left you there.” He sat on the only chair in the room. “This has been one heck of a week! When my daughter got placed in Azuredale, I figured we’d get updates, none of them good. After my witch reported back on meeting Serena, I decided there was hope for one Verdugo, but not the rest of you. You’ve surprised me, Dante.”
“And you’ve confused me,” I admitted. “Do you have a spy in the Verdugo household?”
“You’re lucky we do, or you might already be dead,” he replied. “With no one defending you, the only question left in the minds of the justice panel was how to execute you.”
“Yeah, I know. There are a couple of people in my family who believe in my innocence, but that wouldn’t have helped me. All their defense would have done was land them in trouble as well.”
“Laranissa already told Ambrose to keep any defense of you to himself,” he told me. “My daughter couldn’t stand losing both of you. Sh
e’s always loved you and Ambrose. It made it much harder to do her job. She also loves Nicolas, though I don’t understand why.”
“Wait! Laranissa is your daughter? She’s the spy in the Verdugo family?”
I had to have misunderstood him. Sure, my stepmother had never quite fit in with our family, and her relationship with my father had never made any sense. That didn’t mean I’d have ever suspected her of spying on us.
“Yes, she’s my only child. It was easy getting her in there,” he stated. “Your father wanted a biddable witch to help raise his children, and Laranissa makes no demands of him. I wasn’t happy about her being there, but she’s always been stubborn, much like her mother.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked. “Aren’t you worried I’ll blow Laranissa’s cover? You don’t know me.”
“I know you can’t go back to Azuredale without getting yourself killed. Now that you’ve disappeared, you look even more guilty.”
“Good point,” I agreed. “How did you get me out of there? I know you drugged my food, but I’m not sure how you got into the detention area.”
“We have people all over Azuredale,” he explained. “It wasn’t all that hard getting you out of there. Had Serena been in any real danger, we would have removed her from Azuredale after her arrest.”
I could argue that she had been in danger from Nicolas. Laranissa had to have told her family about how he tormented Serena, unless she hadn’t realized the extent of Serena’s abuse. Still, it was possible they only considered loss of life a threat great enough to risk taking someone from Azuredale.
He was watching me intently. “Why did you risk your life for the shapeshifter?”
“Which one?” I asked.
His eyebrows shot up. “There was more than one shapeshifter?
“How do you think we found a shapeshifter willing to help us when we ran?” I asked.
“I assumed the female you helped escape knew the local rebels. I figured she was one of theirs,” he admitted. “I thought your change of heart happened after you met the female shapeshifter. When did you help the other shapeshifter escape? How many have you helped?”
