Grimm: A Novel In The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series (The Temple Chronicles Book 3) (45 page)

The Justices, the most feared group of killers on the planet,
hesitated
.

Which seemed to infuriate old Jafar.

“I’m waiting, shit stain.” I teased, using my grief to speak freely. I had no concern for my safety any longer. I was also
very
inclined to cut loose with my power again. I was slightly drunk off it from earlier.

Jafar quivered, but didn’t make a motion to arrest me. I frowned, and lowered my hands. “So, how was this supposed to play out? You were obviously ready with a squad of thugs to go
somewhere
. And Ichabod here had a direct phone number to reach you. Almost as if you had worked together or something.”

He began to growl. “Very clever. It changes nothing. We hired assassins to take out a threat to our people. We were prepared to apprehend-”

I held up a finger, frowning thoughtfully as I blatantly interrupted him. “
We
? You’re
sure
about that?” I asked softly. His eyes tightened. “As in, this was authorized via
proper channels
? You’re telling me you had the backing of the Academy to take out a person who had signed a peace treaty with them in the presence of an Angel and a Horseman of the Apocalypse?” Even mentioning Death’s name by proxy made my vision pulse blue. It was his fault Indie had been taken. I didn’t know how or why, but he was going to pay. After that I would disappear.

Jafar threw up his hands. “Of course it was sanctioned. I’m the Captain of the Justices. Who do you think you are, questioning me? You are a
murderer
.”

“Is it really murder when I defend myself from other murderers?” I smiled. “I don’t see it that way. Neither do these guys. You’re more than welcome to disagree.” My eyes glittered hungrily, and I couldn’t hide the interest in my voice. “
Please
disagree.”

He did nothing. Just stared back at me, thinking furiously. Looking for a political loophole to weasel out of. But I didn’t play politics. Neither had Indie.

“You hired the biggest threat in the world to take out little old me. A force so feared that they were locked away for hundreds of years to keep us all safe.” I let the silence build, and then shrugged as I turned my back on him. “How did that work out for you?”

Several Justices moved, judging by the reactive snarls of my friends. I didn’t turn around. It might have looked fearless and suave on my part, but to be honest, I welcomed someone to end me right here. The only thing I truly wanted to do was to kill the Horseman for letting Indie be kidnapped. After that I had nothing left to live for.

“How fucking stupid are you, Jafar? Did you honestly believe that they would act in good faith after they killed me? They are hungry to kill all of us. They don’t even see us as human. We are pests in their eyes. We require extermination.
All of us
. Are you truly that arrogant?”

He snarled. “If you could beat them, so could I. You are nothing. You don’t deserve to live after your blatant disrespect of the Academy. Your constant bending and shattering of the rules is a poison. You are a nuisance. An eyesore. A blemish that must be lanced. You are cancerous.”

I turned to stare at him in surprise. “Do you truly believe all of that?” He nodded. “That’s kind of…
mean
.” I chuckled. “Anyway, you hired men who would kill us all to order a sanctioned…” I hesitated. “It
was
sanctioned, you said?” He nodded after a few seconds. “Right. To order a sanctioned hit on an ally of the Academy.” I pretended to think for a minute, but I knew what it was really all about. The Armory.

“You really want the Armory that badly.” I shook my head in disbelief. “It’s kind of amazing to me. To hunger after something so desperately. Not being given the toy must have really bothered you in grade school.” I shook my head again.

“Well, this toy isn’t up for grabs, like I told you last time. You’re more than welcome to try and take it from me.” I smiled, crossing my hands behind my back as I turned to face him. “Go ahead. Try.”

Again, he didn’t oblige. I sighed, shaking my head. “What do you think they would have done with the Armory after killing me?”

“It was to pass to our hands, of course.” The,
you idiot
, was implied in his tone. “That’s why we came prepared to fight. They wouldn’t have stood a chance against us after your battle, and with the Armory at our disposal.” He snapped, spittle flying.

I nodded, and then addressed one of the Justices. “You ever see an official order about this assassination contract?” He didn’t answer. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to answer that. Answer this instead. Does this kind of subterfuge sound like it’s official? And more importantly, do you agree with it…
Justice
?”

“Enough!” Jafar roared. “They answer to
me
, not
you
. Who cares if it was official? It was in the best interests of the Academy. When they hear how you slaughtered over a dozen humans, you will be finished. Friends helping you or not.”

Which was actually a good point. Without the amulets, the Grimms were pure mortals. I would look kind of guilty.

Jafar’s face looked victorious. I bowed my head in defeat for a few seconds, and listened as he commanded his Justices to arrest me. One took a single step, and I lifted my cold gaze to meet his. He rocked back a step, hands reflexively darting to the sword at his belt. I smiled, and held up a finger.

“Oh, I almost forgot…” I motioned to Ichabod. “Drop the veil on our guest. Entirely. Remove any hindrance on their senses. They were only placed there to protect everyone’s safety until the proper moment.” Ichabod smiled, and did as commanded.

To reveal the person Raego had kidnapped at the beginning of all this.

Operation White Knight
.

I turned to Jafar, grinning like an idiot. I was going to enjoy this. His face paled, and a small part of my heart erupted in joy as he witnessed the person behind the veil. Then a surprising thing happened. Every single wizard dropped to his knees, and bowed their heads to the ground. Even Jafar. The Justices tore away their masks in a puff of fairy dust, which powered them. I frowned, turning in confusion.
What the…

Then I froze, and might have made a small whimper.

A frail old woman stood only a few feet away; apparently having strode up to me in the few seconds I had been watching Jafar suffer. I held up my hands defensively.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Raego! What the
hell
were you
thinking
? I didn’t mean
her
! How am I supposed to regain their trust
now
?”

Her eyes were twin coals, and she seemed to be debating which one of us to skewer first. I couldn’t attack
her
. I didn’t think I stood a chance even if I tried. Even if all of us tried. Collectively.

Raego mumbled from the other side of Jafar. “You said an Academy Member. Someone of importance. She was the first one we saw. Easiest target.” He turned to address her. “No offense. She must have mistaken me for one of her associates.” He added sheepishly, hinting at his ability to shift into different people entirely. She didn’t look amused, so he continued. “Why? Who is she?”

The old woman was tapping her foot angrily, glaring daggers at me, seeing as how I was the only person meeting her gaze. “Um, maybe because she’s the
Grandmaster
of the Academy? You. Idiot.” I swallowed, leaving my hands where she could see them. “This was a mistake. A very big mistake. I suspected Jafar’s involvement and knew no other way to let the truth be known. With him as the detective the Academy would only hear what he reported. Like last time.” I lowered my hands slowly.

I wasn’t concerned for my safety.

Okay, I
was
terrified to die, assuming that she could kill me in very creative, drawn out ways. But I was only terrified of the actual
experience
of dying slowly. I didn’t care to live anymore, but that didn’t mean I was going to go volunteer for the nearest torture house either.

But I
was
concerned for my friends. So I assumed responsibility.

“This was all on me. These people did only as requested. They had nothing-”

She held up a gnarled hand. Despite her age, she moved with agility, authority, and the mantle of command. She had freaking
calluses
where the mantle of power rested on her shoulders. She was hundreds of years old, and the legends surrounding her life allegedly rivaled Merlin.

The first Merlin.

I didn’t even know her real name. Just Grandmaster. Maybe
Madame
Grandmaster.

“You presumed he was acting outside his authority.” I nodded. “But you had no proof when you kidnapped me. You weren’t
sure
.” I sagged my shoulders and nodded, not hiding my guilt.

“I only wanted one of the top dogs to see what their hound was doing behind their backs.” I added honestly.

“Top dog?” She rasped in disbelief. “Yes, well, I believe you found your
top dog
.” Her eyes could have frozen fire. “You will pay for your actions today. Even if you are outside my jurisdiction.” She promised. And I shivered. When people like her made promises, they damn well kept them. I would have to run far, far away to escape her wrath. Then run
further
.

She turned to Jafar, and I relaxed a tiny bit. He seemed to sense her glare and lifted his face, looking guilty as guilty can be. She shook her head. “You have disappointed the Academy. You have disappointed
me
.” She continued to watch him and each word struck him like a physical blow. “This man arranged for me to be kidnapped. But you betrayed morals for personal vengeance. Working with our greatest enemy, the Grimms. And you cloaked it with the Academy’s stamp of approval. A nation that has spent hundreds of years to earn a reputation of trust – if not
peace
– from all supernatural persons. You abused that power and forced this
ally
to risk everything to prove his innocence.”

Jafar crumpled in fear and submission.

She continued, addressing the Justices.
Her
Justices. “You are all on probation.” They shivered in response, but didn’t raise their heads. I was guessing probation meant something akin to a long trip to Siberia. In the nude. While being squirted with super soakers. “Jafar,” her voice was pure frost, and then I realized it was literal frost as the fires around us died instantly. “You are hereby under arrest.”

My anger jumped back to the forefront of my mind.

“Nope.” Everyone froze. My friends suddenly tensed, sensing the imminent fight.

“Excuse me?” She whispered, slowly turning to address me as if surprised.

“It’s not going to happen that way. He’s mine.”

She blinked. “That is not how this works, young man.”

I held up a finger. “I think you forget who you are talking to.” I answered respectfully. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but this man’s actions caused the deaths of many people.
My
people. He was under your control when initiating this.”

She snarled. “If I hadn’t been
kidnapped
, I would have caught on before it escalated this far.” I sensed her gathering her power.

“Remember our truce, wizard.” I warned.

“You broke our truce.” Her power continued to build.

I shook my head. “I didn’t kidnap you. True, I ordered it, but were you harmed? Even remotely?” Her face grew victorious, no doubt remembering the Grimms abducting her. “Harm caused directly by me and mine.” I quickly corrected.

“Semantics,” she stated flatly.

“Yet that is exactly what our agreement states, yes?”

She flinched as if struck, lips tightening impotently. “You do not want to press me on this. He is
my
responsibility.
I
will deal with him.”

“Like I already told you. That’s not going to happen. He abandoned his position the moment he broke the law. Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. But you see that tree?” her eyes darted to it, knowing full well what lay beneath it. She had witnessed everything, after all. She didn’t respond. “That can’t be given back to me. He dies. Here. Now. By my hand.” Her eyes glittered with malice. “Whether you want it that way or not.” I promised. “There are witnesses here to see what you do. Do you really want the world to know what truly happened here? That the
Grandmaster
of the
Academy
was kidnapped? That your own
Captain
betrayed you? What do you think that is going to do to your precious reputation? What were you planning on telling the Academy members when they asked why you were holding a decorated veteran in your prison?” Her eyes grew thoughtful, and I felt her power finally diminish. I hid my sigh of relief. I would have thrown down, but some of us would have died.

Perhaps
all
of us.

I waited for her to respond. Her eyes darted from person to person. My friends stared back, ready to go to war. And she realized that she couldn’t win cleanly. Whether she won or lost, word would get out. And the respect for the Academy would evaporate over night. Their Grandmaster kidnapped. Their veteran Captain a traitor. Collaborating with the Brothers Grimm, whose hatred for
all
freaks was well documented.

She was essentially politi-fucked.

She finally turned to me, frustration apparent on her features. I nodded coolly. “He’s mine.” She nodded, and flung a casual finger at Jafar as he opened his mouth to speak. His mouth clamped shut and he lurched to his feet against his will where he stood motionless, face turning crimson as he struggled against her bonds.

She turned to me. “Remember my generosity. Also, remember that I would not have been as gentle as you are about to be.” She watched me for a moment, assessing. “You will pay for this.” She promised.

I waved a hand, pointing at the scene of the battle and the fact that I had just killed the legendary Brothers Grimm. “I’m really not that concerned about it. St. Louis is off limits. You want to fight, call me. My friends were only defending themselves. They were targeted by the Grimms, thanks to your poor management structure.”