Waking Eden (The Eden Series Book 3) (3 page)

S
erena smoothed
the pale blue chiffon of her long-sleeved gown, making sure the grayed-out mark of her now-dead mate didn’t show. Thyrus’ voiced droned behind her. Do this. Don’t do that. Typical lawyer-speak. The same blasted instructions she’d heard for the last four weeks.

She pushed from the table and paced to the tall arched window. Gold winked from Cush’s taupe and ivory brick-laid streets, and the morning sun reflected off a row of weathered white domed roofs. The crowds had been thick when she’d arrived in Eden’s capital two hours before, some having camped out overnight. Now they were even worse. “You’d think I was a Salem witch.”

Thyrus paused mid whatever monotonous topic he’d been on. “Pardon?”

“A witch hunt from human history. Fanatics desperate for a hanging.”

Thyrus waddled over, his maroon solicitor’s robe stretched a little too tightly over his belly. He guided her away from the window. “Hardly that. More like curiosity. It’s not every day a woman stabs her mate in the heart, let alone the leader of the Lomos Rebellion.”

He pulled out her chair, the same one she’d been planted in since her arrival at daybreak. “Now, remember. Keep to your innocence. They can see your memories, but not the emotion that goes with it. It’s the intent behind your actions that will sway the ellan one way or the other. If you keep to your claim that killing Maxis was all done out of love for the malran and a desire to protect him, the council will be hard pressed to convict.”

“And my involvement in Lexi’s kidnapping?” A stupid miscalculation on her part. She’d be smarter in the future. More distanced from the action. More effective in the outcome.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but the truth of the matter is that Maxis did the actual kidnapping. You merely delivered the lure to the malress. Is that accurate?”

Serena nodded. Thyrus might be one of the most slovenly creatures she’d ever met, but he was damned handy in legal matters. Not to mention a staunch, yet quiet supporter of the rebellion.

“Then keep to that angle,” Thyrus said. “Expound on your feelings of remorse as you carried out the act, but explain that it felt necessary to go along with Maxis’ schemes to protect the malran. Trust me. They haven’t a scrap to hold you to. Not with you taking Maxis out when no one else could.” Thyrus shook his head. “A loss for the Rebellion, but a genius move on your part given how it makes you appear as though you’d meant to fight on behalf of the malran all along. Remind me never to piss you off.”

A knock sounded on the door and a young man barely past his awakening stuck his head through the opening. “The council is gathering and the royal couple have arrived. You’ll need to make your way to the main hall.”

Royal couple indeed.

It should have been her beside Eryx. Not that human-raised commoner, Lexi Merrill.

Yes. She definitely needed to be more effective with her endeavors in the future. Particularly if it freed up the malress’ throne in the process.

The steady rumble of voices from the main hall filtered down the long, shadowed corridor, and Thyrus’ heavy footsteps clopped beside her. They entered near the back, stepping into the cavernous room with its domed three-story ceiling. Sunlight streamed through the glass-topped circle in the center to spotlight Eryx and Lexi seated on their thrones at the front of the hall.

That bitch. Fitted out in a platinum-colored gown, wearing a crown. The crown that should have been hers.

Serena looked away and clashed gazes with Angus Rallion, a lifelong politician who’d pissed Eryx off one too many times and now swam in the lowest layers of the political feeding pool.

He grinned at Serena. A smug, superior expression that made her fingers twitch for another dagger. If the idiot hadn’t screwed their schemes up so badly, she might be in a different position right now. Preferably in Eryx’s bed.

She smiled at Angus instead, lifted her head, and glided beside Thyrus to the defendant’s table. Better not to burn any bridges. One never knew when inside influence would be needed. Low standing or not, Angus had connections. Powerful connections.

Three short raps of wood against marble clattered through the hall.

“All rise.” It was the young man who’d called them into trial, his voice rich with formality despite his youth.

The ellan kneeling on long ivory cushions lined up in rows along the main floor, stood. Elders with higher standing peered over their second and third-story box seats on either side. Eryx and Lexi remained seated.

“By the authority of the malran and malress, Serena Doroz Steysis, baineann of the deceased, Maxis Steysis, is hereby brought to stand trial before the Myren council under the charges of attempted murder of our malress, treason against the throne, and violation of The Great One’s tenets.” The page looked up from the mammoth book perched on his lectern, and focused on Thyrus. “How does the defendant plead?”

Thyrus lifted his chin, the motion haughty despite his wiggling jowls. “The defendant is innocent.”

Rumbles and poorly contained whispers rippled behind her.

The page scribbled something on thick parchment, the sandpaper rasp loud enough to carry as far as Serena’s table. He motioned to the prosecutor’s table and set his pen aside. “Simmons, you may begin.”

A handsome man with a lithe build and sandy blond hair stood and tidied his papers. Vibrant jewels accented his stark white council robe, marking his rank as one of the highest among the ellan. Apparently, Eryx was pulling out all the stops in seeing she burned for her crimes.

Simmons set about his case, regurgitating news everyone already knew. Her former association with Eryx, a tame way of saying they’d fucked like animals and been quite an item a decade ago. Her involvement in Lexi’s kidnapping and failed demise. How she’d mated Maxis and subsequently stabbed him in the heart in a public location with loads of humans looking on in Evad. “The prosecution asserts that Serena Doroz Steysis was not only an active participant in the actions of the Lomos Rebellion, but that she plotted to capture and enslave humans, and murder the malran and the malress.”

“Hardly a valid assertion considering her fireann is dead by her own hand and the malran and malress are very much alive and well,” Thyrus said.

Simmons lifted an arrogant brow. “The ellan represent the will of the people. It’s their opinion I’m concerned with, counsel. Not yours.” He paced to his table and slid a document closer to him. “The prosecution calls Neil Vernace.”

Serena stifled an indignant huff, but barely. Really? A rookie Rebellion warrior was the best they could do?

The witness strode to the chair at Eryx’s right, waited for a nod from Eryx, then sat at the edge.

Simmons looked up from his document. “You served the Rebellion, did you not?”

“For a short time.” He glanced at Eryx. His rigid back and shoulders made it seem he was prepared for flight at the barest hint of irritation from the malran.

Poor boy. Hard not to keep from swallowing one’s own tongue under Eryx’s blatant stare. The malran was intimidating enough in normal council attire. Dressed for battle in his drast and leather pants ratcheted the intimidation factor higher.

“I didn’t fully realize the extent of their goals,” Neil said, still looking at Eryx. “If I’d realized they meant to hurt our fellow race, I would have never participated.”

Traitorous bastard. She’d bet half her inheritance he’d have sung a different tune if she and Maxis had been successful. Especially if he had a few slaves of his own.

“Your beliefs and involvement will be addressed later.” Eryx’s warm, baritone voice reverberated through the hall. Powerful here for sure, but she preferred it up close and personal.

Simmons drifted away from his notes. “Neil, can you confirm the accused was sighted with Maxis at the Rebellion training grounds and played an active part in strategy sessions?”

“She did.” Neil glanced at Serena then redirected to the prosecutor. “Only toward the end, but she participated.”

“Participated?” Thyrus stood as he spoke. “Tell me, can you recount her contribution to said strategy sessions?”

Neil’s gaze bounced from Simmons, to Thyrus, then to Eryx.

Eryx stared back, unmoving. A lazy predator unaffected by everything happening under his watch.

Serena knew better. The Shantos men missed nothing.

Thyrus settled into his chair. “The malran doesn’t have any answers for you. Just answer as you remember.”

“Watch your attitude, counsel.” Eryx’s warning snapped whip-sharp through the vast room. At the end of the day, he could overrule every outcome of her trial if he so chose. Probably would be tempted to do just that if it didn’t mean losing political support.

With one last quelling glare at Thyrus, Eryx shifted his gaze to Neil. “Answer.”

“Um, I don’t recall.”

“Nothing?” Thyrus pressed. “No suggestions from Serena of any kind?”

“No. Not that I recall.”

Thyrus drummed the tabletop with his thumb. “Is it possible she was merely there? Watching and yet not contributing at all?”

Silence filled the hall and Serena’s heartbeat kicked up a notch. If it weren’t her own head on the line, she might actually enjoy the intensity.

“It’s possible, yes.”

Excellent.
A small win, but a win nonetheless.

Thyrus shrugged as though Neil’s admission were nothing spectacular. Or, more to the point, expected. “Anything else from your witness, Simmons?”

Simmons shook his head and Eryx motioned for Neil to step down.

“If the malran would be so gracious, the prosecution would like to call the malress as its next witness.”

Murmurs rolled along the crowd behind her, and she could have sworn the sound carried out into the streets beyond.

Thyrus stood. “My malran, if it pleases you, the defense readily concedes that my client did, in fact, deliver the message used to lure your baineann into danger. Further Serena admits to being in attendance while your mate was held hostage. I see no point in causing our malress further discomfort by rehashing the details.”

“Then perhaps we’ll discuss our malress’ unique read on the situation when Serena delivered the message to her highness,” Simmons said in an equally patronizing tone.

Lexi remained as stoic as her mate, the barest smile tugging at her lips. No telling what kind of telepathic commentary fired between the happy couple.

Eryx sucked in a deep breath and nodded.

Simmons gave a slight bow of thanks and directed his attention to Lexi. “Could you describe to the ellan your unique gifts, my malress?”

“I’m an emotional empath.”

Serena’s stomach clenched. She checked the impulse to throw the tablet poised near Thyrus’ elbow across the room, but not by much. So much for her emotions being undetectable.

Thyrus toyed with his pen, mouth pursed and eyes thoughtful. For all she knew he was plotting his next meal instead of navigating the new land mine between her and freedom.

“For those unfamiliar with the gift, that means you can read the emotions of those in proximity to you?” Simmons asked.

“More like experience them. Just as a healing empath takes on the wound of another before healing it within their own body, I take on their emotions.”

Simmons made eye contact with Serena. “Could you describe the emotions you registered the day Serena came to deliver the message that lured you to Maxis?”

For the first time since Serena had entered the hall, Lexi’s gaze locked onto hers. “Hatred. Cold, calculated disgust.”

“The type you’d associate with one out to do you harm?”

Thyrus pushed to his feet, his exasperated sigh carrying loud enough even Simmons seemed to take note. “Your pardon, malress. But is it possible the anger you registered by your most impressive gifts might be in relation to the situation Serena found herself in and not anything to do with you?”

“I highly doubt that.” Lexi crossed her legs, displaying a long span of tanned skin as she reclined against the cushioned backrest.

Thyrus tilted his head and smiled the smile of a placating father. “Yes, but it is possible, correct? It’s even possible she truly was angry with you, but was still willing to put herself, and you, in a tenuous situation in order to protect her former lover. Correct?”

More than one gasp rang through the hall at the none-to-sensitive reference.

Lexi glared at Thyrus from her throne, her body so still she could’ve been a cardboard cutout. “I suppose.”

Impressive. Serena couldn’t decide what pleased her more. Thyrus’ clever maneuvering, or witnessing Lexi’s discomfort.

Simmons moved on, calling more witnesses. Thyrus countered. Patches of sun inched across the stone floor.

Serena’s back ached from her uncomfortable wooden chair and her ass had gone numb at least an hour ago.

The legs of Thyrus’ chair grated against the rough floor as he stood. “The defense calls Reese Theron.”

Reese made his way to the chair at Eryx’s right.

His butt had barely touched the seat before Thyrus dove in. “Did my client come to you in order to share Maxis Steysis’ plans and to beg for mercy from the malran?”

“She did.” Reese met her gaze. His wild mane of long blond hair mixed with his warrior build to make him look like a lion straight off the Sahara. “Though the genuineness of her visit was questionable.”

“You’re making presumptions and offering opinions,” Thyrus said. “Did she or did she not come to you and share Maxis’ plans?”

“She did.”

“Did she tell you she was sharing this information despite the danger it might bring her way?”

“She did.”

“And did she ask for you to request mercy from the malran on her behalf?”

“Yes.”

Thyrus ran his finger along the edge of his notepad. “Did her actions provide the malran with the information necessary to bring down the Rebellion leader?”

“I’d say that’s a moot point considering she ended up being the one who did the killing.”

Thyrus’ head snapped up. “Exactly.” He lumbered around the table and stood closer to Reese. “Despite her request for assistance and putting her own life in danger, she put the malran first and protected him from a man who’d forced her into a mating.”