Words of Power (Alice Gray Book 3)

47

"The charges against the defendant are varied and many, but today we are here to consider the most serious. The Department of Paranormal Affairs has received reports that unlawful magic has been used by Alice Gray, currently unclaimed by the Northern and Southern Covens. Alice Gray must answer to the charge of murder by blood magic."

Emily's sharp, clipped speech cut through the shock that had frozen my brain and glued my eyes to the human form of Hazel's insignificant looking middle-aged husband.

Did she know who he was? How could she have missed it, she was married to a fallen angel. What about Evelyn? My canny great-grandmother had to have realised that she was sleeping with a deity.

Yuk. I really didn't want to think about that too deeply.

Gray or Device, my family clearly did not make good decisions when it came to our lovers. Be that as it may, as Emily continued to list the charges against me, the hopelessness of my situation eventually dwarfed the bombshell of Azazel's identity.

I had to get my head in the game. This was my life.

If they found me guilty, the DPA would sentence me to death, and I wasn't sure if anyone would speak in my defence. My only reliable allies were my pack, and none of them had been present when I killed Baroness Knyvet. If Azazel had a plan to use me, he had better be prepared to reveal it soon. Things were looking grim.

"Due to the serious nature of the allegations, the unusual circumstances of the crime, and the lack of credible eyewitnesses this will be a bench trial. This means the verdict will not be decided by a jury, but by a panel of impartial magistrates." Emily paused for me to get my choking fit under control.

Impartial my ass. I was happy to overlook Emily's place on the bench, but Thomas's new girlfriend? That wasn't going to work in my favour.

"As Head Magistrate, I will call each witness in turn to relate their version of events. Out of these narratives we must piece together the truth, and that truth will determine the fate of Alice Gray."

After setting out the rules, Emily's bright blue eyes met mine across the room. Sure, steady and certain she held my gaze before speaking. "How do you answer the charges?"

"Guilty," Brad chirped in melodious tones, before I had chance to stand and speak for myself.

A loud, drawn-out gasp, travelled around the spectator benches like a Mexican Wave of doom. A collective expression of shock from everyone, all except for me. My jaw hung open, my brain refusing to acknowledge what my so-called-advocate had just done. I knew Brad wasn't my biggest fan, but this just seemed mean.

"What?" Emily said, the word coming out slow and quiet, all prior certainty having vanished from the depths of her unbelieving glare. Emily's eyebrows were pulled down creating two pronounced lines of stress between her eyes. I knew the look well. It was not one that I was fond of.

"You heard him," the red-haired floozy said, her deep, throaty voice transforming into something thin, reedy and bitter.

Bitch.

"Alice Gray is guilty of murder by blood magic, of that there can be little doubt. The Baroness is dead. Her body was found in the middle of a completed blood magic ritual. How could an inexperienced witch, only just aware of her powers, destroy one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in existence without the use of prohibited magic? Impossible," Brad finished with a finality that was meant to draw a line under the case.

"Well, that was rather easier than I think any of us expected," Edward Turner said, voice light and buoyant. "Shall we move on to the sentencing?"

Emily's eyes sent a silent apology my way, but I could feel her agitation through the pack bond. Cold creeping dread filtered through my veins, making my blood heavy and sluggish, my heartbeat slow and laboured.

If Emily was scared, I really was deep in it now.

"But he doesn't speak for me," I stuttered out, while pointing feebly at Brad. "I'm not guilty."

"Of course you are dear," Brad said, feigned indulgence pouring from his eyes. He raised his hand intending to pat me on the head, but the death stare that I sent him re-directed his palm to smooth over his own hair, the movement as natural as breathing.

When I looked back up at the bench, Emily was deep in conversation with her fellow magistrates. Red gestured frantically to Emily's stern and crisp head movements. Edward was inspecting his nails.

The seconds dragged out. This was it, my fate was going to be decided by the woman who was screwing my boyfriend, a dying vampire whose manicure was more important to him than my life, and Emily, the only one who could save me now.

Crap.

Suddenly, Emily twisted back round in her seat ignoring Red's remonstrance. Eyes staring out into the crowd with a challenge that I don't think even the strongest paranormal here would take lightly, she waited for silence before speaking.

"We must hear the witnesses to decide Alice Gray's culpability."

Brad!?! He better have a divine plan to get Alice out of this!