Jay exhales, something in his chest easing at last. “Then we’re ready,” he says.
The lobby is large and more stately than the modern exterior would imply. As if the high-rise and glass windows outside arean illusion that evolves with time, but the true essence of magic remains unchanged for decades.
A wave of pressure passes over them when they clear the second set of glass doors, but unlike Were or human courthouses, there are no metal detectors or security guards with guns. There is a single receptionist who nods at them, but she turns back to her computer without stopping them.
“They’re expecting us.” Blair leads them down a long hall with several closed doors.
Room 108’s door is wide open, and two tables are facing each other on either side of a low desk. Behind the one closest to the door are two rows of chairs. Ninety degrees to Jay’s right is an elevated desk in front of the American and Guarda Flags. In the center is a plaque in Latin with the motto“Qui Potentiam Tenet, Bonum Servet.”
The moment Jay reads it, a whispered voice sounds in his head, as if The Plain wants those who bother to read it to know they are in a place where the tenets of good are upheld.
Let the one who holds power serve the good.
“Leo and Jay, you both sit here beside me,” Antonio says. “Blair and the others will sit there at the desk. The magistrate will sit there, and the GASP representative will sit across from us, over there.”
There’s a twinkle in Antonio’s eye as he rubs his hands together. “This is a first for me, boys. It’s like seeing behind the curtain, you know? And Blair is the best of the best. Try not to worry.”
If his father-in-law says not to worry, then Jay is going to try not to worry, withtrybeing the operative word.
Leo presses his shoulder in close as his father leaves to have a word with Blair. “It’s a good plan, Jaybird. Trust the process.”
Antonio had never steered them wrong before, and of course, he has a vested interest in having this go off without a hitch,but it’s a lot of responsibility for people who trusted him to keep them safe. He wants to say so out loud just to help relieve some of the pressure in his chest, but he’s taken Blair’s caution to heart.
The side door opens, and a guard ushers Ignatius, Nimue, and Elysia out. Ignatius’s hair is even more of a crazy mess than usual, and they look tired. He hopes they’d been given the same warning Blair had offered—otherwise, this was going to be harder than they expected.
Ignatius waves, a big smile on his face, like they’d planned to meet for coffee at Common Grounds instead of over the legal bench. Nimue’s chuckle and Elysia’s sigh can be heard across the short space. They shuffle into the chairs beside Blair, and it’s difficult for Jay not to cross the short distance and pat his friends’ shoulders or offer a word of encouragement.
Antonio slips into his seat beside Leo. “Won’t be long now. Magic-users take time management very seriously.” The words are hardly out of his mouth before the side door opens, admitting a short, grey-haired woman who could be as young as seventy or as old as a hundred. Jay would bet on the latter.
“All rise, the honorable Meredith Lee presiding.”
They all rise, and once the judge is seated, she speaks again. “Be seated. Let it be known that from this moment onward, every word spoken in this courtroom will be recorded and used as evidence as required. If you consent, say yes.”
“Yes,” everyone says, and when Leo elbows Jay in the side, he does the same.
“Counsel Greg Henderson for the State of Tennessee, speak.”
“Thank you, Your Honor. We are here to address the presence of Ignatius Parvolio, Elysia Noctis, and Nimue Wyrd of Florida, in Nashville, Tennessee, without travel authority. All three are master-level practitioners and bound by the Interstate Covenant’s mandate to declare cross-border travel.”
“I see.” Judge Lee frowns. “Counsel Shepard?”
Blair stands. “Thank you, Your Honor. Alpha Rhodes has submitted numerous requests for visitation. I have included copies for your reference. We would like it noted that they have not been declined.”
“They have not been approved either, I see.” Judge Lee raises her white eyebrow and pages through the numerous documents on her desk.
“No, Your Honor.”
“And yet here they are. There are protocols for a reason, Ms. Shepard.” After a moment, she fans the applications out on her desk. “Why have you filed the request more than once? I count eight separate requests.”
“Yes, Your Honor. It is unusual for the request to take more than forty-eight hours.”
“Hmm, you’re right. This is sixteen days. Mr. Henderson, what say you?”
“Your Honor, there is a backlog at the cross-border travel office.” It’s so clearly a lie that Jay can see his eye twitch from across the room. Antonio huffs out a snort beside him.
“Sixteen days?” Judge Lee frowns. “I would like to see the current turnaround logs on my desk this afternoon.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” The prosecutor looks uncomfortable, as his lie will no doubt get him in trouble. “It doesn’t change the law. The defendants are here without authorization.”
