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He scowled, seeming to consider the question. "Last night, when I found the Archer insignia at the rebel bunker and suddenly realized the truth, yes, I did hate him. I never felt so strongly or so certain about anything before in my life. I was prepared to kill him, Mira. Until I saw him and realized I couldn't hate my friend. Not even after discovering he was my enemy." He exhaled a heavy breath. "I can't guess how you must feel. He's surely hurt you the deepest of all."
"He has," she admitted quietly. "But nowhere near as badly as it will hurt if I lose him all over again. I'm not going to let that happen, Nathan. If the GNC wants to take Kellan away from me, put him on trial to make some kind of political statement, they're not going to get him without a damned bloody fight."
Nathan's mouth pressed flat, his dark brows drawing together. He started to shake his head. "Mira, you can't expect - "
"I have to try," she insisted. "I'm not giving up on him. Fuck the GNC, and fuck fate too. I won't let go of him, even if that's what he wants. And I plan to tell Kellan the same thing when I go see him today, wherever JUSTIS is holding him."
"Mira," Nathan said, and something about his tone - so full of concern, so gentle - made her blood start to freeze in her veins. "Mira, there won't be time for any of that. Not now."
Her heart dropped, heavy as a stone. "What do you mean?"
She looked at him, realizing only now that his returning her dagger was only part of the reason he'd come to see her.
"Tell me what's going on, Nathan."
He glanced down, swore a low curse. "Since Kellan's former Order, Lucan got the GNC to agree to hearing the charges and handling the situation privately rather than turning Kellan over to the criminal courts for a full-blown trial."
"Okay," Mira said cautiously. "That's good, right?"
Nathan merely looked at her. "Because of the riots and public calls for justice, and because the peace summit opens tonight, the GNC feels it needs to demonstrate decisive action to avoid potential disruptions during the gala. It's agreed to the private hearing, but the GNC will be conducting it - and determining Kellan's sentence - at a special meeting. It's taking place at GNC headquarters today."
All her fears came rushing at her in a buffeting wave. She staggered back on her heels, feeling as if the air had been sucked out of her lungs. "They're going to decide Kellan's sentence . . . today? Can't Lucan delay it? There must be something more he can do."
"He's calling in every political favor he's got, Mira. He's been in touch with each member of the Council, trying to bargain with them for a promise of leniency."
"How many?" she asked, going numb with a dread that made her stomach roil. "How many have agreed so far?"
Nathan didn't speak for a long moment. "There are sixteen Council members, representing eight key nations, with one human and one Breed member each." Nathan cleared his throat. "He's got confirmed votes from a few, but there are still several more Council members left to persuade in order to have the majority. Lucan's making a lot of promises, Mira. He's putting his balls on the line for Kellan. He's doing everything he possibly can."
She wanted to feel hope. She wanted to believe that everything would somehow work out and that, by some miracle, she and Kellan would come out of this terrible situation as one, together. But dread was a cold weight in the center of her chest.
"I can't talk anymore," she murmured, already backing away from the open door and Nathan's concerned expression. "I have to go. I thought there would be more time. I have to see Kellan before he goes in front of the Council."
Nathan gave a slow shake of his head. "There won't be time for you to see him before he's brought to the hearing. The Council is assembling to meet him there within the hour."
"No." She swallowed, her throat gone dry. "No, this can't be happening. We need more time . . ."
Words began to fail her, fear swamping her. She edged farther into the bedroom, holding Nathan's apologetic, regretful gaze. She closed the door on him and sagged against it, her forehead pressed to the cool wood panel.
She had to see Kellan. And there was no way in hell she'd let him stand before that Council assembly without her there to help defend him. To fight for his freedom, with blood and blades, if it came down to that.
Tossing her dagger onto the bed, Mira headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She undressed and stood before the mirror, staring into the face of the woman she'd become.
Blood-bonded, in love.
Never so terrified in all her life.
She knew the reflection would be cruel, even before she removed her purple lenses and lifted her gaze to confront the gift of her Sight.
The vision appeared in no time at all. The same terrible outcome, playing before her eyes.
Kellan, dead on the floor in front of her.
She, weeping in grief-stricken anguish over his lifeless body.
Mira stared, horrified and heartsick, until the steam of the shower filled the room, breathing a thick fog across the awful vision she couldn't seem to escape.
Kellan knew, when the phalanx of heavily armed JUSTIS officers - four Breed and two human - came to retrieve him from his cell just before noon that day, that he couldn't be heading into anything good.
