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“As certain as we ever can be given the majority of the department’s documents were destroyed alongside the déchet.”
“This is the reason I ask for the death penalty,” Hedda said. “It’s not because of the crimes she stands accused of here today, but because she is an unwanted—and very dangerous—leftover of a bygone era. The sentence of death was given a long time ago; it is up to this court to apply it.”
“If Catherine Lysandra is to be given a death sentence for having unusual sequencing,” a new and very familiar voice declared. “Then perhaps you’d better sentence me to that same fate.”
Relief washed through me and I briefly closed my eyes.
Jonas.
Finally.
He strode through the doors in full ranger uniform and didn’t even glance my way. But I nevertheless felt the rush of both his anger and his concern. It chased away some of the fear that had settled deep inside me, even though I was far from out of the woods—or the cage—just yet.
“By whose permission do you barge into the middle of this hearing and make such a statement?” the prosecutor said. “You have no right—”
“He has every right,” another voice said. “As he is here under my protection and command.”
My gaze snapped past Jonas. Julius Valkarie stepped into the room, flanked by four heavily armed guards. His gaze settled on mine briefly, and there wasn’t a scrap of fear or loathing to be seen.
Jonas, I said, what in Rhea is going on?
I promised to rescue you. He stopped in front of the platform and bowed to Karlinda. And I never break a promise.
Of that I’m glad, but how did you draw Julius into it?
That was the easy part, he replied. And the fun has only just begun.
As long as your version of fun doesn’t involve gunfire, because I’m standing here trussed tighter than a boar ready for cooking, and under the watchful metal eyes of two autosentries.
Julius has sent his men into the control room. The sentries will soon be deactivated, and the chain clamp released.
Dream will have loyalists scattered amongst the guards in this room. If she feels threatened, she will order them to shoot, and escape in the confusion.
Oh, I have no doubt she will try both, but trust me when I say escape is not an option for her today. This room is completely sealed.
Aside from the open door, you mean.
There’re a hundred men lining that corridor, and full magic shields enabled. She won’t get past them, no matter what she tries.
I hoped he was right. But the day was getting older and Nuri’s deadline was drawing closer, and I had a bad, bad feeling that even if we killed Dream right now, her plans would remain in play and cause chaos to the people and the city we both cared about.
The prosecutor cleared his voice and then said, “Chief Director Valkarie, to what do we owe this honor?”
“I’m here to see justice done. Right now, I don’t believe that to be so.”
Two of the guards accompanying him stopped either side of him. A third moved to the steps closest to the door, and the fourth man moved across to my side of the platform. Their guns, I was relieved to see, were not aimed at me, but rather held in a “ready” position that was semi-aimed at the stage.
Dream didn’t seem to notice—or, if she did, she didn’t think anything of it. Though her expression was one of annoyance, there was no indication that she thought this anything more than a minor blip in her plans.
“Director,” she said. “I don’t understand the reason for your presence here. You yourself signed the approval for both this trial and the DNA tests, and the authenticity of the results—both from our labs and from Bernstein’s—have been verified.”
“Indeed they have,” Julius replied evenly. “It’s the conclusion—that Catherine Lysandra is in fact a surviving remnant of an atrocity long thought erased—that I’m calling into question.”
“And what evidence do you give to back these claims?” the prosecutor said. “Because your word is not enough I’m afraid, Chief Director.”
“I would hope not,” he replied coolly, and motioned someone near the door to come forward.
A dark-haired, brown-skinned man climbed the steps and walked across the platform to the witness stand.
