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Ryland had the grace to look uncomfortable. “Well, no, but Clayton did pay a high price for those deeds—”
“A price you had a hand in” came a soft comment.
I wasn’t sure who said it and didn’t really care. I slammed my palms on the table and thrust to my feet. “You know what? The price is five million for me, and another five for Belle. That is my one and only offer. If you don’t like it, well then, I’ll see you in court.” I gave them a cold, hard smile. “Let’s see how well your precious reputation holds up once the details of Clayton’s actions are brought into the open.”
I grabbed my coat from the back of the chair and marched out of the room, slamming the door behind me. As the sound echoed through the empty corridor, I stopped and pressed back against the wood paneling to the right of the door, closing my eyes and drawing in deep breaths to calm the anger and inner shaking.
It probably hadn’t been a good idea to lose my temper like that, but fuck them. I was sick of people taking me for granted and looking down on me. Sick of being considered less than worthy just because I hadn’t been born as magically strong as my brother or my long-dead sister.
In fact, it had been Catherine’s death—and my father’s need to get rid of the magically challenged daughter who’d had the audacity to survive what his precious heir apparent had not—that had led to the whole Clayton mess in the first place.
The fact that Cat might still be alive if they’d trusted the strength of my psi powers was a point they continued to ignore.
The door to my right opened, and Anthony stepped through. He was tall, blond haired, and blue eyed, with a mild manner that belied a razor-sharp mind. He worked for the Black Lantern Society—a privately funded organization whose charter was to right wrongs and bring justice to those who escaped it, by whatever means necessary—and was representing me in the court case against my father. He was assisting me here as a favor to Ira Ashworth, an investigator with the Regional Witch Association, and a man who’d become a grandfather to me in all ways except blood.
“Sorry,” I said. “But those bastards—”
“Are rattled.” Amusement danced around the corners of his pale eyes. “They’re unused to a mere slip of a woman talking back to them.”
I laughed, as he’d no doubt intended. “If they think I’m a ‘mere slip,’ they need their eyes checked.”
“I was of course speaking in magical terms. They’re unaware you’re no longer the underpowered child you once were, and that plays to our advantage.”
Anthony had been given full access to the reports compiled by the Black Lantern Society’s auditors and truth seekers on the events surrounding my marriage to Clayton, but I’d also made him aware of my ability to manipulate wild magic. While that was something I’d much rather have kept secret, if things went bad for my father, he would use that juicy bit of news to his own advantage. The last thing I needed was for Anthony and the Society to be caught unawares, especially given they were representing me pro bono.
I pushed away from the wall and fell in step beside him. “Why would them uncovering my power boost make any difference to mediation?”
He cast me a wry look. “Have you been away so long that you’ve forgotten the importance of magical strength?”
“Well, no, but I can’t see why it should make any difference in this matter.”
He made an odd sort of sound in the back of his throat. “You’re inheriting a good portion of Clayton’s estate, and that currently ties you to them. Were they to uncover the truth about your magic, they might well make settlement conditional on the fulfilment of certain conditions in the marriage contract.”
Though he didn’t say it, I knew he was referring to the production of an heir. I stopped and stared at him in horror. “Surely a clause like that would be considered illegal.”
“There are varying degrees of legal up here.”
“Yes, but my father is being hauled in front of the High Witch Council for what basically amounts to coercion. Why would they risk a similar charge?”
He cast another amused glance over his shoulder but didn’t stop moving toward the exit. “Clayton’s line might currently be one of the lesser Marlowes here in Canberra, but don’t for a moment think they’re not working behind the scenes to rectify that matter.”
“Well, yeah, because backstabbing and undermining everyone to gain even the smallest advantage is part of the game up here.” I hurried after him. “But I can’t see how they can make the payout conditional on the production of a child.”
“They legally can’t, but that won’t stop an attempt to tie it to a payout. Remember, had you produced an heir, your share would have been greater.”
“I don’t need greater.”
“They don’t know that. Again, you have to remember the mindset of everyone up here—more is always better.”
I snorted. “God, I’m so glad I escaped this place.”
“You were lucky. Many aren’t.”
There was an edge in his voice that had me looking sharply his way. “Are you one of them?”
“No, because I did escape. I came back to represent those who can’t.” His brief but bright smile was delightfully wicked. “There is great joy to be found in being an underpowered and very definitely underrated Fitzgerald who constantly sticks it to those who think they are above the law.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “My father being chief amongst that lot.”
