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“I wouldn’t bond myself to a whore.” Quinn’s voice was loud in the hall making sure that everyone in attendance would hear.
Clay couldn’t stop the vicious growl that tore from his throat. “Watch yourself!” His words were barely human and he watched the color leech from Quinn’s face. He maintained eye contact staring him down until he was certain that the man wasn’t a threat before turning his attention back to the others.
It was clear that Jade being able to hide her tremendous power had wounded their pride. The lycan elders were the same. If they believed you’d bested them in some way or made them look foolish then they insisted on retribution. When Tobin spoke Clay knew that he hadn’t misread the situation.
“Though Quinn has renounced his right to the bond with you Jade to atone for your deceit you will submit to siphoning.”
Clay felt her shock and horror through their link and he didn’t have to know all the details to know that siphoning was bad.
“No.” her words were barely audible in the room.
“On the next full moon, it will be done.” Tobin issued the decree and the others sitting with him nodded their agreement. The crowd that had gathered to watch murmured but their words were no more than a blend of white noise.
Jade was rigid next to him. Her head held high from a mixture of pride and stubbornness.
His focus was split between her and the threat that the council represented. He shifted so that his body was between Jade and the others offering what little physical protection that he could he wrapped a protective arm around her as he led her out of the room careful to keep the others from touching her.
Being in the open air didn’t seem to help calm her down much. She was shaking now. With fear or anger, he couldn’t say for sure, but the intensity seemed to increase until he started to worry that she was going into shock.
“The next full moon is in six days,” she whispered her voice cracking part way through.
“It’s going to be ok, but I need you to tell me what just happened back there so I can help find a solution.” Clay walked her back home ignoring the stares of the people they passed along the way. Every one of them was watching her as if she were condemned and Clay felt like he was leading her to the gallows. He decided then that he would do anything to help her no matter what it took, no matter what the consequence anything had to be better than seeing how these people who were supposed to be her friends and family were treating her now.
He helped keep her steady so that the people who were staring waiting to gossip wouldn’t have more cannon fodder. Once they got inside and the door closed her knees buckled. It was only his arm at her waist that kept her from falling.
Without a word, Clay picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He sat her on the toilet while he ran a bath then he removed her clothing and helped her into the tub tending to her as though she were a child.
Jade was quiet for so long Clay wasn’t certain that she would tell him what was going on. He had a pretty good idea but needed her to confirm it.
IT TOOK A while for Jade to realize that she was in the bath. Her mind had gone numb and she didn’t remember leaving the meeting, she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten home, and then all at once, the world came rushing back to her. She processed it with a slow blink bringing the room and Clay into focus.
He was washing her back. The sponge was soothing on her skin and helped to pull her out of her thoughts and ground her back in reality.
“There she is.” Clay’s voice was soft as if he was worried he would startle her.
“Here I am.” She affirmed trying to inject some humor into her tone. She wasn’t sure if it was so he wouldn’t worry or so that she wouldn’t. Though if it was the latter she shouldn’t have bothered because she was going to worry no matter how many jokes she made and she could tell by his expression that her attempt was wasted anyway.
“Are you ready to talk about it yet?”
“Not really but the full moon is in six days. I don’t have much choice, but not in the tub.” She didn’t want to be naked and vulnerable when she told him what was going to happen to her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“There hasn’t been a siphoning performed in years. Most covens have banned the practice, but my coven is very traditional.” Her last words were muffled as she pulled a sweater over her head. The weather was warm enough that she didn’t need it but despite the warm bath, she was still chilled.
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. The coven elders bind you so you can’t fight back and then they literally drain your magic from you. It’s painful and barbaric and drives most witches mad.” Jade felt tears sting in the corners of her eyes as she explained it to Clay.
“Why would they do such a thing?”
“Punishment? Control? Some sort of sadistic pleasure, it’s hard to say really but imagine having someone rip your wolf from you. From that point on it’s like missing part of yourself. It makes you weaker more docile and easier to control.”
“And there’s no way to appeal the decision? No way to fight them?” Clay asked, anger flashing in his gaze.
She swallowed hard and shook her head unable to voice her answer. There was no way to appeal the elders ruled with an iron fist and she’d defied them. The fact that she’d gotten away with it for many years would only make it worse. They would punish her as they felt was appropriate.
“So we’ll leave Julian will accept you as part of our community. It was something that we were going to have to discuss anyway.”
“It isn’t that simple, Clay. They will track me. They will do it magically and they won’t stop until they find me and when they do they will drag me back here and the result will be the same. With our link, I won’t be able to hide from them.”
