Vanish (Firelight #2)(51)

“Yes, she’s alive, but Miram is lost. My daughter.” Severin’s voice intrudes and we all three peel apart. I stare at him, wary of him as any beast or predator. His attention settles on me. “This shall not go unpunished. Not this time. You’ve used up your last chance, Jacinda.”

A creaky floorboard draws my attention to the bedroom door. Cassian stands there, not stepping inside. But he’s here. He’s come back. Something flutters inside my chest.

“The pride shall assemble within the hour.” My gaze snaps back at the sound of Severin’s voice. “You’ll speak for your transgressions so all can hear.”

I’m to face a public judgment?

Such events are uncommon in pride life. I recall only one or two public judgments in my lifetime, but then rarely does anyone transgress.

Severin’s dark eyes narrow on me. “Don’t be late. You don’t want me to send an escort.” He turns to leave. At the door, he pauses, assesses his son. “Actually, Cassian. On second thought, why don’t you make certain she’s on time?”

He means make sure I don’t escape.

The relief I felt at the sight of Cassian vanishes. He’s to be my jailer.

“It will be okay.” Tamra squeezes my arm, pulling my attention back to her earnest face. “I’ll stand by you.”

“Me too,” Az pipes in.

I smile at the both of them. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

I glance at Mom. Surprisingly, she’s pushing up from the bed. I grasp her arm to help her sit upright.

“I’ll make some tea,” Az quickly volunteers, hurrying from the bedroom.

Cassian watches in silence from the door as Tamra and I tend to our mother.

“A little privacy please,” Tamra calls sharply at him without looking. Instantly, I’m reminded of the last time the three of us were in a room together. The ugly words . . . Apparently, my sister hasn’t forgotten either.

From the corner of my eye, I observe his departure. Listen to his footsteps. He doesn’t go far. Just to the living room. He has his orders. He’s my escort to the assembly, after all. He won’t be leaving.

As though she can read my mind, Tamra says, “We’ll be with you, Jace. Mom and me. We’ll stand together as a family.”

I look at my sister as she crouches near Mom. Mom is looking at me, too, her gaze more lucid, more familiar than the stranger’s of the last few weeks. More like the mother I know.

“You came back. You voluntarily came back. That has to mean something,” she says, making me feel less worried. And relieved. She knew I’d left. She knew and cared. “You’re no deviant. Severin is not thinking rationally. They’ll see that. No one has been punished unjustly before.”

I’m tempted to ask, What about justly?

I’m no innocent. I’ve done things I shouldn’t.

But then Mom takes my hand and her grip is warm and firm. Feels the way it did when I was small and she was my entire world. When she and Dad could make everything right with the touch of a hand.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so alone. Whatever happens, I know I’ve got my family. This fortifies me, makes me think I can handle anything.





Chapter 22

Tamra holds my hand as we walk to the center of town. Others are out, walking in a steady stream in the same direction. They stare openly at me through the sifting curls of mist—even point to me. They don’t seem to care that I can see them doing this. And why should they? In their eyes, I’m the one who’s done something wrong and been called before the pride to face public judgment.

Tamra gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

We keep our pace slow enough for Mom. She walks at my other side, squinting at the ribbons of dull light breaking through the mist. Like a mole emerging into day.

When we reach the meeting hall, it’s already crowded. The low drone of conversation dies down as I come into view.

Bodies part, peel back, and allow me to walk up the front steps.

Severin stands there behind the stone railing. The half-dozen elders are there, too, puppets behind him. I’m no fool. The public will decide nothing. Whatever happens will be his call.

Cassian does not move to stand among them. I guess he can’t. Not yet. He has no true official capacity. Instead, he takes a position at the front of the gathered onlookers.

I loosen my fingers to release Tamra’s hand and ascend the steps, but she tightens her grip. Doesn’t let go.

“I’ll go with you,” she says.

Az nods encouragingly behind her. Like she agrees that would be best.

“No. I have to go alone.” I doubt they would let anyone stand up there with me anyway. I look from Tamra to Mom to Az. “Wait here.” I give a wobbly smile. For them. “I’ll be back. Everything will be fine.” I say this for them, too. I’m not sure what’s about to happen. My stomach twists, dips in a sickening lurch. Still, I can’t regret returning. I had to. For my family. For Miram and Cassian.

As I stand beside Severin, my infractions are read. He starts with the small.

Neglecting to show up for duty.

Leaving pride grounds without authorization.

I cringe, thinking of the crowd’s reaction if they’d known why I had left. For whom. That would be yet another infraction. Severin’s voice rolls on.