Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(20)
Brenna turned to face her fully, a gentle smile curving her lips. “Shut the f*ck up, Simone. I have a job to do, and I’ll knock you on your ass if you get in my way.” She kept her voice low. “I love you, you’re family, and I’m going to protect you whether you like it or not.”
Simone blinked. Had Brenna just said “f*ck”? “Geez. Being mated to a vampire has turned you raunchy, Bren.”
“You have no idea.” Brenna leaned in even more. “Are you going to allow me to help you? Or do I get nasty?” An odd purple flame danced down her arm to sputter out.
Simone frowned. “What in the world was that?” Bren’s flames were usually green or blue.
“Pregnancy.” Brenna rolled her eyes. “It has totally messed with everything. So stop ticking me off, or I’ll accidentally start shooting plasma.”
“Enough of this. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t need help.” Simone turned her voice curt and her gaze arrogant. “Now, toddle home to the vampires and prepare your nest for that baby. Or whatever occupies your time these days.” She turned away to face the Council, her stomach roiling. While she hated to hurt Brenna’s feelings, there was too much at stake to allow the pregnant witch to stay.
Heat and sudden pain flared along Simone’s arm. She yelped and edged to the side, her gaze widening as she turned back to Brenna.
“Oops,” Brenna said, no remorse on her face, reaching out to snuff out the fire she’d lobbed.
Simone rubbed a round burn on her forearm. “You’re supposed to be the nice one,” she hissed quietly.
Brenna lifted a graceful shoulder. “Eh. Nice is overrated. The bitchy act won’t work with me, so knock it off.” She turned to face the dais. “I love you and I’m here to help. Deal with it.”
Simone’s mouth opened and then shut with a sharp snap. Brenna had always seen through her outer shields, which was why they were close. Her insides tried to turn all mushy with love and gratitude, but she kept her face set. “Fine, but if it gets dangerous, you’re leaving.”
“Uh-huh.” Brenna smiled for the three council members and raised her voice. “Simone has accepted my offer of representation.”
Peter cleared his throat. “That’s unwise for you personally, but not against the rules. The Enforcer hasn’t been called, however.”
Moira stepped forward, irritation all but buzzing from her. “The Enforcer has a name, Pete. While the remaining Enforcers are in Seattle tracking down the main distributor of Apollo, I’m here in official capacity to protect Simone Brightston.”
Peter blinked. “Excuse me?”
Simone moved to stop Moira from speaking, but the wild witch held up a hand to halt her. “Simone is a member of the Council Nine, and if she’s innocent, which I believe she is, then somebody has gone to an enormous amount of trouble to set her up. She’s in danger, and it’s the Enforcers’ job to protect Coven members in danger. Thus I am here.”
Nick leaned in to Simone. “Isn’t family a pain in the ass?” Somehow, although he probably tried to hide it, he sounded a bit melancholy. The poor guy had never had a family, having lost his parents centuries ago.
Simone nodded. “There’s no way to get them to leave.”
Peter studied Moira, who met his gaze levelly. Finally, he nodded. “Very well, but if the Coven Nine decides to send you on a mission elsewhere, do not forget your alliance.” Peter banged the gavel down. “Let’s get this started. Please read the charges.”
The prosecutor nodded. “The charges are simple. Simone Brightston is guilty of committing treason, the first-degree murder of humans by using planekite darts, and the attempted murder of witches. The charges are made more serious by the fact that Coven Nine members have been attacked with planekite, thus requiring imposition of death on the guilty party.”
Simone’s head buzzed. At least all the charges were trumped up and not based on the actual laws she’d broken. Yet. It all seemed so casual and normal, yet the prosecutor, in following the law, was asking for her head to be removed from her body. She should be terrified or even angry. But shock drew her away from the proceedings in a way that felt impersonal.
“This is bullshit,” Moira muttered beneath her breath.
Brenna smiled. “We demand a proffer of proof.”
The prosecutor clasped his hands at his back. “I’ve compiled all proof and handed the papers over in manila files, but I’m willing to give a brief recap. For more than a century, Simone has transferred money through different accounts and funded various endeavors, the latest being the mining of planekite, which, as you know, is the mineral that kills witches.”
“You’ve traced Simone’s money to the planekite mining and distribution?” Brenna challenged.
“Yes. The mineral has been used to create Apollo, the drug killing humans in Seattle, as well as inserted into darts and shot at our Coven Nine members.” The prosecutor rocked back on his designer loafers. “We have signatures, e-mails, texts, and other records that show Ms. Brightston was not only aware of the mines but actively set this plan in motion.”
“Why?” Moira demanded. “Why in the world would Simone do such a thing?”
The prosecutor shook his head. “Our theory as to motive will be revealed at trial. For now, every bit of evidence we’ve collected has been turned over to the defense. We request a trial date.”