Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(47)

“Why is your signature on these documents?”

She carefully, very carefully, turned to replace the pot. “Well, if you must know, I may have committed theft, fraud, and possibly treason.”

“That doesn’t sound like you.” He kept his voice level when all he wanted to do was shout for her to get to the damn point and explain herself.

A blush colored her high cheekbones. “Trevan and I were close.”

Nick snorted. “I’m well aware of your relationship, and any relationships you have had during the last one hundred years.” He held up a hand when she started to speak. “I don’t want details, believe me. However, it’s time to explain.”

Her hands wrapped around her mug. “Trevan and I made several investments, and they all were consolidated before his death. Since he was tried and convicted posthumously of treason, all of his holdings were to be transferred to the Nine. I, ah, didn’t transfer all of them.”

Nick sat back, trying to keep his mouth from gaping. “Why?”

She shrugged. “The Nine used all his money for security and increasing the wealth of the coven, which is important, I admit. I used it for what I believed was a better cause.”

He wasn’t going to like her explanation. He just knew it. “Wait a minute.”

She hunched forward. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Ah, hell. “It was you. You were the one who kept the weapons stocked on the islands for my people. For the demons.” He and Zane had fought hard against Suri, Zane’s uncle, often finding surprising caches of weapons and money to fund their underground war. “I thought the help came from the King of the Realm.”

Her blush turned into a fiery red. “I may have filtered funds through Dage.”

“Jesus, Simone. I know you dated him, too.”

“It wasn’t serious.”

“I know that.” Even though it had been Nick’s idea in the first place, to keep her safe, he couldn’t deny the absolute relief that had filled him when he’d heard they’d broken things off so long ago. “Dage can corroborate your story?”

“No. Dage can affirm I funneled money to him, but only that he received it. He can’t dispute these records.”

Well, hell. He’d had no clue Simone had been risking herself to help him all those years. She’d never stop surprising him, now would she? His chest shifted and settled. What a sweetheart. That was a side of herself she didn’t show many people. “These records show that you funneled money into planekite mining.”

“I know.”

Somebody had done a hell of a job setting her up. “Who did you work with?”

She grimaced. “A witch by the name of Paul, who showed up dead a few months ago. He’s the only one who knew what was happening.”

“How did he find you?”

She swallowed. “We worked together on a Dublin city project a few years back, one that secured the city against, well, demons, and he cut a few corners. Our plan flowed naturally from there, since I’d saved Trevan’s money, waiting for a chance to help you.”

The fact that she’d helped him warmed him and pissed him off simultaneously. “So we have no way to prove what you did.”

She smiled then, the expression sad and accepting. “That doesn’t really matter, now, does it? Even if we could prove it, all we’d be proving is that I committed treason by taking money from the Nine and funding the demon nation, which was our enemy at the time.”

Holy shit, she was right. He tried to think of a way out for her and came up empty. “You’ll have to run.”

She shook her head. “The earth isn’t big enough to hide from the Coven Nine forever, even if I could hide for years.”

He slowly nodded, his gut sinking. “Maybe.” The best plan was to win within the Coven laws. “We have to win your trial.”

“How? I’m guilty either way.”

He hadn’t spent his entire life planning strategy to fail now. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out.” As he gave the promise, he tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Somehow, he was pretty sure he’d failed.





Chapter 18


Her trial started the next day, and her mother was getting worse. Simone smoothed hair back from her mother’s head, her heart hurting. For days, she and Nick had worked around the clock to find a way to win the trial, and they’d come up empty.

Moira sat over in the corner, her green eyes sizzling. “You feel better, Aunt Viv?”

“Yes,” Viv said weakly.

Simone tried to hold back the fear, but flames still flashed down her arm. She snuffed them out.

“What the hell?” Moira whispered.

Simone blushed. “I’m upset.”

“Yeah, but . . .” Moira stood, so many thoughts scattering across her face it was impossible to read. “I have a meeting with the Guard. Walk me out.”

Simone patted her mother’s bedclothes and followed her cousin to the hall, closing the door quietly. “When you return, will you bring her some of that beef broth she likes from Bromby’s?”

“Yes.” Moira leaned in, her chin lowering. “The flames on your arms?”

Irritation swept through Simone, and heat filled her chest. “Nobody is perfect.” In fact, she felt very imperfect and a little out of control. As if mirroring her thoughts, another dash of fire swept across her hands. Pink fire. She gasped.