Chapter 28

28

It was like facing down a firing squad.

Gabriel stood by the windows, hands locked behind his back. His uncle and the board members sat at the long rectangular table, judge and jury. He couldn't read their faces but he could imagine how disappointed they were. Just like his parents always had been. He'd failed once again.

Leah's voice crept into his head. You don't even want the job, Gabriel, not really.

At the far end of the room, Henry and Bastian lounged against the walls, expressions neutral. His uncle had at first questioned their presence but conceded when Gabriel explained they were here for his defense. Will echoed their posture on the other end of the room, closest to August, pen and paper at the ready.

Gabriel studied his uncle now, framed by the light from the afternoon sun. August had always absorbed light, mirrored it back to encourage everyone around him. Was all that a lie? Was everything?

The idea was like shaving a grater over his heart.

Finally August linked his hands together on the table. "Ultimately," he said, deep, regretful, "we are where we are. It falls to you, nephew. Tell us why you voided the clause. Speak your truth."

Gabriel ignored the tremble in his hands, tightening their grip on each other. "Actually, Uncle," he said with no trace of emotion. "I was hoping you would speak your truth."

August cocked his head. "I'm sorry?"

"The shelter I've been working at for the past three months has been plagued by incidents. Multiple counts of vandalism. Phony reports to the police. Irritants designed to trigger a reaction." Gabriel swept his gaze across the table, ensuring he made eye contact with each member. This was a guess at most, but the idea had formed when he'd looked at all the pieces. "Meant to provoke me into getting frustrated enough to use magic or even leave entirely."

"Why would any witch do that?" James spoke up, sitting back in his chair.

Because the question wasn't combative, Gabriel answered. "The same reason someone knocked out the human I've formed an attachment to and locked her in a burning building behind a high-level spell."

Murmurs of surprise, dismay, rippled.

"Is she okay?" someone ventured.

"Only because I cut through the binding."

More murmurs. August's chair squeaked as he leaned forward. "Was there no other recourse?"

"Henry and Bastian were outside. By the time I got to them, it might have been too late. It almost was." He would never get the image of Leah, lifeless in his arms, scrubbed from his mind. "I believe the person who had the most to gain from my failure to complete this clause was responsible for this final act."

"And who is that?"

Gabriel let the truth drop like a witch's grenade hex. "You."

Gasps ran around the room, one witch half rising, shaking their head.

August pushed up, slow, incredulous. "You honestly believe I'd harm a human?"

"You don't like her."

"I don't harm everyone I dislike."

"You also have the most to gain." Gabriel forced himself to keep eye contact. "You love being CEO."

August's hands slammed onto the table in a rare show of temper. "You believe I'd jeopardize my nephew for a job?" he demanded. "You've been like a son to me, Gabriel."

Gabriel felt sickness rise in his throat at the word son . Manipulation. It had to be manipulation.

"Facts are facts," he said steadily.

"And what are these facts?" August spat, anger alive and hot. "That the human is angling for whatever she can get? That I tried to tell you how she's making you weak? That I have done nothing but support and care for you and your sister since the day I got the mirror message telling me Alec was dead?" His voice broke. He took a moment, grief touching his face, hollowing it. "I've only ever wanted the best for you."

Gabriel struggled with the emotion clogging his throat. He wanted, with everything inside him, to believe his uncle.

"There's an easy way to prove it," Henry spoke up. He nudged Bastian and both came forward. They may have been dressed casually, but nobody would deny the Higher warlocks passage. They stopped next to Gabriel's uncle, who stared at them like he smelled something bad.

Henry's smile was thin. "Take a test."

August's confusion flipped to consternation. "You expect me to let Bastian Truenote into my mind?"

No. But it was the only way that all of them would know the truth.

"Do it, then."

Gabriel's breath left his body at his uncle's words. His hands unlinked, drifting forward. "Sorry?"

August glared at Bastian. "Do it. I won't have my nephew think I betrayed him. Not that he should."

Doubt trickled like a leak from a pipe, eroding Gabriel's beliefs.

A bluff, he told himself, eyeing August. So, despite the conflict screaming inside him, he gave Bastian the go-ahead. "Do it."

Bastian turned toward August. "Lower your barriers."

"You can't just crash through them?" August's voice was icy.

Not that it touched Bastian. "Sure, I can, but it's polite to ask." With a twist of his lips, he touched his fingertips to August's temples.

"Maybe you shouldn't—" a witch from the other side of the table began.

"Quiet," Henry cut her off.

August stood statue-still as the other warlock's brow furrowed. Gabriel knew he'd be sifting through the layers, searching in the rooms that made up August's mind.

He'd asked a mind master once what it was like to search inside a person's head. She'd described it as like looking through a house, with each person completely unique, cluttered or tidy, big or small, many doors or one open space. It took precision to leave everything untouched, no damage. It was why only mind masters were called upon when spells, hexes or curses rendered a witch locked inside their own mind, or when the High Family wanted someone interrogated. Bastian could make a fortune if he wanted but he'd left society too young to go down that road.

When Bastian's fingers left August's temples, the whole room held their breath like an audience in a bad detective show, like the ones Leah had made him watch.

Surprise marked Bastian's face as he stepped back. "It wasn't him."

Gabriel gripped the back of a chair to keep his knees from buckling. "What?"

"It wasn't him. But I did find something interesting." Bastian's voice was deceptively casual. "Someone reporting how influenced you were by a greedy, grasping human. And how the best thing might be to call you out in front of the board, shaming you to be strong. Whispering about how, sadly, maybe you weren't ready to be CEO." Bastian's eyes flashed as he sought the person in question. "Someone who likes his position as ear to that power very much. Right, Will?"

Shock resonated through Gabriel as his head swung to his uncle's assistant.

Will's expression mirrored the emotion. "I—you think I ...?" he spluttered, putting up his hands, pen and paper falling to the floor. The pen hit, rolled to where August stood staring.

"You kept talking about the human." August's brows drew together. "How she was corrupting Gabriel. How he was turning back into the child he'd been."

Gabriel squeezed the back of the chair and said nothing to that.

Will looked wildly between them all. "But...why would I? It's not like I have influence."

"As August's assistant, you get a certain amount of power," Henry countered, one platinum brow arching. "August trusts you absolutely, gives you assignments no normal assistants get."

"You recommend someone for promotion? Done." Bastian snapped his fingers. "You suggest firing someone for lackluster work? Bam. You push for a new trial; he'll consider it strongly. You want to be the power behind the throne."

"I didn't—I couldn't..." Will shook his head, seemingly helpless.

August turned fully to his assistant. "Then prove it." He gestured to Bastian.

"No." Will balled his fists. "Just because you agreed doesn't mean I have to. It's a violation."

"Do you have something to hide?" James asked from his seat.

" No. "

"Take the test."

"Yes, take the test."

"Take the test."

It ran around the room until August held up a hand, gaze locked on the warlock in question. "Will, your contract says you must submit to a mind scan if deemed necessary by the board." He kept his hand lifted. "All those in favor?"

Will snapped. One minute he was the sweet guy forever running around after Gabriel's uncle. The next, an ugly sneer curled his lips. "Fine." He shrugged, folding his arms. "I rigged the game a little. So what?"

Gabriel's blood rose, thick, frothing. "So. What? "

His power shot out and Will slammed into the wall, clawing at the phantom hand holding his throat. There were some exclamations of surprise, more that it was Gabriel doing it than out of objection. Nobody moved to stop him.

Henry let the other warlock struggle for thirty seconds before walking to Gabriel's side. "Ease off."

Gabriel's jaw clenched so tight, he thought he heard his teeth crack. "He hurt her."

"She's okay. And he'll get what's coming to him." Coolly, he looked at Will. "The High Family love sentencing dirt like you." His hand rested on Gabriel's shoulder. A reminder. A support. "He's not worth it, Gabriel."

A humming moment passed.

Gabriel closed his hand and dropped it, allowing Will to slide down the wall. He plopped to the carpet, chest heaving, gulping in air.

He struggled to sit up. "She's a human," he rasped. "Like they'll care."

Henry smirked, shoulder to shoulder with Gabriel. "I bet they will, considering the damage you could've caused this company."

"Speaking of." James looked around the room, received nods. "I think we can all agree you acted without bias and with pure intent to help a human, Gabriel. It's exactly what we want in a CEO for Goodnight's Remedies. You may have voided the clause by breaking the binding, but you did so in a way that would have made your parents proud."

Gabriel's throat went thick as other board members chimed in with their agreement.

"Are you kidding me?" Will snapped his open mouth shut, staggering to his feet. "He was weak, emotional. For a human ."

"That's what this company is all about." James sent him a speaking look, one that had an overlay of warning sparks. "Humans are just as worthy of help as witches. Something you'll have time to ponder after the High Family is done with you."

Bastian chuckled, rubbing his hands in glee. "Maybe they'll strip you of your magic and sentence you to be human. The High Family love an ironic twist."

Will lost what color he had. Then he uttered five words that yanked Gabriel's feet from under him.

"Leah Turner knows about witches."

Gabriel froze. Through the haze of panic, he swung his gaze to his uncle, to the board, saw the horror dawn on Bastian and Henry's faces.

"He's lying," Bastian instantly said, scoffing, stepping forward as if to shut Will up personally. "How would she? Why would she?"

"She's a third owner in a witch bar. She's been sleeping with Gabriel Goodnight." Pleased with the upper hand, Will tucked his thumbs in his pockets. "I've been observing for a while. I've seen it all. And I'll have no problem telling everyone—including the High Family."

Henry shifted as if to shield Gabriel. "Nobody will believe a warlock who's looking to escape punishment."

August stayed silent.

"Lord Pearlmatter is correct." James steepled his hands, the beginnings of a frown tugging on his bushy eyebrows. "Nobody will believe him—provided you cut all ties."

Gabriel's mouth dried up.

No. The word echoed in his head.

"Keep the company," James went on, oblivious. "Your legacy. And end the relationship with the human, distancing yourself from her."

Gabriel made himself speak. "Or?"

"Or," August finally spoke up, face carefully blank. "Or you could go to the High Family and ask for clemency."

"Bullshit," Will sneered from his corner. "You know she's only interested in you because you're a warlock."

One of the board members waved their hand and tape appeared over Will's mouth.

August acted as though there hadn't been an interruption, gaze boring into Gabriel, through him. His voice gave nothing away. "Throw yourselves on their mercy, ask for forgiveness and permission to bring Leah fully into this world. And potentially lose everything. It's your choice."