Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Will

One of the benefits of having a bond with my fated mate was that I could tap into that bond whenever I needed and see what was happening to Alexis.

For instance, while I sat there outside the courtroom, I tuned into what was happening there. I did it partly for Alexis’s moral support, to let her know that I was there with her in her mind. And partly, I did it so I could have a brief idea of what was to come for me.

She had stood her ground very bravely, and now it was my turn.

When she came out the door, I hugged her before saying a word to her. Then I whispered in her ear, “You did it wonderfully.”

“I just told the truth,” she replied, hugging me back.

“Wilhelm Grimm, you are now called before the Clandestine Court!” Rogelio said sternly.

“Okay,” I responded, then followed him into the courtroom.

There they were, the Clandestine Order, all hidden behind their magical shields. It did not matter. I was going to be as truthful with them as Alexis had been, and when I’d be done, they’d be forced to come to terms with the brutal truth—that none of this had been our fault.

“Mr. Wilhelm Grimm, you are charged with disturbance of peace in Fiddler’s Green, and your activities, as the reports state to us, have only yielded death, destruction, and the abominable risk of our species being discovered by humans. What do you have to say in your defense?” A loud female voice resonated through the room.

“What do I have to say in my defense? Let me rephrase that. What do you have to say in your defense? Last I knew, the Clandestine Order was supposed to serve as a beacon to all species, whether they were werewolves, vampires, fae-folk, ghouls, witches, or sorcerers. But for the past hundred years, it seems that you have shirked your responsibilities. There is more to the Order than just the Court, you know.”

“Be very careful as to how you address us, Mr. Wilhelm,” the woman snapped. “You are present in the company of supreme beings whose cause is holier than the self-righteous crusade that you’ve been on in your town.”

“My self-righteous crusade? How dare you?” Now it was my turn to raise my voice. “It all began when I came here seeking shelter from the horrors of war. I took my pack from Germany and brought them to America, hoping they would be safer here. Within a few months, I was kidnapped, tortured, and experimented upon by a deranged Occultist. This continued for decades on end. Was the Order aware of that? If not, then that was a terrible lapse on behalf of the Order. If, on the other hand, the Order was aware, why did the Order not come to save me from a violent madman who altered my body chemistry and rendered me a mutated werewolf?” There was pain in my voice, pain that lingered in the form of echoes in the walls of this hall.

“While we are saddened to hear your plight, know that we cannot do anything about human atrocities. The Occultist who captured you was a human being. And we do not deal in human affairs,” the woman said. Other murmurs rose from the platform, murmurs of agreement and sympathy.

“But I wasn’t a human. Your Order was in charge of protecting the different species. You could have saved me. Yet you didn’t appear. And when I eventually freed myself and reclaimed my pack and my land, you are all here to find me guilty?” I growled. The anger in my voice was not going to subside now. I knew it. They knew it. They had brought me here thinking that I’d be on the defensive. It did not occur to them that I’d have a case all along and that I’d play on the offensive.

“Mr. Wilhelm Grimm. May I remind you that the travesties that happened under your reign included vampire lives? Vampires such as Ralph and Griswold were murdered by you. Do you deny that?” It was a man’s voice this time around.

“I don’t deny that. I acknowledge that I murdered them in cold blood. If given another opportunity, I will do it again. These vampires were not harmless bloodsuckers who resided peacefully in the forest. They were running a drug and blood smuggling cartel that my pack and I took down. While they were running their drug ring, they were threatening the lives of werewolves and humans alike. They even killed several humans and werewolves while they were at it, including the parents of my mate, Alexis,” I said.

“Yes, yes, she did tell us about that,” the man said.

“Then she might have also told you how Maurice, Ralph, and Blair, three corrupt people, held the town as ransom while they plotted their crazy schemes. Everything that I did, everything that my pack did, was done in self-defense. Do you really think that you have a case anymore?”

“As we said, we do not interfere in human affairs. Blair Beckett is a human being.”

“He is a human being, all right, but he’s out there hunting werewolves. He’s been conspiring with vampires all this time. He’s the fucking son of the guy who kidnapped and tortured me in the first place. Are you so blind that you do not recognize a threat even when it’s right under your nose? This won’t stop with us. If Blair wins, he will seek out other beings. He’s a maniacal person who has been carrying out his father’s legacy. Instead of bringing innocent people like Alexis and me into the court, you should be striving to help us bring Blair down!” I said.

“Perhaps you do not understand that the Clandestine Order does not play favorites. We cannot upend some human being’s business and his life just because we’re obliged to protect the supernatural species. This entire fight between you and Blair seems like it’s none of our business. As far as our records go, we see that you started this entire affair with Blair,” the woman said.

“So instead of helping me out, you would rather be neutral? You know, I was in the Second World War when millions of people were being persecuted by the Nazis. If only those who had been neutral then would have chosen the right side, the atrocities of that war could have been avoided altogether,” I said, stomping my foot on the ground.

There was silence from the court’s side. I knew that I had made my point, just as I knew that they had nothing left to say in their defense.

“Given your statements and Ms. Alexis Richard’s statements, it’s time for the Court to reconvene and pass a verdict. We will do so in the next half hour. For the duration of that time, we recommend that you wait outside.” It was an old man’s voice that spoke this time around. He hadn’t spoken before. Because there was a shield shrouding them, I couldn’t tell which of these people did the voice belong to. But compared to the other two voices, this third voice was a very calm, complacent, and sympathetic one.

“I’ll wait outside with my mate,” I said, taking my leave.

***

Outside, I saw Alexis sitting on a bench, a bottle of soda in her hand with a pack of fries.

“Where did you get these from?” I asked, surprised.

“I was just waiting here, fidgeting, when the receptionist asked me if I wanted anything. I told her that I hadn’t had breakfast, so she brought me these fries and this soda,” Alexis said. “I can have her bring some for you too.”

“No, thank you. I’m not particularly in the mood for anything to eat or drink. After speaking in there, I’ve got all this rage and anger that was pent up inside me now running amok. Suddenly, I have someone to blame for all this. It’s the Court’s fault, isn’t it?”

“You did say before that they are medieval bureaucracy,” Alexis replied. “Perhaps that’s all that they are. Effete. Powerless. Political.”

“They’re going to call the verdict in about half an hour,” I said. “Or sooner.”

We sat there side by side, looking at the extravagant decorations in the hall, those giant statues of werewolves, minotaurs, vampires, and wizards. There was a large dome at the top of the hall that had been painted with Renaissance-style artwork.

After half an hour had passed, Rogelio appeared from the other side of the door and beckoned us both in. Since my conscience was already clear, I was calm in my heart. I could sense through our bond that Alexis was too.

As we stepped into the room, I saw that the white shields were not there anymore. Instead, the five people who had been seated on the high platform were visible. Three of them were withered old men, and the other two were women who, by their looks, seemed to be in their forties.

“We have pondered much over your unique cases,” the first woman spoke, her eyes exploring the contents of the file laid out in front of her. “And it has not been an easy verdict, especially after taking into account everything that has happened, including the lapses of the Clandestine Order in matters such as the vampire cartel and the Occultist’s son, who is now leading an army of mercenaries.”

“So you admit that you have done wrong,” Alexis said.

“The Court is just one part of the Clandestine Order. We, who belong to the Court, are very impartial about everything, including the Order. And so, we must recognize that there have been lapses in the behavior of the Order. But you two are not without your fair share of faults,” one of the old men spoke.

“So what’s it going to be, then?” I asked, staring at him. It appeared that he had cataracts in his eyes and was not staring back at me.

“Patience, Mr. Wilhelm Grimm,” the second woman said. “It would seem that patience is not your strong suit.”

“I have been patient for more than seventy years when I was captured by Edward Beckett. Do not make a mockery of my suffering by telling me that I’m not patient.”

Will, calm down. They’re trying to get a rise out of you. It seems that they’ve already made up their minds. So, don’t give them anything that would turn their minds otherwise. Alexis spoke softly in my mind, her words soothing me. Let me handle them for you.

“While you waste our time here,” Alexis said, “there is a war happening out there. A war where our brothers and sisters are endangering their lives to keep the humans of Fiddler’s Green safe. You have recognized the fact that Blair is a threat. Well, we are doing what we can to subdue that threat. So, without further upset, if you’d rather not waste any more of our time, what is the verdict? And what happens if you find us guilty?”

“If found guilty,” the third old man said, “both of you will be sentenced to death in a manner of the Court’s choosing. Though, when it comes to werewolves, the death sentence dictates that we have them shot through the heart with a silver bullet or have their heads chopped off with silver machetes. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have not yet stated whether you are guilty or not.”

I looked at Alexis, our minds already communicating nonverbally about the possibility of them finding us guilty. If they did, we’d have to make a run for it. There was no way in hell we were letting them execute us.

“And now, the verdict,” the first woman said, clearing her throat and bringing up the file in front of her face.