Chapter 145

Almara’s Pov

My heart sinks as the odds stack up against us. By the looks of Cathy and Roberts fallen faces, they seem to be thinking the same thing. We’re doomed. Only Arthur maintains his disposition and holds his head high with an air of respect pouring from him.

“Please sit.” Delfino says as he takes his own seat in what appears to be a throne.

“How do the defendants plea?” Delfino asks looking at us like we’re gum on the bottom of his shoe.

“Not guilty.” Arthur is quick to answer. Cathy shoots him a daggering glance. Arthur hesitates. “Your Honor.” He says with an impressive ability to keep the disdain out of his voice.

“To all accounts?” Delfino confirms, raising his eyebrow.

“Yes, Your Honor.” Arthur replies.

“Very well,” Delfino strikes his gavel down on a wooden pallet confirming the stances on the case.

“Will the prosecutor approach the stand?” Delfino says, motioning toward the person bringing these charges against us. Whoever it is, is seated at the table next to ours and I can’t see who they are past both Cathy and Robert’s bodies.

Then I get a glimpse of the back of their head and a long black robe, something like a haunted dread settles in the pit of my stomach. “Thank you, Your Honor.” I recognize the voice. Then it clicks. The person prosecuting us is Edward, another of the councilmen.

Two out of three members of the Bloody Hollow are in on this case, there’s no way we have a chance at winning. Not to mention, the entire jury is going to want to please their leaders and find us guilty no matter what happens. This entire court case is just for show, mere entertainment.

“On the first account, these members are guilty for breaking and entering.” Edward continues. “Now only one of the members present today actively participated, but the rest allowed the crime to take place and hid the delinquent after all was said and done. For that, I implore the jury find all four of them equally guilty.”

The jury murmurs sounds of agreement and I restrain myself from giving them a dirty look. I practically zone out as Edward continues on with his position against us, knowing it doesn’t matter anyway.

“We have a witness.” Edward says, pulling my attention back. Just then the side entrance door swings open and Claire walks in. Her red hair is pulled into a neat bun on the crown of her head, her back skirt is long and fitted, and her heels clack against the tile as she takes a seat next tot the judges stand.

She sits with her shoulders straight and her back tall. Everything about her is screaming class and professionalism. She even added some color to her cheeks which illuminates rather than contrasts her milky white skin.

I hate to admit it, but she looks good. She looks exactly like the kind of witness that you would want to have on your side, and Edward knows it. He probably dressed her himself. Cathy recounts our meeting in the bathroom, where we got into a fight but she lets on one minor detail that I have no way of disproving, even if it is a lie.

“Just before Almara ran out of the bathroom, disguised as me, I saw her the back of her hair change from my bright red to her flat brown.” The insult was needless but t jury snickers at the small detail.

While it’s true my hair did start to turn back to its original color, that was after I was already in the councilmen’s chambers with Bess. For all I know, Edward could have told Claire that detail and had her use it in her testimony.

I bite my tongue from calling her bluff, knowing I’ll have my turn to correct her timeline- if it even matters. The back door opens and all heads turn to see who just walked in. My shoulders drop from ears in relief when I see Roman has come in.

He nods towards us and takes a seat in one of the benches as if here only to watch as a curious bystander. Edward grunts something under his breath, but moves on to his next question to Claire.

It’s about ten minutes into her questioning when I realize this has nothing to do with the attempted murder charge. Claire is apparently only the witness for the breaking and entering crime. So then, who was the attempted murder against?

Curiosity keeps me intrigued and I almost forgive this entire case is against us. I run through the story in my head over and over, I didn’t attempt to murder anyone. I think about how Robert was supposed to keep the doorman, Timmothy, distracted so Bess and I could sneak in, maybe he assaulted Timmothy.

“Will the next witness please come in.” I hear Delfino call out. Claire slides out of her seat casting an evil grin our way that no one seemed to notice expect us four. Then the side door opens and a man hobbles in.

Immediately revelations begin unfolding. I know instantly who this man is and for a second, I think I’m seeing a ghost. It’s Jafe. The one that Bess and Roman attempted to stab and throw overboard. How did he survive? Though just as the question forms, it disappears. Vampires are notoriously impossible to kill.

I jerk my head back and look at Roman. He shouldn’t be here since he’s the one actually guilty of this crime. I try to plea with my eyes this to Roman, but he just gives me a steady singular nod. Maybe this is why he’s here after all.

“Jafe, is the person who tried to kill you here today?” Edward asks.

“Yes.” Jafe says.

“Can you please point to that person?” Edward again asks, but I notice how his eyes already settle on Robert before Jafe lifts his arm. As though not expecting the delay, Edward pulls his gaze back at Jafe and stiffens. “Now please.” He says.

Jafe raises his arm and extends a slender pointer finger our way, but he points past us and back to Roman. There’s a wave of shock that ripples through the courtroom. There isn’t any outburst, but the very energy of the room as shifted as if something happened that wasn’t in the script.

“Who are you pointing at?” Edward asks giving Jafe time to think about what he’s doing and correct himself to what was obviously planned.

“Roman.” Jafe says plainly and looks Edward square in the eye. “And Bess.” He adds.

Delfino brings his gravel down once more and calls for order in the court and whispers travel across the jury. Even Cathy, Robert, Arthur, and I exchange glances wondering what this means.

“There will be a fifteen minute recess.” Delfino says. The four of us rise to our feet and try to balance our steps as we go to meet Roman.

“Not here.” Roman says and nods his head back at the door he came through.

We follow him out to the hallway and the thought of running jumps into my brain, but I quickly dismiss it.

“Where’s your lawyer?” Roman asks sharply looking at Robert and I have to stifle a laugh.

“It’s a long story.” Cathy says sheepishly. Roman seems at a loss for words and decides to drop the subject.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m here then.” Roman says.

“What’s going on?” Arthur asks.

“Luckily Jafe doesn’t care much for politics. I paid him to call me out and throw their little plan out the window. With the murder charge complete dropped against you four, the only charges that stand are the breaking and entering.” Roman says and slyly reaches into his pockets. “And even that is about to go away.”

“Almara and Robert, open your palms.” He puts two small potion trinkets in our hands and tells us to take them to the bathroom and drink.

“Smash the bottles when you’re done.” He says as I close my fist tightly around the small bottle filled with a rose-pink liquid. “If they want to play dirty, so can we.” Roman says with a smug smile I’ve come to adore.