Their strength was no match for mine, maybe that’s why they were being so persistent with this matter; they needed new blood to revitalize their waning power.
“We’ll go down and see what the council has to say.”
“And then will it be over, or will they always be after us?”
“They’re no longer a threat, your strength as well as mine will only grow stronger from now on, and none would dare come against us.”
Chapter 22
JASMINE
Downstairs he was right that the council had shown up. They all watched me very closely as Thorn sat me. There were murmurs and whispers and some of the elder men in the room looked as if they’d seen a ghost.
That Mina person was there with what must have been her family, who were also looking at me squinty eyed.
I felt stronger than I ever have before and with Thorn’s arms around me stronger still. I hadn’t had time to process everything that had passed since I woke up in his bed.
Had I really seen that light? It was almost impossible to reconcile the girl that had left her father’s house this morning with the one sitting here now.
“We have only one question now since you have gone ahead with the bedding, though it seems superfluous. Did you see the light?” A very old man asked that question of Thorn as he kept his eyes trained on me.
“Yes we did, it’s a boy.”
No sooner were those words out of his mouth than there was a screech and something came flying at me.
I never saw what that something was as Thorn knocked it back before placing himself in front of me. They were harsh words spoken in their native tongue, as the room seemed to be in an uproar.
“Settle down young lady, this is not the way we do things, you must calm yourself.” That annoying screech rang out again, and I felt her more stronger than before.
Again she came flying at me, as if the old man’s words had gone right over her head.
Thorn moved quickly, blocking me from her view, which seemed to infuriate her more and more.
I wanted to face her, to knock her on her ass more likely, but each time she came at me, he was there, placing himself between us.
“You won’t touch her, you’ll never put your fucking hands on her.” Had I ever heard him swear before? I don’t remember, but that voice of his scared even me and I knew I had nothing to fear from him.
“Divecki get your daughter under control.” One of the men on the council sat forward in his seat as he gave the order.
When she seemed to be under control and the room quieted again, I had the chance to look at her. She really was beautiful but there was a hardness to her that detracted from that beauty.
I don’t know why I’d thought she was my age. From the story Thorn had told, I was under the impression that she would be, but I see now that she was older than me, and closer to his age.
I felt his hand squeeze mine as I felt a pang of jealousy. Right there in the middle of all those prying eyes he turned my face to his and kissed me. “Stop it, you have nothing to fear from her, I have eyes only for you.”
His words like always, soothed my heart and now I could feel the truth in them, I could see into him to the truth.
“Now you stand accused of murder Divecki, or the conspiracy and hire to do such. How do you answer to that?” The same wizened old man spoke, as all eyes turned to the family in question.
How had they come to be here anyway? No sooner had I asked the question than I saw it in my mind. The council had ordered them here to settle this once and for all, at the behest of Thorn and his father.
“Lies all lies, had it been us, surely you would’ve known by now. We are as an open book to each other are we not?”
“This is the only reason why you haven’t been dealt with as yet. We’re very certain as a whole that you’ve done this, but we have no real evidence against you.”
“Now see here, our family has been under this dark suspicion for almost forty years and we want it to end here and now. As you say, you have no proof.”
“Do not push your luck Divecki, we are still working on it, do not forget that it was here on my property that you carried out your last atrocity. That it was my son and heir that you almost drove mad with your greed.”
“Wait that’s it, they just say I didn’t do it and that’s it?” Just then there was a ruckus at the front door and I heard dad’s voice. He came barging into the room seconds later.