The Black Tide (Outcast 3)

I froze and, after another minute, they went dark again. Even so, it was a timely reminder not to make any untoward movement once I was in the chamber beyond.

I reached instead for the light. While I had no intention of creating a shield, I needed to know if my ability to do so remained hampered. Once again my efforts were met by the gelatinous soup. I swore internally and pushed down into it. After a few moments, I felt the caresses of energy across my skin and the air briefly sparkled. I immediately released it and reached instead for the vampire part of my soul. Shadows stirred in response, but the brightness of the surrounding lights prevented it from doing any more than that.

I nevertheless felt like rejoicing. I might not want to use either ability unless it was an absolute last resort, but at least I could if it became necessary.

The voice coming from the other room stopped and locks tumbled as the huge doors in front of me began to open. Once there was a four-foot gap—the width required for the two sentry guns to get through, I suspected—they stopped. The guard holding my chain walked forward. I had no choice but to follow.

The vast hall beyond was a mix of white stone, gold, and rich woods. Huge arched windows lined either side, and long flags bearing the various coats of arms of the House’s lords hung from the ceiling, providing a rich spectrum of color to the otherwise cold space. At the far end of the room stood a raised platform, and in center of this was an ornate gold speaker’s dais. To the right there was a large, plush-looking chair, and on the left six plainer ones. Below and to the right of the platform was what looked like a silver birdcage. On the other side was a doorway that appeared every bit as solid and as intricately carved as the one I’d just passed through.

Three stepped rows of padded seating lined either side of the room, but only three-quarters of the seats were taken. I scanned the many faces but I couldn’t see Karlinda, Hedda, or even Julius. I did spot Charles. He had a front seat view near the dais.

The soft murmur of conversation disappeared as we entered, and in the heavy silence I was led down the center of the room. The three-foot-wide matting under our feet deadened the sound of our footsteps, and the accompanying sentry guns were as silent as my ghosts as they rolled along either side of us.

The guard holding my chain walked across to the cage and directed me to step inside. Once I had, he wound up the chain, locked it onto the frame of the cage with a U-bolt, and then closed the door. The auto-sentry guns positioned themselves on either side of the cage.

I really hoped Nuri and Jonas did have a plan, because I wasn’t getting out of this with any sort of ease.

A woman stepped up to the dais and proceeded to read out a long list of crimes—real and imagined. I paid them no heed and scanned the area instead, wondering where Dream was.

Karlinda watches proceedings in a small room behind the dais, Bear said. But she does not feel like Dream feels.

Meaning it was more than likely the real chancellor. And Hedda Lang?

She waits outside the main doors with five other people, Cat said. And she does feel like Dream.

Is she armed?

No.

Which at least meant that if Jonas and Nuri’s rescue plan went wrong, Dream couldn’t simply turn around and shoot me. Of course, she didn’t actually have to. As Hedda Lang, she could order either the autosentries or the many guards around the room to do it. And it wasn’t like I could escape the gunfire. I might be able to reach my psychic talents, but it would take far too much time to break through the soup. Bullets would rip me to shreds long before I could draw a strong enough shield around my body to cut the light and become shadow.

Who are the other five people with her?

I don’t know, Cat said. There are three men and two women.

Two of their number would undoubtedly be the couple I’d threatened to get onto the rooftop. Charles had said he’d seen the videos, but maybe this court also required direct evidence. I had no idea who the other three were—but, given the continuing assortment of trumped-up charges, they were obviously meant to be additional witnesses.

When the reading of my crimes had finally come to an end, Karlinda appeared on the platform and moved to the solitary chair. Once she was seated, she said, in a voice that was surprisingly strong given her frail appearance, “Let the proceedings begin.”

“Who gives evidence to prove these crimes?” the speaker immediately asked.

The doors opened and six people stepped into the room. One was indeed Dream in her Hedda guise, although the foul feel of her energy was severely muted by whatever spells or charms were being used to protect this room and the people within it. The fact I could feel that much gave me greater hope that those same restrictions were increasingly unable—for whatever reason—to curtail my abilities. The two people I’d threatened were indeed in the group, but the remaining three were strangers. All six stepped onto the platform and said, “We do.”

There was a scuff of noise to my left as Charles stood up. “As do I.”

He made his way from the seating area to the platform, his gaze studiously on the platform and the speaker rather than me. But he was well aware that I watched him, if the increasing stain of red on his neck and cheeks were anything to go by.

“Prosecutor, please present your case and question your witnesses,” the speaker said, and then stepped away from the dais.

What followed was a long and rather tedious session designed purely to add weight to my supposed guilt. I had no idea how much time actually passed; the light coming in through the windows was as intense as ever, but the vampire part of my soul whispered dusk was close.

As was whatever doom Nuri had foreseen.

Once the five people and Charles had been questioned, the speaker said, “Is there anyone here who wishes to act on behalf of the accused, and cross-examine the witnesses?”

I half hoped Jonas or Nuri would appear to do just that, but it didn’t happen. I curbed my frustration, tried to ignore the ever-increasing feeling that time was running out, and said, “I would like to act on my own behalf.”

A murmur ran through the room; the speaker waited for it to die down and then said, “That is not allowed. You must find a champion or remain silent.”