Hiding from the Coven (Daughters of the Warlock 2)

I stepped closer to my father. “Is it even possible?” I asked him, trying to keep my voice low. “To find a jury that isn’t going to convict me on the spot?”

My father narrowed his gaze. “The only way to build a court of impartial members, is to include the Fae and Shifter elders,” he said. “We need representation from all realms, not just the magic realms. Unfortunately, our realm embraces its tradition, no matter what that tradition is. Sometimes, it helps to turn to other perspectives in order to realize why something we do, something we think is normal, is a mistake.”

“Charity turned from her group, crossing her arms over her chest. “That will never happen.”

Matlock clenched his teeth, his eyes narrowing. I didn’t think he liked someone ordering hm around, especially not someone he used to trust.

“Then we need a group of Witches and Warlocks outside the Council,” he spat out. Saliva hit the tile and I frowned, wrinkling my nose. “Regular people who will not be influenced by the sway of the Council’s will. I will not let Ava die because of corruption, not when she came to me for help. I will not leave my daughter wanting.”

Charity stalked forward, though she couldn’t g

et too close with the Fae shield in place. I didn’t want to flinch. I didn’t want to step back. I didn’t want her to know that I was, in fact, intimidated by her.

“How long have you known about her, Matlock?” Charity asked. She wasn’t even looking at me. Her gaze was focused solely on my father.

My lips curved up into a smirk. If this was going to turn personal, it meant there was a chance for her to slip up and make a mistake.

“Since her birth? Before?”

He lifted his chin. “If I had known of Ava’s existence, I would not have married you, Charity.”

Charity screamed as though that would have an impact on us. “You are the one that should be on trial for treason, Matlock! You knew! All along you knew, and you lied.”

I stepped closer to the shield, and she snapped her gaze at me, eyes narrowed. My father didn’t need me to defend him, but that didn’t mean he had to deal with this on his own. I wanted him to know that I was there for him the same way he was there for me.

“He didn’t know a thing, and you’ll never prove otherwise,” I snarled.

I put all my anger into my glare and didn’t let go of it. I wasn’t going to back down, not from her.

Charity hissed at me, and for a moment, I worried there was something she did know. After what felt like forever, though, she backed away.

Triumph filled me.

I lifted my chin. “So, what is your decision?” I asked. Inside, my knees shook. My stomach fluttered. My palms sweated. Outside, I needed to project a confidence I didn’t actually feel. I needed the Council to know I was serious about what was going on, that I came here with a purpose and I wasn’t going to go quietly if they rejected me. “Are you going to reverse the sentence and let me live in peace?”

“Never,” Charity hissed, eyes narrowed. She was a snake, ready to fill me with her venom.

“Then another, fair trial it is,” I declared, nodding once as though everyone agreed with me.

“You’ll never win,” Charity said, balling her hands into fists.

I shrugged. As much as I wanted to say otherwise, I held my tongue. She didn’t need to know that we had an ace up our sleeve. Two, once I knew what my sister had given me with that other journal.

But I wasn’t telling them any of that.

Let them think I wouldn’t win.

“We need to conference with the rest of the Council,” Charity said, her voice filled with cold confidence and authority.

I smiled at her and flicked my wrist in the direction of the door. “Off you go then.”

. She snarled as she left and took her entourage with her. They seemed eager to leave this place.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Tavlor’s shields went down. My father strode into the middle of the room and began casting a spell. I hoped it was reversing all the powers he’d given his wife, though I wasn’t sure something like that was even possible.

Once he was done, he quirked an eyebrow at Tavlor.

“You never told me that your powers worked so well in this room,” he said. There was a hint of suspicion in his tone, as though he was suddenly seeing Tavlor clearly and not shrouded in a haze of bigotry.