Chapter 32 Nyx #3
“I was in Physical Training and began sparring with Luther as Coach Carrick had assigned us last term. It was clear that Luther was agitated about something. As our sparring grew more heated a crowd of students began to surround us and I attempted to de-escalate by discarding my protective equipment and leaving. He then attacked and restrained me on the ground. None of the other students intervened to stop him or help me escape. I realized then that he was unable to think or act rationally.” I swallow thickly at the memory of seeing my panicked reflection in his eyes, of realizing that there was no way out.
I glare at Roth. “I thought I was going to die. My ears started ringing and my head started to throb. At first I thought I was hyperventilating, and then my chest started to ache, and my vision blurred out. The next thing I remember, I woke up in the Medical Center.”
Amadeus interrupts me before I can continue. “You don’t actually expect us to believe you can’t remember destroying the wards or nearly killing thousands of students and faculty?”
“Councilman Mondragon, you will have your opportunity to ask questions during your allotted time,” Vivica censures with a deceptively polite tone and kind smile. It doesn’t work on me. “Please continue, Ms. Byrke.”
“After I woke up, Dr. Mercer examined me and admitted the Headmaster, Professor Brandt, and High Priestess Esmé Cyriaque, who explained that my epiphaneia had been triggered, and that my power had brought down the wards around the campus. When Professor Brandt attempted to contain my power, it identified an… alternate source to try again, but was interrupted by Esmé.”
Renard crooks his eyebrow, eyes glinting in the light. “Does that conclude your testimony of the events last Thursday, Ms. Byrke?”
“It does.”
“Thank you. Starting from my right to my left, Junior Councilman Falke, you have ten minutes to question the witnesses.”
“Thank you Chairman Kovacs.” He nods, practically bouncing in his seat as he turns to me.
“First, Ms. Byrke, please accept my apologies on behalf of my little brother—” I mean, he’s at least a foot taller than you but go off, king—“His reprehensible actions are antithetical to all that House Aeris stands for and I promise you he will be punished to the harshest extent of the law.”
Nope, don’t like the sound of that. Luther’s an asshole who had a psychotic break.
He’s not evil. And while he deserves to be knocked down a peg or five, the look of glee on Cyrus’s makes me nauseous with something like pity.
I grew up with nobody. But if he grew up as the scapegoat for this golden boy?
Yeah… I can understand how he’d be a bit fucked in the head.
“What do you mean?” He blinks in surprise when I cut off his poorly-disguised attempt to ingratiate himself.
“Openly attacking a fellow student is grounds for expulsion, and based on your testimony there’s a case to be made for attempted murder.” From the corner of my eye, Roth aims his icy black stare on Luther’s brother as Thane and Killian try not to react similarly.
“Maybe if it had been intentional. But as I testified, he was unable to think or act rationally in the moment, as I’m sure his written testimony will corroborate. Right, Roth?” I lock eyes with Roth as everyone else stares at me.
This is going well.
“Nyx is correct, Cyrus,” he says, holding my gaze before turning to face the Junior Councilman, “or did you not review all submitted testimonies prior to this hearing?”
“Of course I did, Roth,” he fumes. “But given Nyx’s vulnerable state—”
“Ms. Byrke.”
Cyrus whips around to face me. “Excuse me?”
“I’d prefer to be addressed as Ms. Byrke during this hearing, Junior Councilman Falke.
” The room holds its breath: Roth, Thane, and Killian are all locked on me with varying degrees of shock.
The other Council members are reassessing me with newfound interest, and whatever poor little hamster is spinning the wheel in Cyrus’s brain has just had a stroke.
Oh right, I wasn’t supposed to piss people off. Oops.
“As—as you wish, Ms. Byrke, please excuse me.”
“You’re excused,” I answer without inflection, and Killian quickly brushes his hand over his mouth to hide his grin.
Cyrus clears his throat. “Ms. Byrke, you mentioned that Coach Carrick had assigned you to partner with Luther. Where was he during this incident?”
Church answers before I can. “He had been called away by another student for an emergency and was not present at the time of Ms. Byrke and Mr. Falke’s confrontation.”
“And is that how your faculty usually conducts themselves, Headmaster? Abandoning students during class?”
“No, Junior Councilman Falke. Coach Carrick made an error in judgement, as I have informed Ms. Byrke already when I extended her an apology on behalf of the school.”
“That’s all well and good, but someone under your care nearly died as a result of your employee’s negligence.
I have to wonder whether the severity of this lapse in judgement warrants taking action regarding his current employment status.
” Church bristles at Cyrus’s arrogant tone, and I don’t blame him.
What a dick.
“Did you have a question, Junior Councilman?”
Cyrus sighs, and looks to his father. “Nothing further. I yield my remaining time to Councilman Falke.”
“Thank you, Junior Councilman.” Marcus nods, and turns to me.
“Ms, Byrke, to echo my son, allow me to extend my apologies on behalf of House Aeris for the pain and suffering you experienced during this incident.” He pauses expectantly, waiting for me to thank him, but I let the silence stretch awkwardly until he shuffles some papers in front of him and clears his throat.
Briefly, I catch the faintest twitch of Thane’s lips.
“Grandmaster Brandt, since Ms. Byrke’s epiphaneia, what have you observed about her abilities?”
“Nothing.” Brandt answers.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Ms. Byrke’s abilities have not manifested since her epiphaneia.”
“That is quite unusual, is it not?”
“Yes. Newly-awakened wielders often have difficulty controlling how their powers connect and manipulate their respective affinity until receiving further training.”
“From your own observation during the time Ms. Byrke claims she has no memory of, what can you tell us about the nature of her power?”
“There was no point in which her power actively sought or attempted to cause harm. The act of shattering the wards was not malicious, but self-defensive. Not at all surprising given the triggering event that caused her powers to awaken in the first place.”
“Do you believe Ms. Byrke able to exert control over a power of that magnitude?”
“She already has.”
“I thought you said her powers have not manifested since then?”
“Correct. It’s quite incredible, really. Despite being in a dissociative state brought on by the trauma of her encounter with Mr. Falke, she recalled her power with little effort before it could cause any permanent damage. It won’t take long for her to learn how to do it consciously.”
“Thank you, Ms. Byrke, Grandmaster Brandt. I yield my time,” he addresses Renard, who motions for Soren to speak next. Thane stiffens behind him, but I don’t think anyone but Roth and Killian notice it too.
“Ms. Byrke, as the bearer of this rare and, according to Grandmaster Brandt, truly incredible power, my question to you is, how do you intend to use it?” Thane frowns as Brandt stiffens beside me.
Okay, so Soren wants to know if I’ll do what I’m told, got it.
When I was a kid, whenever someone tried to make me look stupid, playing the part and asking them to explain whatever their point was worked like a charm to deflect it.
More often than not, they’d rather leave than risk being the butt of their own shitty joke.
Gotta step your game up, Soren, this is middle school shit.
“Use it to do what?” I ask, quirking my head.
“From what I’ve read, anything you wanted to, really.”
“Such as?” He narrows his eyes. Good. Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers.
“If, for example, the Council called on you to perform magic in the interest of serving our community’s interests. Would you use your power as requested?”
“What kind of magic?”
“This is merely hyperbolic, Ms. Byrke,” he says through a strained smile.
“I’ve been awake for less than seventy-two hours after being beaten and knocked unconscious. It seems like you’ve put more thought into how to use my power than I have, Councilor.” His cheeks flush.
Oh he big mad. Oops.
“Councilor,” Brandt interrupts before Soren can continue.
“Ms. Byrke has asked me to act as her Guardian Ad Litem until such time that she has the knowledge and power to advocate for herself.” I have?
“If there comes a time that the Council requires her assistance between now and then, I will happily assist her in reviewing the request. However, I must remind the Council that not only do we not yet understand the full extent of her powers, but that Ms. Byrke has only just begun her education. If the Council has exhausted all other options to address a problem, then I fear there are greater issues at hand.”
Soren’s face is frozen in this weird grimace. Behind him, Thane’s lips are parted in surprise. Roth and Killian are whispering behind their father’s chairs. Amadeus is smirking, Corvus hasn’t moved, and Armand’s eyebrow is quirked. Vivica, though, she looks proud. Not of me. Of herself.
Nope. Really don’t like that.
“Councilor, your time has ended. Councilman Hastings, you have ten minutes.”
Preston thanks Renard and turns to me, his leering grin replaced with a perfectly practiced one that I’m sure puts everyone at east. Except, of course, anyone who bothers to pay attention.