Chapter 38
The feeling of dread I’d had from the moment Dad had called me to his office didn’t abate for the rest of the day. I could
I was on the edge of a panic attack. Through sheer force of will, I managed to block my loss of calm from Logan, but it was
too late to save myself. “I can’t do this,” I huffed, my lungs constricting as I attempted to breathe deeper. “They’re going
to kill me. They’ve killed every other reaper.”
“Pais!” Sara shouted my name as her hands wrapped around my biceps. She yanked me away from the curious bystanders in the
hallway and got me into an empty classroom.
“You need to calm down, babe!” She sounded panicked now too. When I attempted to focus, two Saras stared back at me; flashing
dots danced across my peripherals. “Breathe with me, Pais. In and out. Slow down. You’re going to pass out.”
As desperate as I was to make my way through this panic attack, I was equally as desperate not to lose it in case I accidentally
called monsters. I’d grown accustomed to keeping my energy firmly here in the living plane, but I already knew it would be
easy for it to slip.
Especially when I was slipping.
A firm slap of icy air in my face jolted me, startling me from the anxiety that had me trapped. Blinking, I rubbed my hand
across what was no doubt a red welt and was relieved to breathe normally for the first time in minutes.
“Oh, thank the goddess,” Sara choked out as she tilted her head back and uttered another prayer. “You scared the magic out
of me, witch.”
I opened my mouth to apologize, but she didn’t let me, throwing her arms around me and holding on in the tightest of hugs.
“I’m sorry,” I said in a breathless whisper. “Thank you for helping me.”
Sara just held me tighter. “Babe, you never have to apologize to me. Never! What you’re going through would shake the strongest
of witches, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re handling it better than most. It would be odd if you didn’t lose it every
now and then.”
I hadn’t told her about the new plan yet. No one outside of Logan and my dad knew that we were trying to force a public acknowledgment
of my affinity, to prevent a repeat of what happened to reaper witches in the past.
This shit had been allowed to go on for too long, but if there was one thing I knew about the magical community . . . they
weren’t great with change. They didn’t mess with the status quo or question the rule of the council often. I’d been the same,
but this was life or death for me, and I would not go quietly.
When we exited the classroom into the hallway, a lot of students were milling around. Most classes were done for the day,
and they were catching up with friends, working out their plans for the evening. Their lives looked really simple from the
outside. Free and without imminent destruction breathing down their necks.
I’d been like that when I first arrived at Weatherstone too.
A legacy.
Not superpowerful, but still a Hallistar witch with an amazing family and a bright future.
“Are you okay, Pais?” Sara asked, squeezing my hand. I’d been so lost in thought I hadn’t even noticed her grab it. “We won’t
let them hurt you. I don’t care what it takes.”
Tendrils of that panic tried to slither back through, but I fought them off. “I can’t let any of you get hurt because of me,”
I said, keeping my voice small. I’d already been raving about reapers in the hallway before and had to hope no student had
ever heard of my affinity. “I’m worried for myself, of course, but my greatest fear is that I’ll get someone I love hurt.
I’ll behead my-freaking-self before that happens.”
Sara rumbled, and it was cute rather than scary when coming from her tiny frame. “Don’t even say that out loud, Paisley Hallistar.
No one is losing their he—”
The air crackled with magic, and we ground to a halt as dark-robed witches and warlocks filled the hall in front of us. A
glance over my shoulder indicated they were behind as well, surrounding us. “You were saying,” I whispered, releasing my hold
on Sara.
“Paisley Hallistar,” a warlock elder said. He looked older than my parents, with just wisps of gray hair and dark, muddy brown
eyes. His expression was hard, closed off, as he eyed me with distaste. “You’ve been requested to appear before the council.”
I’d known who I faced the moment their energy registered within my magical essence. There was too much power here, including
more than a few spellcasters. “What’s this about?” I asked politely, sure that my dad’s friend on the council couldn’t have
arranged this so quickly.
“Shut the Hel up, reaper,” a familiar voice snarled.
“We don’t speak with demon-witches.” Belle’s dad stepped forward, and unlike the other somber elders, he wore an expression of absolute delight.
“I’ve waited a long time for your downfall, demon,” he said, lowering his voice as he got closer to me, his rank breath washing over my face.
“You’ll never hurt me or my family again, and I’ll take down your spellcaster as well.
His days of manipulating our world are done. ”
My control wavered at that threat, but we were so vastly outnumbered, I knew I couldn’t lose it yet. “Paisley cannot be taken
without reason,” Sara piped up. She didn’t sound scared, despite the dozens of council members who surrounded us.
The first elder who spoke to me nudged Elder Monroe to the side. “We have reason to believe that Paisley Hallistar is in possession
of an affinity that was outlawed decades ago. It’s dangerous and has already caused the death of one student in this school.
For that reason, she must stand before a tribunal of elders, who will decide her fate.”
Decide my fate. Cute.
We already knew what their decision would be, considering they’d already mentioned my affinity was outlawed. There was no
way to remove a witch’s magic without the removal of her head.
Or heart. It wasn’t a hard science.
“Where will this trial take place?” I asked, still struggling to remain calm. Logan’s energy was hitting me through our connection.
Despite my best efforts, he’d felt my panic from earlier and was on his way. The only reason he didn’t already stand in this
hallway was his class had been on the other side of the lake.
“In our main chambers, of course,” the elder said, his expression a fraction less severe as he looked me over.
“Could I request that you test my affinity and conduct your trial right here?” My voice wavered, but I kept it together. “Before the entire school. If you find me to be in possession of a dangerous affinity, as you claim, then a public trial is an excellent deterrent to any others out there.”
Whatever softening I thought I’d seen was gone as soon as I gave him a suggestion. “You’re in no position to bargain, Ms.
Hal—”
“Great idea!” Elder Monroe interrupted, looking thrilled by the prospect. “This will be a lesson for them all to learn, and
I will be asking for your senior position on the council, Jeffries, as a punishment for thinking I had lost my mind. I shouldn’t
have had to bring you proof via my Belle, and I will not let that slight go unpunished.”
Jeffries wasn’t impressed and looked like he was about to argue again, until other council members voiced their approval of
this change of plans. By the time Jeffries’s eyes met mine, I didn’t imagine the sadness softening them, and I wondered if
he was the one Dad had been going to contact. It’d make sense if he’d already tried to discredit Elder Monroe.
My lips tilted in a strained smile, and I tried to wordlessly thank him for what he’d done. With a shake of his head, he turned
away and pushed through the robed elders. Once he was gone, I was left facing an elated Elder Monroe. “Come on, demon,” he
said, his smirk growing. “You’re about to be the most important lesson we’ve ever taught the modern magical world.”
Sara tried to stay with me, but she was pushed to the side by a strong blast of air. “It’s okay,” I called as they marched
me away. “Just let Logan and my dad know what’s happening. Tell them not to do anything rash, okay?”
I could only just see a flash of her tear-streaked face before air magic wrapped around me, locking my limbs as I was lifted from the ground.
It felt like spellcaster energy, and I knew I could fight them, but now wasn’t the time.
Fighting was a last resort, after I’d pled my case to the magical world.
Acting against every instinct, I pushed my magic down and let them bind and carry me like a criminal through the halls of
the classrooms and up the stairs to the assembly hall. The last time I was in here, Headmaster Gregor had stood on the raised
stage and addressed the college. Today it was empty as the council members and spellcaster enforcers hoisted me up to the
higher level.
“Call the rest of the school,” Elder Monroe said to one of his lackeys. My head was locked in place, so all I could see were
the thick timbers that lined the ceiling. “And figure out how we can broadcast this to the magical world.”
My vision righted a beat later when they produced a chair for me to be magically strapped into. A spellcaster stepped in front
of me, and when he waved his hand, the energy locking my face in place eased. Moistening my lips, I shot him a dark smile.
“Usually, I’d require dinner and drinks before any kinky bondage, but I guess I can make an exception for you.”
He was quite good-looking, if not ten years older than me. He had dark blue eyes, messy brunet hair, and brown skin. “This
isn’t the time to joke,” he said with soft malice, eyeing me like I was a bomb about to explode on his watch. “You’re in a
lot of fucking trouble.”
My annoyance slipped out as I rolled my eyes. “Real genius, aren’t you? Imagine being in trouble without doing a single thing
wrong, other than being born, of course.”
He didn’t bother to respond, crossing his arms and settling in on Paisley watch.
His energy had my magic controlled to the point that I couldn’t touch the elements, but the icy lick of power that connected me to my reaper side remained freely floating inside me.
Spellcasters couldn’t touch necro magic, and mine was the most beefed-up version of it they’d ever experienced.
The spellcaster’s composure was rattled when a clap of thunder shattered the silence and the assembly hall walls started to
shake. Logan’s power crackled through our bond, smashing the hold the spellcaster had on me, and I’d have been thrilled if
it was just those two going head-to-head. But there were dozens of powerful witches and warlocks here.
“Logan, no!” I shouted, jumping to my feet, only to be knocked down again by magic. I was freaking out too hard to see where
it came from, my focus only on reaching Logan before he got himself killed.
Looking like he was carved from the gods, a furious Logan charged into the assembly hall, his magic visibly flaring around
him in a storm of ice and lightning.
A few of the council’s enforcers attempted to get in his way as he marched down the aisle, only to find themselves plastered
against the far walls on either side.
Peering around the spellcaster still blocking me, I found Logan’s gaze, and when he saw that I was relatively unharmed, his pace slowed. “What the fuck is the meaning of this?” His bellow knocked a few of the elders back, leaving them
scrambling and red-faced.
To my surprise, the brunet spellcaster shot me a semi-amused glance. “Did he buy you dinner and drinks first?”
A snort of laughter left me, and I had officially lost my mind. “He bought me the fucking restaurant. I’d crawl over broken
glass and through lava for Logan Kingston.”
Logan heard me, and I felt the heat of his love wash through our bond.
“Release my mate, Jacob,” he said, close enough now that his magic sent striking sparks across my exposed skin.
He was stronger than anyone here one on one, even five on one, but with dozens of elders and their lackeys present, we didn’t have the numbers on our side today.
Jacob, the spellcaster holding me, lowered his crossed arms, his magic growing stronger until I swore I could smell the atmosphere
they heated. “This is a council matter, Kingston. You don’t have any jurisdiction here, not even as powerful and rich as you
are.”
Logan’s laughter was a dark rasp, sending shivers down my spine. “You hold my bonded mate in a farce of a trial. You’re breaking
your own laws, and I don’t think that’s just or fair. How about you?”
Elder Monroe stepped forward. “Is the spell in place to record and broadcast the trial?” His loud question echoed around the
room.
“Yes,” Logan answered, not tearing his gaze from me. “I’m not letting you hurt Paisley. If I have to expose your corruption
to the entire magical world, I’ll do it.”
Heat buffeted me, and I had no idea who it came from, but there was a fire elemental about to lose their shit nearby. Which
all made sense when Dad popped into view, hurrying in from a side entrance. He was one of the first to arrive, and I had to
assume his friend on the council had filled him in. His face was flushed, but he managed to reel his magic in when he saw
I was alive and unharmed. For now.
Before he could say a word, students started to pour through the doorway of the hall. Confused faces flashed toward the stage
as they filed in and took their seats much faster than I’d ever seen before.
Looked like this trial was about to get started.
The trial for my life.