Chapter 9 – Irishen
Quietly, Irishen walked away from the apartment and left Wayla to talk with her roommates. They would work it out, he was sure, and he had something he needed to do.
Digging up his phone from his pocket, he called the courthouse.
It took some wrangling, but he managed to get a meeting with Elena, as long as a neutral representative was present. He had no problem with that.
The room they led him to was small and Irishen greeted the woman who introduced herself as Judge Holloway. Irishen wondered how neutral the good judge actually was, but she had a recorder and the papers he had asked for.
While they waited for Elena, he signed his side of the things. It would be easier if Elena agreed to sign her side, but he could push this forward, regardless. He was done with her and her latest escapades were in breach of their engagement contract.
His family might grumble, but they didn’t have a leg to stand on, not after the attack on neutral grounds. Fallout from the attack would last decades. They were still trying to find out why it had happened in the first place. Everyone had an opinion, but no facts.
All of that was beside the point now anyway.
No matter what the courts would eventually decide, Elena’s involvement in the attack was enough to render their carefully worded contract void.
She had tried to trap him and so had his family, but every reputable contract held no attacks on the Tracthesian Academy grounds clause.
After all, who would be stupid enough to breach all the treaties?
Irishen looked up as the door opened and Elena was led in. Her hands were cuffed, and she was wearing a dull gray jumpsuit that was baggy on her. Something she would never be caught wearing in public. He smirked.
“Looking good.”
“Bite me,” Elena retorted.
“You wish,” he replied. “In fact, I’m here to make it official that I’m not going to be doing any biting from now on.”
Elena’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that!”
Irishen motioned to the papers on the table. “It’s already done. You can sign now and make this nice and easy or I can petition the courts and claim compensation for pain and suffering and, most importantly, breach of contract.”
“No! You need me. Your family—”
“Will understand.” Irishen gave her a cold smile. “Sign the papers, Elena. It really is the best option for you.”
She hissed. “We are going to be married. I’m not letting you go.”
“That’s where you are wrong,” Irishen said. “Elena Flameward, I denounce all my ties to you. I will dissolve the contract between us. I will cast you and yours aside. The promises made between us are, from here on out, null and void. Peritkahanae.”
The air in the room shifted as he made the vow. The judge was scribbling fast, recording it all on paper, too. Irishen pulled the pin from his pocket and pricked his finger. He pressed the bloody finger on the papers and nodded. “It is done.”
“Done, recorded and confirmed by blood,” the judge confirmed.
Elena was seething, but there was nothing she could do against the binding magic. They both knew it. With jerky movements, she took the pen and signed her name on the papers too.
“There!” She threw the pen away. “I hope you realize I’m no longer obligated to hold back from your little toy.” Her expression morphed into a smug smile. “I’m going to burn that little bitch.”
Irishen roared out a laugh. “Oh boy. You haven’t heard.” He chuckled and glanced at the judge, who studiously kept her mouth shut.
“Heard what?” Elena narrowed her eyes and Irishen shrugged.
“Never mind. It can be a lovely surprise when—well, if, you ever get out.” Irishen turned to the judge and gave a small, polite bow. “Judge Holloway, let me escort you out.”
The judge rose and stepped out of the room, clearly happy to get away from Elena’s seething. Irishen wasn’t quite sure that his ex-fiancée wouldn’t attack the good judge. As soon as the door closed behind him, he smelled smoke.
Well, that wasn’t his problem anymore. The smile that spread over his face made the guard do a double take. It felt like a weight burned from his shoulders with every step he took away from that room.
He was finally free.