Zrakovi sat in silence for a while, flipping through papers.
“Very well. I don’t see the point in belaboring this further,” Zrakovi finally said. “In light of today’s testimony, I believe this to be a matter for the wizarding community and not the full council, so I’ll ask your patience as we conclude this issue.
“Jacob Warin, will you stand, please?”
Jake winked at me as he stood, then gave Zrakovi a look of utter contempt.
“You were in the employ of the Congress of Elders and the enforcers at the time of this incident. I understand that rather than reporting it, you left New Orleans and began living in the Beyond. Is that true?”
“Sure is,” Jake drawled.
“Given that the incident appears not to have been malicious, as First Elder I hereby terminate your employment by the Elders and shifter community, and sentence you to one year of imprisonment for failure to report this incident. Said imprisonment will begin immediately and will take place in the wizarding facility at Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland. Do you understand?”
“Yep. Sure will be cold.”
“Drusilla Jaco, will you stand?”
I stood, lecturing myself inwardly. I’ll channel Jake and be insolent. I won’t cry. I won’t cry. I won’t cry. It’s just a job.
“It is the duty of a sentinel to not only uphold the laws of the wizarding community as established by the Elders, but to set an example to other wizards. By failing to report this incident and, indeed, by covering it up, you failed in this duty. I hereby terminate your status as sentinel of the Greater New Orleans Region, and am revoking your Green Congress license pending further investigation. During this investigatory period, however long it might take, you will be imprisoned in the wizarding facility in Ittoqqortoormiit.
“Until a new sentinel can be appointed, Elder Lennox St. Simon has agreed to fill the sentinel post on a temporary basis.”
That snake. They were putting me on ice indefinitely. On ice. A non-weather-related chill washed over my skin. I was bonded to a full-blooded elf. I couldn’t be on ice.
Dru, you can’t go to Greenland. You’ll die. Get away from them and hide until I get this cleared up. I’ll create a distraction after I do one more thing.
“Ms. Jaco, do you understand your sentence?” Zrakovi asked.
“Oh yeah, I understand all right.” I understood I was going to get back at that son of a bitch. It might not be tonight, but it would happen.
I looked at Alex, who stared at me with eyes widened one step short of panic.
Sitting down again, I reached over and grabbed Jake’s hands as if to console him, and shot some of my native magic into his cuffs. I heard the tiny clink as they released, and he had the presence of mind to keep his hands still. No one would suspect he was free. Then I did the same thing to my own cuffs. Stupid wizards. Even a baby with no magical training could unsnap regular handcuffs.
Once again, Zrakovi had underestimated what I could do.
Now we had to wait on Rene or Rand to cause a distraction. Then Jake and I needed to get the hell out. I wasn’t going to Greenland to either rot in prison while my case was “under review” or “accidentally” get locked outside and go into permanent hibernation if Rand couldn’t fix this right away.
“Elder Zrakovi.” Rand stood up, and I took a deep breath. Here came the rest of whatever he’d been plotting this afternoon. “I have one more item of business I need to put before the council.”
“Can’t it wait, Mr. Randolph?” Zrakovi sounded tired. Good. I hoped he was exhausted and miserable.
“No, it can’t.”
Rand walked around the corner of the table, past Zrakovi, and opened the door. He moved out of sight for a few seconds, and when he returned he wasn’t alone. Betony Stoneman, head of the earth clan and new council member, was with him.
Between them, looking like she was a few loads shy of a full deck, was Eugenie.
CHAPTER 33
I sat up straight so fast it was a wonder I didn’t drop my handcuffs and give myself away. I looked at Jean, whose jaw was clenched tightly enough that the scar running along his jawline stood out. The temperature in the room dropped at least thirty degrees, and, across the room, both Sabine and Florian looked suspiciously at Christof.
How had Rand found Eugenie? And how much elven mental crap had he and Betony done to her? Her hazel eyes were glazed, and her pupils were the size of marbles.
“What is the meaning of this, Mr. Randolph?” Zrakovi stood up and looked appropriately appalled. Like what he’d done hadn’t been worse.