Pirate's Alley

That one was true, and I met Jean’s gaze with what I hoped was an apologetic look. He was beyond apology. His dark blue eyes were hard as the marble on the courthouse floor, and his movements as he got to his feet were slow and deliberate. The pirate was still healing.

 

“This is a farce, Monsieur Hoffman. You attempt only to excuse the actions of your son, and every man and woman in this assemblage is aware of it. I suggest we allow Mademoiselle Jaco to tell her story as it happened, and then deal with those who are truly guilty. I can assure you that she, like myself, was a victim. Do not use Jean Lafitte for your perverse behavior. I will not tolerate it.”

 

Yeah. What he said.

 

Hoffman and Jean stared at each other for what seemed like a week and a half before the First Elder backed down. “Very well, out of respect for you, Captain Lafitte. Ms. Jaco, would you give us the account of your victimization?”

 

If ever a word had dripped with sarcasm, it was that one, but I resisted the urge to dish it right back. I’d call him names in private later, and I’d hunt like hell for proof that he needed to be in that lineup of bling-wearing suspects. Tonight, I had the clear moral high ground and I planned to keep it as long as possible without slinging mud.

 

So I began to talk. About taking elf lessons with Adrian. Taking him with me to the vampire club L’Amour Sauvage, where he met Terri and where we’d seen Lily talking to Etienne. The meeting with wizard Jonas Adamson, the only registered necromancer in the area.

 

“Did you suspect that Mr. Adamson was in league with Lily Aleese?” Hoffman asked. He’d remained bland-faced throughout my story until Jonas was mentioned.

 

“I wish I had suspected him, but no. I didn’t see anything to link him to Lily or to L’Amour Sauvage.” I looked over at Jonas, who had kept his eyes on the floor since entering the courtroom. His toast was so burned, I almost felt sorry for him.

 

I went through the rest of the story as I had rehearsed it, taking Alex’s advice to stick to the facts and not make any statements of opinion or emotion—until I got to the part where Jean received a direct order from the necromancer to kill me, and instead urged me to kill him first. And then I couldn’t help it. I cried. I would never, ever forget that act of sacrifice.

 

“Please, Ms. Jaco, spare us the female histrionics.” Hoffman’s voice was dismissive. “After all, it’s not as if Captain Lafitte really died.”

 

Female histrionics? I’d seen Jean’s face when my magic hit him. I’d watched him die. Maybe it wasn’t a permanent death, but he suffered as much as if it had been.

 

I’d give the First Elder one thing; he knew just the words to cut off this female’s histrionics. I’d been prepared to move cautiously, build a case against the First Elder, line up the proof that he was involved.

 

Forget it. Gloves? Off.

 

“Might I ask you a question now, Mr. Hoffman?” My heart still pounded but it was no longer from fear.

 

I heard Alex, or maybe it was Jake, hiss behind me. In my peripheral vision, I saw Willem Zrakovi lean forward. Even Sabine, queen of all faeries, who’d been studying her nails for most of the meeting, leaned forward with interest, and the faery guys whispered to each other behind her.

 

How far was I willing to take this?

 

Hoffman’s eyes danced merrily beneath the faux glasses propped on his head. “By all means. Ask your little question.”

 

Amused, was he? I kept my tone conversational. “Is it true that the whole time Adrian was being blackmailed by Lily Aleese to keep you from finding out about his vampire girlfriend, you already knew about it? Is it true that you were already in league with the vampires yourself, conspiring against the elves while the vampires pretended to be their ally?”

 

The heavy silence that followed was so deep my rabbit-racing heart was probably audible in Old Orleans.

 

Is this true? Rand shot me a mental zing. Do you have proof?

 

I’m sure of it. Somebody needs to question Jonas. The more time I’d had to think about the First Elder’s involvement, the more certain I’d become. Adrian wasn’t good at keeping his mouth shut, for one thing, and he and Terri hadn’t been secretive about their affair. Plus, Etienne Boulard was a Regent; he would never have turned any wizard into a vampire without approval from higher up. Which meant either from his Vice-Regent or the First Elder.

 

Hoffman had sold out his own son. And with Lily dead, Jonas might be the only one who knew the truth.

 

“That is ludicrous.” Hoffman wasn’t twinkle-eyed anymore. “I should have you brought up on charges of treason. Return to your seat immediately. This council doesn’t want to hear your desperate lies.”

 

Get Jonas on the stand, I told Rand as I grabbed my bag and returned to my seat. Jake scooted down next to Alex, putting me on the aisle. Good. The way things were going, I might need to make a run for it.

 

“I believe we’ve heard enough,” Hoffman said, straightening his stack of papers and setting his glasses on top of them. “I vote the council makes a recommendation on the proper punishment for—”

 

Suzanne Johnson's books