Page 59 of Little Wing (Shades of Fairhaven #1)

I nside the courtroom, the stench of bleach was left behind.

It was replaced with a slightly musky aroma, but that was more bearable than the stinging in my nostrils that had me wiggling my nose like I was allergic.

The room itself was quite small with maroon carpet and benches made from light-colored timber.

Separating the benches reserved for the public was a rail that had a plexiglass barrier up to the ceiling.

At least the detective didn’t lie about that.

There were already people on one side of the benches who I did not recognize. They smelled human.

Among that cluster of people sat a woman with emerald hair.

Beside her sat a little girl with hair so blonde it almost looked white.

While I did not recognize them, I couldn’t look away, even as Silas led me to the benches on the other side of the room.

Something continued to invite my gaze toward them.

Kait and Reina followed us, taking their seats on the bench behind us before leaning forward to whisper.

“Do you know them?” Reina asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied, allowing my eyes to take in the details of the room from where we sat .

A uniformed man with slicked back hair adjusted his belt beside the door on the other side of the plexiglass and cleared his throat. “Please rise for the Honorable Lady Pauline and the Vampiric Council Nation.”

Everyone stood to watch the doors open. A middle-aged-looking woman with dark blonde hair stepped in, wearing black and red embroidered robes that communicated very clearly that she was indeed a high-standing vampire in our community.

An honorable lady? If I recalled—it was like a human judge.

Soon after her, five more vampires dressed in similar robes walked in.

Their robes were black and gold, differentiating them from the woman who walked up to the judge’s bench.

Lady Pauline stood at the seat of her bench and smiled peacefully.

“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining us today. I understand the circumstances are not of a happy matter. However, I do hope that the result of today’s session will bring you some semblance of comfort.

” She smoothed her robes and sat down, motioning for us to do the same. The other robed vampires also sat down.

Lady Pauline shuffled papers around her bench and nodded before looking out into the spectator seating. Her eyes scanned each row settling on the two women across from us and then on me before she spoke clearly:

“In this room today, we have two parties who have been victimized by the accused—Luca Everett. For decades, his crime has remained a cold case and was ignored by human forces. We vampires never forgot the devastation that this crime brought upon our people. Even then, we valued human lives. To be seated in the room today with the descendants of Ophelia Wells and Naomi Wells—we extend our deepest regrets for how long it took us to get here today.”

I clutched Silas’s knee firmly. Oh my gods . When the two women straightened in their seat and bowed their heads at the mention of their family’s names, I could have fainted. My head was spinning, but Silas’s scent steadied me—the scent that tied me to him.

“And we would be doing an injustice if we did not acknowledge the outrageous neglect and mistreatment toward his own kin. Mr. Everett has demonstrated how unsuitable he was to guide anyone. We, as makers, guide our spawn. We provide them with guidance and necessary tools to exist peacefully among all creatures. Mr. Everett failed to do that in the cruelest of ways—starving his only kin—forcing her into bloodlust triggered by—”

I looked down, letting my hair fall over my shoulders, cascading over my face like a makeshift shroud.

I couldn’t listen to any more of it when my experience, my pain, and my torment were reduced to what almost sounded like a headline.

I clutched my sides and began to rock. Silas put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him, pressing his lips against my temple.

“They’re almost done, Lo. I’m so sorry….”

Just a little longer, Luca. Just a little longer and I will be free of you one way or another.

Lady Pauline looked at the bailiff at the door and then back at everyone seated before her.

“We will now be bringing Luca Everett into the room. He will be restrained and will only remain for the duration of the sentencing. If you wish to leave the room and hear the sentencing without seeing the accused, you are welcome to step into the next room,” Lady Pauline offered.

No one moved.