Page 23 of Outcast Fae

Everyone clammed up. I waited too, not wanting to share anything, but getting more and more anxious as the silence went on. What if they saw this as non-compliance? I needed this program to go smoothly so I could get out as soon as possible.

“I’ll go,” I said, holding my hand out.

Meadow Song smiled, pleased. “Thank you, Tallyndra.” She passed the stick to me.

I took it, holding it in my lap, whatever this silly thing was. Still, it felt heavy. “What do you want me to say?”

“Tell us what brings you here,” Meadow Song said. “Be honest.”

“Well, what brings me here is I was framed. Someone has it out to get me. To get all my kind.”

Meadow Song made a noise in her throat. “Now, now. If we can’t admit what we did, we won’t take responsibility for our actions. There’s no healing in that.”

“You said be honest,” I responded, feeling the heat crawl up my neck. “I didn’t do it. Whatever they said I did, I didn’t do.”

Silver Bear grumbled deep in his chest. “We’ve had a lot of kids say that over the years. Not one of them was telling the truth.”

“Well, I am,” I murmured, clutching the stick as if it could protect me. How could I complete the program if they wanted me to admit to this false crime? I was doomed.

A small hand slid over and pulled the stick from my fingers. When I glanced up, Daniella gave me a kind smile.

“I’ll go,” she said. “I’m here because I stole High Councilor Gerhart’s family crest. They live in my neighborhood in Newport News. Anyway, my friends dared me that I wouldn’t do it, so… I did.”

“Thank you for being honest,” Meadow Song said. “You do know what you did was a crime?”

“Yes,” Daniella said. “I shouldn’t steal. They were pretty upset and my grandmother wassomad at me. She swore in three human languages and a demon one. She set the drapes on fire with that.” Daniella hunched down, nearly disappearing into her oversized prison garb. “When can I call her? I miss her, and she must miss me. We only have each other.”

Silver Bear shifted and Meadow Song’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Soon,” Meadow Song said before continuing. “Who else? Elon?”

Elon rolled his eyes, but he reached for the talking stick, and Daniella handed it over. “You know why I’m here, and I know why I’m here. The rest, they say, is history.”

“No, Elon,” Silver Bear said, raising one white eyebrow. “You don’t get off that easily.”

Elon shot Silver Bear a glare, but then quickly glanced away, probably remembering the older male could shift into a huge, terrifying beast. “I… uh… made my parents mad.”

“By…” Silver Bear prompted.

“By… uh… by getting caught doing Witch Hazel.” He shrugged and cleared his throat.

“Where were you at?” Silver Bear prompted.

“In my… car.”

Silver Bear raised an eyebrow.

“Ug, fine. I was at my court hearing for getting busted for the drugs the first time around.”

Silver Bear cocked his head, eyes narrowing.

“Okay, mythirdtime around. There, are you happy?”

“The question is, Elon, areyouhappy? I fear the answer must be ‘no’ if you use illicit substances in such large quantities. Witch Hazel kills brain cells. Lots of them.” Silver Bear tapped his nose and gave Elon a knowing look.

With the smugness driven out of him, Elon tossed the stick to Vaughn who caught it on reflex but then looked unhappy to be holding it.

“I’m not doing this,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Vaughn, that is not an option.” Meadow Song folded her hands in her lap and waited, turning her brown eyes on Vaughn. Her eyelashes batted more than normal and her breathing picked up slightly.