Page 47 of Perfectly Petite Shorts (Perfect Pixie)

“Relax.” Sage patted his brother on the arm.

The irritating man hadn’t lost his smirk since Hamish announced I wouldn’t be sitting beside him as I was currently “not myself.” Not a lie.

Simply a clever fairy slight of verbiage.

Hamish had allowed Sage and Jessup to interpret those words as they wished, and like many, they’d chosen to believe what they anticipated them to mean.

They didn’t look any deeper or try and ferret out the subterfuge.

Long story short, it was obvious those two thought I wasn’t well. Maybe they even thought I was already dead. If so, they’d almost been correct. I was still struggling to deal with how close I’d come to experiencing my mortality.

Hamish patiently went through the routine of getting Lilibeth’s name recorded as well as her credentials as a witness. Lilibeth hadn’t enlightened me regarding her plans. Honestly, I wasn’t certain I wanted to know.

Hamish began his questioning. “Lilibeth Canna, could you please explain your relationship with the decedent, Jamila Winsome?”

Lilibeth’s earlier joyful anticipation simmered. “Jamila was a good friend and extremely talented witch.”

“Then you would say you knew Jamila well.”

“Absolutely.”

Hamish clasped his hands behind his back. He’d tucked his hair into a single, loose braid. His suit was fitted to perfection and the fabric hugged his body like a lover. “And would you say you were privy to Jamila Winsome’s desires regarding her land?”

“Objection.” Vaydra stood and addressed the judge. “ Council is asking the witness to speculate and is relying on mere hearsay.”

“Sustained.” Judge Lucius replied.

“Let me rephrase. Did Jamila Winsome ever directly, in her own words, express what she wanted to happen to her land?”

“She did, and it sure as shit wasn’t to be bulldozed and turned into a bunch of mortar and steel.” Lilibeth’s lips were pulled back in disgust.

Vaydra stood again. “Objection. The case currently being argued is not regarding the decedent’s wants or desires.

The decedent clearly left control and legal authority of the land in question to her children.

Those two children claimed their inheritance.

Jamila Winsome’s will is clear, binding, and legal. ”

Before Judge Lucius could reply, Hamish relented.

“Counsel is and is not correct.” Hamish’s broad shoulders were relaxed as he turned his attention on Vaydra.

“We do not dispute the will itself, but the definitions within it. Specifically, the definition of children. Sage and Jessup Winsome were not specifically listed within the will itself.”

“We’re her fucking kids!” Jessup jumped out of his chair so fast it flew back and slammed into the pony wall separating the spectators from the plaintiffs.

The quelling look Judge Lucius sent Jessup’s way should have been enough to cool his heels and make him sit his ass back down.

If that weren’t enough, then the deliciously vicious grin Lilibeth wore should have been.

As it was, only his brother’s hand on his sleeve and the brutal tug he gave did the trick.

“His words mean nothing,” Sage leaned over and hissed into his brother’s ear.

“But it’s bullshit. You know what he’s trying to do,” Jessup argued.

“And it doesn’t fucking matter,” Sage grit out. Had it not been for the enhanced hearing charm Hamish gave me earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to hear a word said between them.

Cool as a cucumber, Hamish blandly said, “I am not disputing your biological connection with the decedent. More’s the pity. What I am questioning is what it means to be one of Jamila Winsome’s children.”

Vaydra scoffed. “You would debate centuries of held belief?”

“Why not? Simply because a thought is old does not make it correct,” Hamish argued. Turning back to Lilibeth, Hamish asked, “You have been close to the dryad, Todrik, on many occasions. Is this correct?”

“It is,” Lilibeth answered fondly.

“And is it correct and truthful to say that the dryad, Todrik, is a product of Jamila’s magic?”

“He most certainly is. I’d know Jamila’s magical signature, and her magic runs through Todrik’s veins. It is what fueled and sustains his transformation.”

“Objection,” Vaydra said. “Is the witness an expert in magical signatures?”

Lilibeth bristled. “I’m a brownie. That makes me an expert in damn near anything magical.”

Hamish added nothing and waited for Judge Lucius to agree. “The court agrees with Lilibeth Canna’s answer.”

Vaydra sat, her face a mask of indifference. Dear Gaia, I’d hate to play poker with her.

Hamish kept his gaze on Sage and Jessup when he asked Lilibeth, “So, in your expert, brownie opinion, the dryad, Todrik, would not be who he is, the species he is, without Jamila Winsome’s magical assistance. Is that fair to say?”

“Very fair.”

“Is it also fair to say that Todrik is Jamila Winsome’s creation?”

“Completely. ”

Chin lifting, Hamish’s deep green eyes briefly flicked my direction before zeroing in on Sage and Jessup again. “Just as these two…humans are Jamila’s creation? Biologically speaking.”

Lilibeth shrugged. “I can’t attest to that. Jamila claimed they were her biological children, but I can’t say much beyond that. They certainly don’t act like any kids I’d expect to spring from her loins, but sometimes shit goes sideways.”

I stifled my laughter, but others in the audience weren’t so discreet and light chuckles peppered the area.

Vaydra stood again, and I wondered if maybe she shouldn’t just remain standing instead of sitting down all the time. “Sage and Jessup Harper’s parentage is not in question.”

“No, it is not,” Hamish agreed. “But I would propose that the dryad, Todrik, is no less Jamila Winsome’s child. Perhaps not biologically, but magically he owes his very existence to Jamila Winsome. Is that not the definition of offspring?”

Murmurs flew through the audience. I could barely keep from bouncing in my seat. I wanted to stand and scream, “Hell yeah!” but refrained. I wasn’t completely certain why, but Hamish and Lilibeth were adamant I not reveal myself. At least, not yet.

“I would propose that Todrik is indeed Jamila’s child and, as such, one of her heirs. That land belongs to him as much as it does Sage and Jessup.”

My heart pounded. Hamish had made his case, and he’d done it brilliantly.

At least, I thought so. But even if he was successful, at best, the judge would probably split Jamila’s land into thirds.

And if he didn’t do that, then I’d be outvoted by Sage and Jessup, and they’d sell the land anyway.

I didn’t want to settle for a third of Jamila’s land.

I wanted to keep it all intact, and yet that was most likely the best I’d be able to do.

I tried to convince myself it was better than nothing, but knew when the two-thirds that weren’t mine were razed to the ground I would be heartbroken.

I would need to find a way to find contentment and peace.

I was trying to warm to that resolve when Hamish said, “Counsel rests.” Walking back to his seat, the corner of Hamish’s lips twitched. No doubt about it, he was very pleased with himself.

“Does the defense wish to cross-examine?” Judge Lucius asked.

“Don’t bother,” Sage leaned over and whispered into Vaydra’s ear. Her reflexive movement in the opposite direction indicated Vaydra’s displeasure.

When Vaydra simply stared, waiting for more, Sage shrugged and said, “Trust me, it’s a moot point.”

“A moot point ?” Vaydra’s words echoed, louder than Sage. “What, exactly, does that mean?”

I couldn’t see Sage’s expression, but his tensed shoulders indicated he didn’t want to keep discussing it. “It means you’ve done your damn job and to shut the fuck up.”

“Sage.” Jessup’s cautionary tone was too little, too late. The courtroom chilled, and when I exhaled, I could clearly see my breath. One did not speak in those words or that tone to a fairy and expect no consequences.

This time, it was Sage’s turn to recoil. “I—”

“Why would the outcome of this trial be moot?” Lilibeth was suddenly standing in front of Sage. No, not standing, she was crouched on the tabletop, one of her feet firmly planted on Vaydra’s files. While I couldn’t see Sage or Jessup’s expressions. I could easily see Lilibeth.

I’d heard countless times that brownies were just as dangerous as fairies, that they were not to be trifled with.

Given their smaller stature and generally benign demeanor, it was easy to dismiss those warnings.

Seeing Lilibeth now, crouched low, her deep brown eyes lit from within and her lips pulled back in a malicious smirk—pointed teeth glinting below her taught lips, sent shivers running up and down my spine.

This was not the same loving creature who’d held me when I’d cried over Jamila’s deceased body.

“Look at me,” Lilibeth ordered when Sage remained silent. Jessup made to stand—to protect his brother or flee I didn’t know. The reason didn’t matter. Lilibeth ordered, “Sit!” and Jessup’s ass slammed back into his seat. “I said, look at me. Now!”

If the pleased grin lighting Lilibeth’s face was any indication, Sage must have complied. The fire lighting her eyes blazed brighter. “Now, tell this court why its judgment doesn’t matter.”