Page 77 of Wedlock

“Order,” the Queen’s man shouts, banging a long, heavily carved gavel on the marble floor and bringing instant silence down upon the crowd.

As the charges are laid against me I look across the crowd once more, trying to catch every eye. Some meet my gaze and nod, most look away quickly. Many in the gallery I’ve come across at some point or other, including at my wedding, but others I’ve never seen before. This trial has obviously drawn some of the more reclusive royals out of the woodwork. Some, I know, are friends of Mother’s and supporters of our family; others are the opposite.

Sighing, I lean back in my seat and listen as Spider’s counsel give their evidence against me, and I can’t help thinking back to a similar spectacle I’d had to take part in, one that ended with me finding my wife.

‘Once again, let the games begin.’

61

Yin and I sit opposite the vampire, two of her silver knives lying on the table between us.

“Were you followed, Vampire?” She snarls.

“Naturally not,” he says quietly.

“How did you find me?” I shake my head, already knowing the answer. He’s the best tracker there is, of course he found me.

“Wolf’s phone.”

Yin frowns and looks at me, and I blush.

‘Oh, shit.’

“Angie?”

“I called Falcon when he was in jail.”

“After you left the castle?” Yin hisses. “After I told you not to take any electronic devices, to take nothing but the clothes on your back?”

“Yes, after that,” I whisper. “And Eleanor, and…Mom.”

“How could you, Angie? How could you be so careless? You’ve brought death to our doorstep.”

“You have nothing to fear from me, and I promise you I won’t reveal your location,” Jag says solemnly.

“The promise of a vampire; mutton’s head and dog’s meat,” Yin snaps.

“Jag,” I groan, understanding Yin’s reference to broken promises. It wouldn’t be the first time this vampire promised me the world and then dragged me back to the castle. “Why are you here if not to haul me back to a life I don’t want?”

“I had to see you. You left your baby, Angie, that can’t have been easy for you. I know how much you love him. I knew, deep down, that you didn’t want to allow me to find you somewhere to hide, that you’d go your own way. But I had to know you were going to be OK, that you’re safe.”

Yin swears and pushes her chair back sharply.

“We were,” she snarls.

“No,” he shakes his head. “You think you are, but you’re not.”

“Do I need to be here?” She snaps at me.

I shake my head and look down at my hands. I know I only have myself to blame for his visit, but I also know he’d never harm me. Not intentionally. And I know when she leaves this room she’s going to go into overdrive organising a new bolt hole for us. Yin doesn’t take chances.

I wish I could be more like her.

After she leaves, Jag reaches across and takes my hands in his.

“Look at me, Angie.”

Sighing, I meet his eyes, shaking my head.