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It was a quick way to distinguish low level magic users and humans who arrived through boats or jets rather than phasing in.

The actual building of Judgement Hall was a simple structure of several ornate support columns. They held up a stained glass ceiling depicting every race included in Judgement’s jurisdiction

The sight of the building she’d only ever seen in articles and magazines struck her speechless. There had been no justice done to the details of the work.

Her eyes snagged on the depiction of a succubus and a pang of homesickness for a place she’d never known struck her.

Before knowing the family secret, Rowan had imagined one day she would meet her kin, but now that she knew there was no one she could call kin, who she didn’t already know, those emotions had nowhere to land.

She wondered if she would catch sight of one as she scanned the many mystics surrounding them. The crowd was so thick she wasn’t sure she would.

Past the columns, a sinking pit held assigned benches and tables for witnesses of the proceedings. The benches covered all 360 degrees of the middle of the floor where a platform held a stool for the use of the accused and a podium for the presenting of evidence for or against the defense.

Usually, the affected parties sat on the lowest section facing their trespasser and while the shifters were the main targets of these attacks, her family sat next to a small dark blue-haired fairy who turned large watery eyes to land on Rowan as soon as she began her descent.

The clicks of her heels sped up as Rowan all but dragged Alessandro down the stairs to reach the woman.

As soon as she reached her, the fairy had expanded her physical body so she could catch Rowan in a tight embrace.

Rain, Dew’s mother, always smelled like her namesake. Rowan allowed the familiar scent to take her over as she hid her face in the ample bosom of the woman.

Her readiness to give forgiveness was too much for Rowan to take, especially when she hadn’t even apologized yet.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She chanted as the woman’s grip tightened.

“Now, now, young Rowan, head up.”

Rowan furiously wiped a tear away as she did as commanded. “I failed you, Rain.”

Understanding shone in those haunting blue eyes. “Dew is in the next phase of her existence, young elf. I see her every morning on the blades of grass, sometimes on the pane of my windows. Next time just look and you’ll feel her too.”

It wasn’t the same for those who were not fae.

She didn’t have access to Dew like her mother continued to. Her loss was much more permanent, in a way more fitting of a punishment.

Still, who was she to deny Rain’s attempts at comfort when it was her daughter?

“Thank you, Rain.”

Rain gave her one last pat on the cheek before returning to her original size and zooming out of the way to reveal a breathtaking black haired woman with jade hued eyes.

She was in a silken green dress that fell across her body so snuggly it left nothing to the imagination. She wore a crown made of light bark on her head.

“Titania.” Alessandro’s displeasure with the woman was clear.

She didn’t spare him a glance as she moved forward, eyes on Rowan’s as she raised her hands to cup her cheeks.

Unsure of how to react, Rowan didn’t fight against the force of the woman as she turned her head this way and that, looking for something specific.

“She’s young.” The woman hissed in disgust.

“Yes, my queen.” Rain answered, landing on her shoulder. “But she is powerful.”

The woman sighed and leaned in.

Alessandro had had enough. He placed his hand over Rowan’s mouth a moment before the woman’s kiss could land and pulled her back into his chest.

“ Mine.” He snarled.

The woman turned her eyes up to him as if registering he was there for the first time. “Dragon King, it’s been ages!”

“Why are you here, Titania? You’re already falling apart.” He demanded and Rowan noticed with a shock that the woman was indeed falling apart as an ear tumbled from her head, transforming into a pile of leaves on the floor.

A substitution spell combined with projection?

“I am here to deliver Favor.”

Favor from any of the Fae was an invitation to visit Faerie.

Dew had told them once that she intended to apply a favor with the queen so that one day they could visit her home. Emotion swelled up in Rowan’s throat as she pictured Dew leading her by the hand into Faerie rather than just by memory.

“There are other ways to deliver favor.” Alessandro ran a hand down Rowan’s arm and pointed at her wrist. “This is the only area I give you permission to place your lips.”

Rowan bristled at the insinuation that he had a right to speak for her before her mate mark emitted a prickly sensation over her chest.

“ Your lips are mine. And mine alone. ” Alessandro hissed in her head.

“ Considering they’re on my face, I feel like I should get more of a say on what I do with them !” She hissed back.

“ Kiss her and I’ll run her through. Would you like to be the catalyst of a war between Faerie and this realm? ”

Rowan rocked her foot back and stepped on his shoe. “ You’re making me want to do it more. She looks like just my type, dark hair and gorgeous eyes. ”

He let out a growl of displeasure. “ I can stop a kiss of death on your hand. Your lips are another story. ”

“ Kiss of death ?”

“ It’s what she’s known for .”

“ You could’ve started with that .”

“ You could’ve just trusted me. ”

There was no way he was pouting, right?

She snuck a glance up and, though his face was placid, his eyes were rolling with red shards of light.

Remembering that he had a whole beast he was constantly fighting for control of his body over, Rowan smiled at the woman.

“I’m sure you understand.”

The green eyes ran through Rowan and a tendril of foreign magic sliced through her in a painful slash over her stomach. It pissed Titania off, but she didn’t argue, simply brushed her lips over the thin layer of skin.

Magic pulsed to life on the point she’d touched. Rowan blinked down at the dark mark that reminded her of a keyhole.

“Pass through any fairy circle to find us, young one. It’ll only work once.” Rain waved from her queen’s shoulder. “Dew cherishes you.”

The last words were a whisper on the wind as both bodies turned to a pile of leaves at Rowan’s feet.

“Rowan?” Alessandro asked softly.

It made her realize she’d been stuck, staring at the pile, unable to move.

She sat next to her father, who took her hand and held it.

As the rest of the shifters filed in, Rowan’s mind was numb.

How could Rain forgive her? Even if Fae saw death differently, Rain was still Dew’s mother. She still had yet to forgive herself. How could the fairy?

She didn’t realize tears were flowing down her face until Alessandro’s thumb wiped the trail away.

“What do you need?”

She didn’t know. But she couldn’t continue to weep. She was the Dragon Queen! This was her first time in public while holding the title and she was wrecking their reputation more thoroughly than Barros had.

The crinkle of plastic brought her attention to her father, who slid out two packaged rolls from his suit’s breast pocket and two pouches of juice. He set one pair in front of her and handed the other to Alessandro.

She had decided to not confront her parents over Lucifer’s revelation. She didn’t have it in her to hurt her mother by bringing up the woman who’d abandoned her as a child.

The only thing that had changed was her knowledge of her power. Over the last few days with Alessandro by her side, she’d already grown by leaps and bounds now that she had all the puzzle pieces and his inane ability to guide her.

Still, it wasn’t until she witnessed his lack of hesitation in taking the offering that the fact that he was her mate settled in her mind.

The Dragon King punctured both of their juices and began opening his roll while she fumbled with hers. She couldn’t see past the tears that had fattened up so much they threatened to drown her as they fell.

With a mouth full of strawberry cake already ebbing some of the pain, she slid her chair closer to him, decorum be damned as she leaned against his arm. She was slowly recovering her strength to see this trial through to the end.

Across from their section, Rowan caught sight of the Coven taking their seats.

Dorin Indigo and Eve Tanoch led a group of witches, but Cherry was nowhere to be seen.

Had it been too much? Had her trauma from Antoni Barros been too much to bear?

Rowan didn’t look down on the witch for it, but it gave her a thrill of guilt for trying to use that to the Thunder’s advantage.

“ Hey, you didn’t tell me we could bring snacks! ” Louisa’s voice slid into Rowan’s mind.

Rowan turned her head to pinpoint where her friend stood. She wore a matcha-green off the shoulder dress that reached her ankles, red hair reached past her shoulders in soft waves, her makeup subtle except for the pop of bright red lipstick.

Rosario the Cruel was a sharp contrast in a no nonsense black three-piece suit. Brown hair pulled back in a tight, slick bun. She was all business. Though she also wore makeup, black lipstick was her crowning statement.

A wave of lust erupted from someone to Rowan’s left.

Having gotten the nosey gene from her mother, she leaned back to glimpse who was sitting there and shock rolled through her at the sight of Harris Knox’s silver eyes firmly locked on the vampiress.

Annabelle, the only other succubus present, had also turned to examine the originator of such uncontained lust and a mischievous glint took hold when Rowan glanced at her to check if she’d sensed the same thing.

“ In our dear wolf’s eyes, you might be the snack, Louisa. Exactly what happened there ?”

Louisa, who’d been following her mother down the steps, snapped her attention to where Harris Knox was sitting. Either unaware or concerned with the attention he was gathering.

“ Don’t let my mom see! ” Louisa’s fear set Rowan into action.