The Last of the Red Hot Vampires - By Katie MacAlister Page 0,66

of Theo's hand.

Disin leaned forward, her eyes as cold and hard as steel. "Do you deny that you have said to the nephilim Theondre North, on several occasions since taking on the mantle of virtue, that you would do anything to restore unto him that which he does not possess?"

"His soul," I said, waving my free hand in an expressive manner. Overhead, thunder rumbled ominously. "I was talking about his soul, which was ripped from him by Bael, all because he protected me from the demon who was part of the third trial. A trial, I might add, that is sanctioned by this Court!"

Theo's fingers tightened around mine. I glanced at him, nodding abruptly at the warning visible in his eyes.

"I beg your pardon if my comments seem rude," I said, aware of the hostile looks I was getting from the people surrounding us. The mare's faces were for the most part impassive, but it was evident they had come to this hearing with their minds made up. "But I dislike being asked to justify my actions when I have done nothing wrong. I did not ask to become a virtue - Hope made me one without my knowing anything about it. I did not murder her, nor do I know who did, or why. I did not seek audience with a demon lord; it was forced upon me. It's true I have sworn to restore Theo's soul to him, but that is a matter between him and me, and I fail to see how it has importance to anyone else here."

"You dare speak thusly to the mare?" The officious little man who had introduced the mare leaped up from one of the benches, his face red with anger.

Theo's fingers tightened until his grip was almost painful.

"I mean no disrespect, but I will not tolerate a kangaroo court - "

"Silence!" Disin bellowed, her voice echoing off the trees. "We will confer."

"But I haven't been allowed a chance to defend myself properly," I started to say, but was cut off when Disin barked at me.

"I said silence!"

Theo's thumb rubbed on the top of my hand, an iota of comfort in a sea of distress. The three women leaned together.

They're going to throw us in that Akasha place, I said to Theo. His fingers twitched in response. Around us, the hum of conversation was conducted in hushed whispers, but vehement nonetheless. I know you can't answer me, but they can't stop me from talking to you. I'm sorry if I made things worse, but you have to see that I couldn't just stand here while they twisted everything around.

He may have been bound to silence, but his emotions were mine to read, and I took some small comfort in the pride that tinged his concern.

"Portia Harding, your insolence does you no credit, nor will it be tolerated," Disin said as the mare presented a solid front.

Thunder rumbled even louder, the sky so dark it looked like twilight even though it was the middle of the day. I took another deep breath, and calmed my wildly beating heart, hoping it was enough to keep a storm from lashing out against the people who were trying us.

"Against my better judgment" - Disin glanced for a moment at the white-haired mare - "I have been persuaded that the evidence against you is not sufficient to banish you to the Akasha. However, until the matter of the virtue's murder has been explained to our satisfaction, we cannot allow you the freedom to harm others."

I bit my lip to keep from shouting that I hadn't harmed anyone, and had no intentions of doing so.

"It has been suggested that you undergo the fifth trial now in order to determine the purity of your being. If you pass, you will be allowed to leave the Court until such time as a tribunal determines the truth of the virtue's death." Disin clapped her hands, and a small boy emerged from the crowd. The boy bowed to the three mare, then turned and bowed to me. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine, but the look in his dark eyes was one of ageless wisdom. Whatever he was, he certainly wasn't an innocent child. "Proctor, begin the trial."

The boy looked at me for a moment before gesturing Theo away. "You cannot aid her in this test, champion. You must move out of her reach."

Theo's voice was warm and reassuring in my head. I will not leave your side if