could do the same, and we wouldn’t need a vessel to offload the magic to.”
Victor Hesse’s thin lips curl into a sneer, the skin cracking to show blackened meat beneath. “That’s a rather bold statement to make, Ms. Pond. Are you claiming to be able to consume human magic?”
“Not at all.” I give him a look that I hope conveys how stupid I think that question is. “But neither does Domnall.”
This spikes the judges’ interest, and Lord Marius leans forward. “Go on.”
“If Domnall truly consumed witch magic, he wouldn’t need to get rid of it. It empowers him for a brief time, then he needs an incubus or succubus to help expel it.” I lift one shoulder and let it drop. “Succubi and incubi don’t need a second party to assist in expelling energy. And it sounds like Julian did most of the work in incapacitating the Hunters, so really, how important is Domnnall?”
“We are not here to discuss Domnall MacAteers effectiveness,” Victor Hesse snaps. “What happened after you left club Fulcrum?”
I settle back on my heels. “I returned to my bakery.”
Victor Hesse steps closer, bringing back the stench of rotted meat. “And nothing remarkable happened along the way?”
I glance at Tobias, who gives me a slight nod. Behind him, Julian stiffens, his eyes fixed on me as the blood drains from his face. Is that how I looked, the moment I realized my cousin might betray me?
Without breaking eye contact, I say, “I was attacked.”
“By whom, Ms. Pond?” Victor Hesse urges.
“By Domnall MacAteer.” Dragging my gaze away from the pain in Julian’s eyes, I look at the mortifer demon. “But you already know that, Mr. Hesse. You’re the one who encouraged me to file a claim against him. Which is an odd suggestion for his second in command to make.”
“I am not the one being questioned here, Ms. Pond,” he sneers.
My brows shoot up. “Maybe you should be. You have the most to gain out of everyone in this room.”
The judges shift, now eyeing Victor Hesse.
Unamused, he plants both hands on the stand and looms over me. “Yes, I am aware of your attack. Please tell the rest of the court what happened.”
I glance at Tobias, begging him to keep his calm. When he’d found out about it, he’d wanted to go after Domnall that night to exact revenge. That attack had cost Tobias and me precious time together, too, when his scent reminded me too much of Domnall to even be near him.
“We’re waiting, Mr. Pond.” Victor’s stick-like fingers tap the stand. “Tell everyone what such an unimpressive demon did to you.”
The night comes flooding back. The terror of being yanked into that alley, the feeling of helplessness at being overpowered. The bite of Domnall’s fingers on my jaw, forcing my mouth open, followed by the sensation of being burned alive.
I shift to face the judges more squarely, my focus on Lord Marius. “Domnall MacAteer, after being rejected at club Fulcrum, followed me to my place of business, pulled me into the alley outside of my bakery, and forced an energy exchange. When it was over, he left, and my imps helped me to recover.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound so bad.” Victor Hesse paces into my line of sight. “Certainly not torturous, as Mr. Poe has claimed over the years.”
“It almost destroyed my corporeal form.” My hands curl into fists, my lengthening nails cutting into my palms. “It was beyond any pain I have ever felt, and he enjoyed every second of my torment.”
The earthquake vibrates through the floor again, but Tobias keeps a reign on his temper.
Victory gleams in Victor Hesse’s eyes as he strides for his desk and snaps up a piece of paper. “The experience so affected you that you swore vengeance on Domnall MacAteer and filed a claim stating your intent.”
He strides back to me, his excitement palpable. “But because you’re too weak to carry out the act yourself, you enlisted your trusted cousin Julian, who you knew would be sympathetic as someone who has also known the same treatment at Domnall MacAteer’s hands. And then you lead him into a trap and murdered him.” He waves the paper around. “Your plan is here for all the court to see.”
“Then they will also see that it hasn’t expired.” I take malicious glee in popping his bubble. “Perhaps you missed the counter, as it didn’t start until ninety minutes ago. “
At my words, Victor flips the paper over, eyes going to the upper right corner where,