was absolutely right. No one was more scared of what I was capable of than I.
Chapter 3
Judge Braxton was a willowy man. His sleek black hair looked spelled to appear thicker, and his thin frame was swallowed up by the large golden chair he was sitting in. The high collar on his shirt covered his short neck, and his sunken in eyes were emotionless as he took me in.
Looking around, I could sense the magic in the air. The arena—I mean courtroom—was obviously spelled to block spectators from my Void. I could see the sheen of a shield all around the room, separating the stadium-style bench seats above from the lower area where I stood. The council members sat behind Judge Braxton in their own box seats, looking down at me with clear distaste, while the people in the audience had the wide eyes of fear.
Render still stood by my side, staring around at all the terrified supes in amusement, like their fear wasn’t warranted. He’d obviously never seen me in action. He adjusted the collar on his black shirt before checking the time on his Rolex like he didn’t have a care in the world. Just you wait, vamp. I’ll show you how terrifying I can be. He’d think twice before flashing me again.
I looked off to the left where Mother and Quade were in the council box, chit-chatting like a couple of women at Saturday brunch. All they needed was champagne and gossip.
“Void, so glad you could finally make it,” Judge Braxton said in a nasal voice, clearly displeased at having been kept waiting.
“Sorry,” I drawled. “Next time, you should call my secretary. Maybe then I can fit these fun little executions into my schedule,” I retorted while adjusting my white Vneck, which was now sticking to my skin from the sweltering beads of nervous sweat dripping down my spine.
I kept my voice calm and collected, but on the inside, I wanted to squirm and make a break for it. I could feel everyone’s disapproving eyes on my back, like a heavy weight pressing me down into the floor. In the human community, I was used to people ignoring me, but here, all I got was outright hostility. Shifting in my combat boots, I tried not to think about what was about to happen. Maybe if I could keep my cool, I’d survive this—maybe I could make sure the feral vamp could survive this.
“This is not an execution,” Judge Braxton said, leaning forward in his seat with his yellowed teeth bared. His arms were like toothpicks as they rested on his thighs, and his oversized button up shirt nearly drowned him.
“You remember what happened last time you called me here to use my Void powers? That shifter nearly died,” I replied.
To my right, a man with shoulder-length blond hair stood up and stormed out of the courtroom. It seemed I wasn’t the only one disturbed by how close of a call that had been.
“We don’t take kindly to threats, Void.” Judge Braxton replied.
Render stiffened beside me, and I could’ve sworn he was rolling his eyes at Judge Braxton, but I couldn’t be sure from my vantage point.
I shook my head. “I’m not threatening you; I’m warning you that I don’t have control over this. The longer I go without feeding, the more volatile my Void is. It’s been six months since you’ve summoned me, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to just take her vampirism away,” I admitted honestly.
Murmurs erupted around me as men and women started to get up and leave the courtroom. More than half of the audience cleared out within seconds. Despite the spelled barrier, they didn’t want to risk getting caught in the Void, and I didn’t blame them. Supernaturals built their lives around their powers. It was so closely wrapped up in their identity. Taking their powers from them was viewed as a fate worse than death.
Judge Braxton continued to stare at me in that cold, expressionless way of his. His tapping finger against the armrest of his chair was his only indication that I was irritating him. I wasn’t purposely trying to be difficult. I was trying to save this poor woman’s life. I held my ground on the bottom platform, my feet planted firmly on the dark marble.
“We don’t have any other options. This was the verdict decided by the council. For your sake, I hope you control yourself, Miss Cainson. Murdering another supe is punishable by death.”
I clenched my