Darkest Day (26 page)

I dropped my gaze and kicked at the dirt below me. Staring at Zoe’s stone for a moment, I let my lips curve up. “Can’t tell you yet, but, yeah. I’ve chosen.”

24

Winn

Mac wouldn’t tell me what she’d chosen. She said she wouldn’t make her choice official until her birthday because she wanted to spend every possible minute with me, and if she did share, someone would probably jump in and make her do all the formal stuff sooner. Since I wanted her around longer, I accepted her decision, but I had to admit, curiosity ate at me.

We’d left Suze and Gwen to their walk and sat with Zoe for another few minutes, waiting for night to fall so we could make our way to the golf course and to the Council’s chambers.

According to Suze, Mac’s report didn’t have to come during a meeting. She could literally drop in. Since she’d never done that—not in all her years—she opted not ruin her reputation. Unlike all our past entrances to the course, Suze didn’t meet us at the guard house. No one did, in fact. It had been left opened, unsecured, as if her life no longer held the danger it once did.

“Isn’t that a little odd?” Mac drove us through the open gates and down the long, winding road toward the clubhouse.

“You talking about Suze not being in the guard house?”

“Yeah. It’s weird to me,” she said.

No one would have suspected a golf course to house the chambers to the world’s second oldest aristocracy. Then again, it made perfect sense since the one they chose let people play at night. People. Vampires. Whomever.

Taking the farthest spot in the long row of cars, Mac shut the engine down.

Zoe’d wanted to go to a meeting, to meet the whole Council, to see the interior of the chambers. She’d never gotten the opportunity.

Mac pushed open the door and stepped into the humid air. I followed, slipping my hand against hers, and we walked together toward the front doors.

A blast of light stopped us. “Hi!” Suze’s voice came from nowhere as I peeked through fingers covering my eyes. A few blinks and darkness returned, but the spots in my vision lingered.

Suze stood in front of us, dressed in a Motley Crew T-shirt, ripped jeans, a black biker jacket and helmet—a set of clothes still far more normal than his usual. More like what he’d worn in the cemetery just a few hours before.

“What the hell?” Mac asked. “Why did you just poof in like that. I didn’t call you.”

“That’s another dollar, Mac,” I said.

She rolled her eyes.

Suze kicked at the gravel on the lot with his boot. “I just thought I should … come with you.”

“Why? It’s just a formality, right? You told me it was. Nothing but a drop in,” Mac said.

“Yeah, but …”

“But what, Suze? What’s going on?” I asked.

His lips squished to the side. “Soon I won’t get to protect you, so I kinda … just wanted to be there.”

He’s going to miss her.
A pang faltered my heart.
I’m going to miss her, too.

“That’s … sweet, Suze. Let’s just go and get this over with,” Mac said.

Suze darted in front of us, reaching the doors and opening them for us. “After you.” He waved us all through and pulled them shut.

The foyer hadn’t changed; golf clubs waited for players, and the smell of wood cleaner permeated the space. We moved on down the hallway to a set of double doors, locked to all but those with supernatural abilities.

Suze held and opened them for us, and as I walked through, he tapped me on the shoulder. “You doin’ okay, human boy?”

“Yeah, sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Suze’s brows came together. “No reason. Carry on.”

Light streamed through the Council room unlike I’d ever seen before. Brown walls had been painted white. The hard-backed, solid-wood chairs had been replaced with small, upholstered recliners.

“Now, this is what I’m talking about,” Suze said.

Council members turned as Mac started down the hallway, which had gone from concrete floors to a pale maple hardwood.

“What happened in here?” I asked Suze.

His eyes widened. “I don’t know. Last time I was here, it was dark. Like Nahir likes it.”

The Council had been so opposed to change, redecorating seemed like the last activity they’d undertake.

“What is this?” Mac’s arms flew up into the air, slamming down on her thighs. “You renovated? Why?”

Raven, the angel, and the one who I guessed would have influenced the color scheme since she herself picked nothing but white, stepped forward. “Ah, Mackenzie. Do you like it?”

Mac stopped dead. “You took the dark and made it light!”

Raven’s lips curved. “Yes. I thought we needed a bit of an alteration in our environment. Something to soothe the soul a little.”

“And you picked white? Everything is … white.” Mac pointed to chairs, walls, even the chandelier hanging in the middle.

“Do you think she liked all the wood?” Suze asked me as we followed.

“I don’t know. Actually, I quite like this.” I would have thought the more contemporary feel suited Mac.

“What would you have chosen?” One eyebrow rose on Raven’s face. “I did this for you, you know.”

Mac stopped and tapped her foot, a subtle move but one just the same. “Anything but white.” That she didn’t snipe at Raven suggested their—’I didn’t even know what to call it’—relationship might have begun to heal.

“If you were going to give me a gift, couldn’t you have bought me some chocolate?”

Snickers came from across the group, specifically from Josie. “Next time, darling,” Josie said, “We’ll make sure you have some say. Now, what can we do for you on this … day that does not end a month.”

I had to laugh at that. Mac never would have stopped in to visit with the Council except when required. The rule, since I’d known her, had been that once a month, on the last day, she faced the Council with her answer about her form. Usually, that answer came in as ‘no, I haven’t chosen’. Knowing she had brought that curiosity back to the tiptop of my mind.

“I want to submit a report thing. You know … a complaint?”

Josie nodded. “Very well. Tell me all about Madeline Parker.”

I should have known they’d expect Mac and would know what she’d come to them about.

Mac wagged a finger a Josie. “You say that like you already know.”

Josie’s head tilted up and down again. “We do … as one has been lodged against you.”

Mac

“Do what? Who? Why? How?” I stood with my hands on my hips, my head cocked.

Josie’s smile didn’t falter, but it didn’t fill her face like usual. She turned to the table behind her and lifted a piece of paper. “Inappropriate use of magic. Human exposure to non-human—”

“No!” I stopped her. “There was no human exposure. Winn was bound. I had authority.”

“Let me finish. Failure to concede in the presence of a Council mem—”

“Oh, my god, that little—”

“Don’t say it,” Winn said. “Just be quiet for a minute.”

I gave him my best mad face, scrunching up every bit of my muscles in the process.

“You know this is retaliatory, right?” Winn asked.

Josie nodded. “I very much agree. However, we are bound by our laws, as you know, Winn. When an accusation arrives, we have but one method for conducting a tribunal.”

“Yeah, I know. Nomas told me a little about it,” Winn said.

“Would someone explain it to me? I thought I could come in here, make my case heard and you all would figure it all out,” I said.

Josie held her hands up prayer-style. “Mackenzie, darling. You must understand. We haven’t a choice but to proceed. You may submit your information just as the other party has done. Unlike the governmental system in place in the human world, our rules are simple. If you choose to file, you must be subject to the same scrutiny as the transgressor. This allows us to confirm both sides of the story, so to speak.”

“That’s also why there aren’t many submissions,” Winn said. “Most don’t want to be on the other side.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I said.

Winn took my hand as Josie said, “I know, but we are obligated to proceed. Since you’re here filing against the same person, this will be a simple procedure. Judge and jury come in a set of four. One Council member chosen by the Council, one being from the line in which you exi—”

“But I don’t exist in one. I am one.”

Raven drew up next to Josie. “Which makes this situation all the more interesting.” She jutted a hip out and sat on the edge of the white table.

“Who’s the third?” I asked.

“The third and fourth are one of your choice—one from the transgressor and … one from you,” Raven said. “Who would you choose, Mackenzie?”

“Winn.” I said it without hesitation.

Raven tipped her head back and laughed. “Exactly as I thought. Funny thing, though … Madeline has also chosen our young Winford here.”

“What?” Winn and I asked at the same time.

Magwa approached and bookended Josie. “Miss Mackenzie, you’ve arrived early from your summons.” Much of the rest of the Council conversed at the other side of the room, milling about as if the day hadn’t yet begun.

“From my what?” I asked.

“Was your familiar not summoned to ensure you joined?”

I turned to Suze. He gave me a sheepish smile. “Well …” he started, “… I knew you were on your way when I got the … order, so I figured I’d just make sure you got here.”

Rage tore through me. Suze hadn’t told me and even lied at the ‘why’ behind his presence. To think I’d thanked him with a hug just a few hours before. That anger turned to regret and to sorrow in the span of a few seconds. Rather than hang on to it, I turned back to Magwa. “I want my information in before I do anything else.”

“Yours?” Magwa asked.

“Yes. Mine. Tell me what I have to do.”

For the next fifteen minutes, I filled out what seemed like a few reams of paper. Winn sat with me, reading over my shoulder, checking my work. I had to document the situation, the problem, and even add my own state of mind and personal details.

After page fifteen, I stopped, pen still in hand. “You’d think they’d want to know when I last ate and peed at this point.”

Winn chuckled. “I think it’s more about giving the questioner a sense of the scene, your personality, and details they’ll use to ensure truth.”

“I thought the serum did it all.” Tapping the eraser on the paper, I started to wonder just how it all worked. Given I’d be part of the ruling party, I should know.

“It does, but someone has to ask the questions, and someone who knows you has to be there to ensure no one’s messing with your mind in the process—you know, altering your thoughts and statements.”

“You’re going to be there, right? For me?”

Winn’s mouth shut like a trap with a fish inside.

“Winn?” I stared at him, waiting for his answer. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

His shoulders slumped.

“Winford!” I snapped in front of his face.

He grabbed my fingers. “I don’t think you should pick m—”

“Why not?”

“If you’d let me finish, I would tell you.”

I waved him on with my free hand.

“Because I’m human.”

“You’re going to pull that crap now?” I spun in my chair. “Josie!” She turned my way. “I’m done and ready. And, I pick Winn, and he agrees.”

“Mac.” He hissed my name. “Seriously. The binding ceremony was bad enough, I think—”

I flapped my hand in front of him. “You’ll be fine. You always are.”

Josie, Raven and Nahir made their way toward us, Nahir reaching out a hand. “You’ve completed the pages?”

“Yeah. So when can we get this over with? I have nothing to hide. Open book here.”

The three Council members chuckled.

“June twenty-third,” Raven said.

“What the—” I started, but held back. “That’s like almost a month from now. Why can’t we be done already?”

“Do you wish to disregard the situation?” Nahir asked. “If so, the other party has agreed to the same.”

She would. That would make her think she’s won or I’d chickened out. Man, she’s smart.
“No, fine. Whatever, the twenty-third it is.” I happened to glance up and found Suze cringing.
Uh-oh.

“On that day, I myself will be overseeing all tribunal cases,” Nahir said.

Oh, my freaking god.
A look to Winn suggested he’d had a similar thought.

“Madeline has chosen Winford—”

“No, he’s mine. She can’t pick him.”

“There is no rule that suggests he cannot play truth sayer to both parties,” Nahir said. “So, say you. Whom shall you choose?”

“I pick Winn. Like always.”

Raven and Josie both shook their heads as Nahir said, “Very well.”

I really didn’t like the negativity floating around the few people I trusted, Raven not included in that list. “Why do you guys keep shaking your heads?”

Nahir thrust a clipboard into my hand. “Our third party shall be determined later. This party shall be neutral to both since the chosen party is the same.”

“Yeah, whatever, okay, but why—”

“Sign here,” Nahir pointed to a signature.

“Mac—” Winn said as I scrawled my name on the line. “Dammit, you should have read that first.”

“You owe me a dollar. Maybe five for that,” I said.

Nahir smiled at me.

Winn took the paper from me, his lips moving in silence as his gaze traveled the length of the huge paragraph at the bottom. His head tilted up as he began to shake it. “Mac.” The clipboard fell to the table. He ran a hand through his hair.

“What?”

“June twenty-third is thirty eight days from now. Thirty eight days where you and I can’t even speak to each other.”

“What? No!” I stood, prepared to knock a few faces flat. Across from me, Nahir smirked, Raven’s head hung, and Josie looked like she wanted to cry. “Why didn’t you say something! God! This rule you have is the stupidest!” I stormed around the room, faces turning toward me, conversation stopping. “Undo it,” I said.

“That is not possible.” Nahir held up the page. “Once a contract is signed, it cannot be undone.”

A scream broke from me.