Vanish

for your transgressions so all can hear.”

I’m to face a public judgment?

Such events are uncommon in pride life. I recall only one or two public judgments in my lifetime, but then rarely does anyone transgress.

Severin’s dark eyes narrow on me. “Don’t be late. You don’t want me to send an escort.” He turns to leave. At the door, he pauses, assesses his son. “Actually, Cassian. On second thought, why don’t you make certain she’s on time?”

He means make sure I don’t escape.

The relief I felt at the sight of Cassian vanishes. He’s to be my jailer.

“It will be okay.” Tamra squeezes my arm, pulling my attention back to her earnest face. “I’ll stand by you.”

“Me too,” Az pipes in.

I smile at the both of them. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

I glance at Mom. Surprisingly, she’s pushing up from the bed. I grasp her arm to help her sit upright.

“I’ll make some tea,” Az quickly volunteers, hurrying from the bedroom.

Cassian watches in silence from the door as Tamra and I tend to our mother.

“A little privacy please,” Tamra calls sharply at him without looking. Instantly, I’m reminded of the last time the three of us were in a room together. The ugly words… Apparently, my sister hasn’t forgotten either.

From the corner of my eye, I observe his departure. Listen to his footsteps. He doesn’t go far. Just to the living room. He has his orders. He’s my escort to the assembly, after all. He won’t be leaving.

As though she can read my mind, Tamra says, “We’ll be with you, Jace. Mom and me. We’ll stand together as a family.”

I look at my sister as she crouches near Mom. Mom is looking at me, too, her gaze more lucid, more familiar than the stranger’s of the last few weeks. More like the mother I know.

“You came back. You voluntarily came back. That has to mean something,” she says, making me feel less worried. And relieved. She knew I’d left. She knew and cared. “You’re no deviant. Severin is not thinking rationally. They’ll see that. No one has been punished unjustly before.”

I’m tempted to ask, What about justly?

I’m no innocent. I’ve done things I shouldn’t.

But then Mom takes my hand and her grip is warm and firm. Feels the way it did when I was small and she was my entire world. When she and Dad could make everything right with the touch of a hand.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so alone. Whatever happens, I know I’ve got my family. This fortifies me, makes me think I can handle anything.

Chapter 22

Tamra holds my hand as we walk to the center of town. Others are out, walking in a steady stream in the same direction. They stare openly at me through the sifting curls of mist — even point to me. They don’t seem to care that I can see them doing this. And why should they? In their eyes, I’m the one who’s done something wrong and been called before the pride to face public judgment.

Tamra gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

We keep our pace slow enough for Mom. She walks at my other side, squinting at the ribbons of dull light breaking through the mist. Like a mole emerging into day.

When we reach the meeting hall, it’s already crowded. The low drone of conversation dies down as I come into view.

Bodies part, peel back, and allow me to walk up the front steps.

Severin stands there behind the stone railing. The half-dozen elders are there, too, puppets behind him. I’m no fool. The public will decide nothing. Whatever happens will be his call.

Cassian does not move to stand among them. I guess he can’t. Not yet. He has no true official capacity. Instead, he takes a position at the front of the gathered onlookers.

I loosen my fingers to release Tamra’s hand and ascend the steps, but she tightens her grip. Doesn’t let go.

“I’ll go with you,” she says.

Az nods encouragingly behind her. Like she agrees that would be best.

“No. I have to go alone.” I doubt they would let anyone stand up there with me anyway. I look from Tamra to Mom to Az. “Wait here.” I give a wobbly smile. For them. “I’ll be back. Everything will be fine.” I say this for them, too. I’m not sure what’s about to happen. My stomach twists, dips in a sickening lurch. Still, I can’t regret returning. I had to. For my family. For Miram and Cassian.

As I stand beside Severin, my infractions are read. He starts with the small.

Neglecting to show up for duty.

Leaving pride grounds without authorization.

I cringe, thinking of the crowd’s reaction if they’d known why I had left. For whom. That would be yet another infraction. Severin’s voice rolls on.

Flight during daylight hours.

Contact with hunters.

His voice bites the air, hard, emotionless. I can’t stop the bitter thought from entering my head: Of course he won’t mention that he’s the one who set Miram to spy on me.

“We have these rules for the safety and preservation of our pride. For the protection of our race. When one of us holds herself separate and above the laws of the pride, that draki endangers us all.”

I stand with my shoulders back and stare out at the crowd of my brethren. Their expressions are so rapt, so… expectant. Something big is about to happen and they know it… salivate for it. All of them. I scan the familiar faces, my old friends, neighbors, teachers. Suddenly they seem very unfamiliar to me. I long for someone who eases my heart. Someone who has no place here. Will.

Severin continues, “That is precisely what has happened. Miram, my own daughter, is lost to us forever. Even as I stand here, she is at the mercy of the enkros, suffering untold atrocities. Jacinda must pay for her fault in that.”

There is a slight sound in the gathered crowd at this… a general murmur I take as assent. I swallow painfully, staring straight ahead, avoiding looking to my family, at Tamra and Mom, at Az… Cassian.

I hold myself as tightly as stretched wire and wait for the final verdict, knowing it has come to this. There will be no sparing me. Not this time. Not again. Severin has decided my fate.

I make a sound, a tortured half-laugh. Who am I kidding? His decision was made the moment I returned without Miram.

Still, I jerk at the announcement:

“There is no choice but to clip the wings of any draki whose continued insubordination puts us all at risk.” He motions to me with a sweep of his hand. “In accordance with ancient tradition, any draki who risks the pride forfeits the gift of flight for however long is necessary.” A hush falls, the silence so deafening I can actually hear the rush of blood to my head.

However long is necessary. Meaning however long it takes my wings to mend. If they ever do. Sometimes damaged or injured wings can’t heal properly, leaving a draki permanently crippled.

The air comes alive with a sudden shout from Tamra. Her shrill voice reverberates over the humming silence. “No! No! You can’t do this!” Her face burns with more color than I’ve seen on her since she manifested. “It’s barbaric! Leave her alone! There is nothing just about this!”

Mom’s face leaches of all color as she wraps an arm around Tamra, holding her back when she looks ready to charge up the steps. Tamra struggles a moment before burying her face against Mom.

Mom’s eyes are no longer dead, no longer empty. But I almost wish they were. Better that than this. So full of anguish and pain.

Severin ignores the outburst, only the slightest tic in his cheek showing he even heard Tamra — or