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  And then the shade dropped to the floor in front of Evie a maniacal smile splitting his face, his grin clown-like and devilish all at the same time. He thought he'd won, he thought he'd succeeded in removing all her defences. But she had a surprise up her sleeve. Evie fisted her hands, praying he wouldn't moved from where he now hovered in front of her.

  And then, putting the forced of all her spirit and all her fear, Evie shoved hard, pushing the power out of her palms and sent it streaming at the shade. Evie held her hands stiff, shocked at the immense energy that streamed forth. She found it incredibly hard to keep her hands still, to hold her aim steady and to ensure the power was fed directly into the dark shadows center.

  The splinter of the evil shade shuddered under the onslaught of the energy of Hades and Evie watched with bated breath. She didn't want to even blink in case it split her focus, in case it decreased the amount of power that was focused onto the shade.

  And soon he began to shudder and shake, small strips of shadows tearing off from his body and floating away, turning from solid flesh to darkest shadows. As the black mist twisted on the air it floated around and faded away. But the rest of the creature didn't have the punishment of a slow death. The Energy of the god of the underworld had now built up to such a frenzy as it accumulated within the body of the dark creature.

  Until at last the shade exploded.

  Fragments of leathery skin and blackness were flung out from the body of the dark creature, spraying around the cell landing in little piles everywhere on the stone floor and even on Evie herself. She shrugged the pieces off but her disgust was disturbed as the sound of crumbling rock hit her like an avalanche. The walls of her cell now bore ragged gaps, some walls were left with only a small pile of rubble, revealing the black soil of the land around the basement dungeon.

  The stones of the dungeon had also suffered from the blast and Evie blinked as she stared ahead of her to see the entire dungeon had been blasted away and in the distance were piles of stone all collected beyond the circle of the explosive energy.

  And from above her, Evie heard the rumblings of the castle. With the basement and the foundations blown out from beneath the estate, the floor and walls were slowly beginning to collapse.

  Evie let out a shriek of fear. What have I done she cried out terror cracking her voice and garbling her words. But the Marks swarmed again, whispering comfort and reassurance again. And what they converted to her was hope and that this would be fixed.

  Evie wasn’t sure what she was meant to take from that, which in turn meant she wasn’t at all capable of relaxing or calming herself down. But even as panic took hold of her, she found the space around her reforming, the cracks in the roof above her head healing with the ceiling of stone reforming. She’d barely taken her second breath when the walls began to reform themselves, as though time was working in reverse.

  Evie choked on her next breath. That was exactly it. Time was being rewound, only without the presence of the evil shadow. Evie wasn’t certain how time could make a selection as to what it wanted to rewind.

  Whatever was happening, Evie didn’t have any objections.

  Mere moments later, the cell was back to normal and Evie was sitting there, hands bound by angel bonds, listening to the silence of the dungeons echo around her.

  Chapter 8

  She didn’t have to wait much longer. As another set of boots marched their way along the dungeon halls toward her cell. Evie stiffened, the leather bands around her wrists instantly reminding her of her imprisonment, that she could do nothing while the angelic cuffs held her within its spell.

  She waited in silence, heart at a steady even pace as the keys rattled in the ancient lock and the door was swung open. A gargoyle guard stood there, silver eyes devoid of expression as he held a hand out and waved her forward.

  Despite the lack of words, he didn’t force her or manhandle her in any way. He simply waited like a stone caving, unmoving until she decided to take the chance to learn more about her situation.

  She stepped toward the cell door and the gargoyle tipped his head at her, a strange mark of respect given the cool aloofness of his expression. Evie stalked ahead, spine straight as she crossed the threshold. Then she paused and waited in the hallway, a silent request that he lead the way. Oddly enough, the gargoyle didn’t seem bothered that he was vulnerable, that he’d shown her his back, giving her the power to attack from behind.

  All Evie did was shake her head. Things were happening that were far too strange and she was beginning to wonder if she’d entered an alternate dimension. Gargoyles never treated the warriors of Irin with any kind of familiarity. Nor did they stroll around the playing, dropping their guard and making themselves deliberately vulnerable.

  If there was a message in his actions Evie wasn’t sure how to decode it. Not yet anyway. She followed him in silence as he led her upstairs, then another floor up toward the office that had once been Patrick’s and had then housed Marcellus who’d betrayed them all, who’d killed Patrick in order to take his position. And now, the new Master would have taken up residence there too. But her gargoyle guard didn’t slow his stride as they reached the door to the Master’s office. Instead, he kept walking all the way along the hall, only stopping at a doorway three doors down.

  Also an office, this room had been reserved for the use of visiting dignitaries and was equipped with a boardroom as well as a more intimate office space.

  The guard knocked on the door and then waited. A cool musical voice bade them enter and the gargoyle thrust the door open and then met Evie’s eyes for the briefest moment. He wasn’t going to instruct her to do anything. He was giving her the choice to enter of her own free will. What in the name of the good Lord was going on here?

  Evie nodded at him, holding his gaze just long enough for him to see her gratitude, Then she lowered her gaze and entered the room, listening as he closed it gently behind her. The gargoyles every movement had been respectful, gentle, nothing at all the way a criminal would be treated.

  Inside the room, Evie was pleased to see that the new Master had decided to select a better location for her office. The room had always been decorated in a little brighter, more autumnal feel. Drapes the color of rusted metal and autumn leaves, walls tinged in the blush of a sunset, glossy wood floors scattered with a collection of handwoven rugs, Persian, Moroccan, Mongolian.

  The room welcomed Evie like an embrace of a friend and she let out a soft sigh as she walked toward the large mahogany desk where Master Goodwin sat, watching, expression serene.

  Still bound, Evie had no doubt that she was still a prisoner, and yet the treatment she received didn’t imply an instant pronouncement of guilt. So she tried to entertain even some small hope that there was a way out.

  As Evie stopped in front of the desk, Mykia waved a hand to indicate the sofa behind her. Evie sat slowly, trying not to look at the leather cuffs around her wrists. She took a breath and met the Master’s gaze.

  “I apologize, Evangeline. I did mean to have you brought to see me hours ago, but I’ve been distracted with a few issues in the case. I was hoping to have them ironed out before this visit but I confess I’ve had little success. Which means of course I will have to rely on you to throw some light upon the situation. And I do hope you would do so willingly.”

  Evie arched an eyebrow. “Is there some reason why I wouldn't?”

  Mykia pursed her lips. “I honestly don’t know at this point.”

  Evie huffed. “Is anyone going to explain the full charges to me? I mean, I know I’m being charged with murder but as to who exactly I’m meant to have killed, I’m still yet to be told.”

  Mykia blinked, then paused for a long moment. Then she sighed and shook her head. “I must apologize. There appears to be some confusion as to who was meant to bring you up to speed on the case. I have insisted from the beginning that this issue be dealt with in the most fair and just manner. You were meant to receive all the documents and filings re
lated to the case as well as copies of all the written statements associated with the charge.”

  Evie shrugged and sank back against the pillows. “Well, I’ve not been visited by any legal representative. Nor have I been given any paperwork regarding the case. The only thing I was given was a meal of soup and bread, maybe four hours ago.”

  Mykia’s eyes flashed with anger. She shrugged, got to her feet and stalked to the door where she flung it open so fast that the guard flinched, though he didn’t step away as she snapped, “Have some food sent up to us. And get Master Braxus up here now.”

  She didn’t wait for his reply, just shut the door without another word.

  Thankfully, Evie had spotted him already turning and heading down the hall. She found it odd how casually Mykia treated the gargoyle guards, not at all in keeping with the previous Grand Master.

  Then Evie relaxed. Patrick had treated them the same way, with respect and a gentle care. He’d seen them as people, not strange supernatural shifters who were skilled at being watchdogs and soldiers.

  Was that why they treated Evie with a similar respect?

  Or did it have more to do with the new Grand Master?

  Chapter 9

  Evie waited in silence as the Master returned to her seat, her lips a thin line of frustration. She plopped herself down and let out a soft huff. “I know this must have come as a shock to you and I’d hoped to help you be better prepared to handle the whole thing.”

  “Trial included?”

  She raised her dark eyes, her gaze penetrating. “Trial included,” she murmured, tipping her head in acknowledgement of my deeper meaning.

  I sighed and sat forward, my warded cuffs now propped up on my knees, a veritable wall of accusation between us.

  Mykia looked at the cuffs around Evies wrists and her expression went blank. Evie was having real trouble trying to figure the woman out. Mortals were confusing sometimes. The Master though, would be more mage than mortal although the Irin frowned on the use of that magic.

  Sometimes a Master may be elected who possessed more magic than he was capable of keeping to himself, and the annals of the Irin contained many a tale of a Master gone bad, who’d used both his own magic as well as the power of his position as the head of the winged warriors of the Irin, to his own personal advantage.

  Now Mykia smiled at Evie and for the first time the nephilim had to wonder if the Master really was on her side. There was a certain look of honesty in the woman’s eyes that gave Evie some hope.

  Evie cleared her throat. “Thank you. For trying to make this easier for me. But I have to admit I’m still confused. When do you think my legal counsel will visit me?” Evie asked softly, taking care not to appear passive aggressive.

  But Mykia simply nodded firmly. Then she raised her hand and to Evie’s surprise, the Master drew a ward of silence around them, her expression determined. “I may as well bring you up to speed now. I’m not sure whether I can trust the old masters now. I gave Master Braxus specific instructions to ensure you can defend yourself against all the charges and he appeared to be compliant. But the fact that nothing has happened...well it just makes me wonder if the suspicions are correct as to the questionable loyalties of the current leadership of the eastern seaboard Irin.”

  Evie’s ears rang with the Master’s words and she shook her head. “Are you sure that you should be telling me these things?”

  Mykia shrugged. “Well, considering someone somewhere has decided it’s best for you to not be able to defend yourself against the charges, which translates to wanting you to be unable to prove your innocence, it seems to me that you are the most unlikely person to be in cahoots with this lot.”

  Evie just stared. She wasn’t sure how to respond so she just said, “If this is a way to trick me into incriminating myself or dropping a few key identities of people involved in this terrible plot, then consider me tricked, only I don’t know who is involved, and I have it on good authority that I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong.”

  As soon as the words fell from her lips Evie felt a twinge of guilt within her gut. She was guilty. But she still wasn’t at all sure who she was supposed to have attempted to murder.

  Mykia took a slow breath and pushed forward a file. “Inside this folder you will find information regarding the details of the charges and some of the evidence collected by the prosecution.”

  Evie’s eyebrows rose but she said nothing as she took the folder and flicked it open, her action nonchalant though the emotions swirling inside her gut was as far from uncaring as she could ever get.

  Murder.

  She’d been accused of the murder of the Grand Master of the Irin, Marcellus Bactor. Evie blinked a few times as the name, written in a grandiose scrawl that she’d have suspected immediately was written by Daniel, had she not already been aware that he was very much gone.

  Mykia sighed and sat back, clearly far too impatient for Evie to complete her all-too-slow read. “So Marcellus was missing for a few days, and his body is yet to be found. The last mention of his whereabouts was testimony from a few of his personal guard who confirmed that he’d come to visit you in the underworld where you sicced an enormous canine on them, and did nothing to help when the creature chased the Grand Master into the tunnels and ate him.”

  Mykia had paused and Evie couldn't wait to drop a quick response in right then. “Sorry, I’m not getting how I can be held accountable for the death of a man who was supposedly killed by a huge dog.”

  Mykia smiled. “Yes, I do believe I had a hard time getting around that. But the guards swore that you deliberately commanded the dog to eat the Grand Master, and that you didn’t tell the creature to stop when you saw what it was doing.”

  Evie shrugged knowing all too well that the guards had fled before Marcellus had met his gory end. “I suppose it doesn’t matter much that it was a chimera who was the real murder, does it?”

  Mykia’s eyes widened and then she shook her head. “It matters of course. We just have to find a way to ensure your side of the story isn’t ignored.”

  “And for the record the guards never saw what happened. They fled when Cerberus gave ran after them.”

  Mykia sat up. “Cerberus? Mangy mutt, three heads, overactive saliva glands? That Cerberus?”

  Evie smirked, holding back her laughter. “Yes. That Cerberus.” Evie didn’t want to go any further into the implications of Mykia’s statement. Not now at any rate.

  So instead she sighed and said, "So I suppose the best thing right now is to tell you what really happened." After Mykia nodded, Evie said, "Do you know anything about the Seals of Hades?"

  The Master nodded, her dark hair shifting to catch the light as she squinted to recall the details of her knowledge. "Yes. We'd had a meeting a year or so ago where all the Masters were updated regarding the nature of the seals and what it would mean if they were to get into the wrong hands." She paused, straightening her head and studying Evie, eyes now narrowed. "Why do you ask? Do the Seals have anything to do with Marcellus's death?”

  Evie shook her head and held back a smile at Mykia's impatience before saying, "I'm afraid that Marcellus had a darker reason for discussing the Seals. Did your meeting have a resolution in the end? Like, did the meeting end with you guys all deciding to find the Seals and hide them somewhere safe?"

  Mykia stiffened. "No. We all decided that the responsibility of safeguarding the Seals would be best to remain in the hands of their longtime guardians, the Demon Overlords."

  Evie took a slow breath. "Oh. I see." She bit her lip for a moment and then asked, "Did you guys have contact with the Overlords at all? Or was the decision made entirely by the Brotherhood?”

  The Master shook her head and then got to her feet. "No. We had a discussion with one of the overlords. A demon named Baltazar. He assured us that the Seals were all completely safe and that if they were ever to be found, there was one key piece that he was certain was lost forever, until it wanted to be found agai
n. He promised us that even the Overlords wold have no way to use the Seals for any nefarious purpose as even with all the Seals, they would still require the final piece to complete any sort of ceremonial ascension rite."

  Evie nodded slowly and took a breath. "Well. I have bad news for you. And maybe there will be a few brothers who won't be all that surprised."

  Eyes narrowing again, Mykia said, "You're hinting a little at conspiracy here.”

  Evie held her breath as Mykia’s eyes flashed with suspicion.

  Chapter 10

  A tense moment past until Mykia relaxed. “I will ignore the ramifications of your accusation for now...until you complete your briefing."

  Giving a quick nod, Evie swallowed. She very much appreciated Mykia's calm interaction and her patience too. Which made Evie all the more certain this woman was trustworthy.

  Evie cleared her throat and said, "For the past year, all the warriors of the Irin were taken off their regular mortal protective duties and given a specific task." Evie got to her feet now and began to pace the floor in front of the sofa, ignoring her bound wrists. "The Irin warriors were briefed on a daily basis, each provided with a name of a demon and a location. We were instructed to terminate that demon, and to return with every single piece of metal on their person. The standard rule of throwing all demon possessions into the smelter was revoked and we were under the strictest of orders to hand over all possessions, specifically metal ones."

  "Surely Marcellus wouldn't have expected you to break our age-old rules. Those rules have been in place for a good reason. Seals of Hades notwithstanding." Mykia appeared to have trouble remaining calm and Evie suspected the Master knew what was coming.

  Evie smiled sadly though her expression had gone unseen by Mykia. Then Evie said, "He was adamant enough. Even to the point of searching the rooms of warriors he suspected were holding back some of the items. There was an incident before I left."