Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (66 page)

Dinner was a strained affair. The dark red wooden dining room table seemed to go on for miles. The food looked and smelled delicious, but Cat had lost her appetite. She spent most of the evening pushing her food around the plate with her fork. After dinner, Cat was relieved when everyone retired to their rooms. She was totally exhausted, partly from the travel and the time change, but mostly from thinking about what lay ahead. She had to reassure everyone several times that she would be okay in her room by herself.

Cat laid awake thinking about giving her testimony in the morning in front of the Varulv council. After many restless hours, exhaustion took over, and she finally fell into a deep sleep.

Cat’s stomach growled as a small woman with wiry hair brought a tray full of breakfast food into her room. The woman avoided eye contact with Cat as she placed the tray on the end table, and then left without a word.

Cat had just finished getting dressed when her parents knocked on her door. Grabbing her messenger bag from the floor, she left her room and was escorted downstairs where the others were waiting.

“You two ready?” Aldon asked. Cat and Matt nodded their heads. “Then follow me,” he directed, and then led them down a long hallway, with Matt holding Cat’s hand.  No one said a word. Reaching the end of the hall, Cat looked at Matt, puzzled as it seemed they had reached a dead end.

Aldon reached out his hand and placed it onto the wall, concentrating. “Magie öffnen,” he said aloud. As the wall began to shake, the wallpaper curled up and peeled away, exposing the brick foundation underneath. The sound of bricks grinding against each other filled the hallway as they began to rearrange themselves, revealing a hidden passage. It led to a cramped corridor that was lit by old-fashioned torches.

“Wow,” Matt whispered into Cat’s ear as she squeezed his hand tighter.

The passageway seemed endless with many twists and turns and at the end was a huge arched wooden door. Aldon pulled it open by the large wrought-iron handle, revealing a stone cavern filled with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. Matt and Cat stood still, holding up the group as they marveled at the sight before them.

“Sorry, young ones, the council is waiting,” Aldon said regretfully, wishing that all they had to do today was observe nature’s beauty.

Traveling across the cavern they made their way to an iron door in the distance. Aldon knocked three times and then a loud grating noise echoed in the vast space, as the iron door slid open to the side. A guard stood at attention as they passed by, his uniform as dark as the look on his face. Cat kept her eyes averted but felt his gaze boring into her. A stone spiral staircase greeted them at the end of the torch-lit corridor and Aldon began to ascend them. Cat stopped counting the steps after fifty and just kept her eyes on Aldon’s back. 

“Look, another door. Will we ever get there?” Matt asked, his voice breathless from the climb. Entering the room, Cat scanned the large space and noticed several ornate white chairs and a couch trimmed in gold meticulously placed about.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Aldon said to the group as he pulled Cat to his side. “The rest of you will have to wait here for us. As only I can bring Cat in for her testimony. Don’t worry, Cat will be safe with me.” 

“Be strong, Cat,” Rachel said, moving forward to hug her. “Remember they’re just a bunch of old men and women. They may act mean, but that’s their job. We’ll be waiting right here for you. Just tell them exactly what happened.” Sam bent over and kissed Cat’s hair, gently squeezing her arm. Aldon took her hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow, patting it softly.

“Ready, Cat? Let’s get this over with,” Aldon said softly. After one last look at her family, Cat followed Aldon out of the room.

The doors to the main hall were enormous. They were made of old red wood and trimmed in gold. Two men stood guard on either side, their faces blank as Aldon and Cat approached. Each guard grabbed one of the golden doorknobs and pushed the door open. A large chamber with several stairways that led down to rows of plush stadium seats lay ahead. Women and men were milling around, and as Aldon and Cat stood at the top of the stairs, everyone turned and stared, not a smiling face among them.

To her relief, instead of leading Cat down into the lion’s den, Aldon turned left and led her along the edge of the room, above the crowd below. Across the way on a high stage, Cat saw a long, curved, marble table with thirteen empty high back chairs sitting behind it. Halfway around the room Aldon stopped at the entrance to a narrow walkway. The walkway led out over the crowd and directly faced the stage.

“Come, Cat, you must walk to the end. Remember, I am right here. Take your time answering their questions.”  He bent down and kissed her forehead and took the messenger bag out of her hands. Cat turned and nervously made her way to the end of the plank-like structure and placed her hands on the banister to support her trembling legs. She kept her eyes on the stage, not making eye contact with any of the crowd below.

“Hear ye, hear ye! Please stand and recognize our wise and honorable council,” a regal looking man bellowed. The crowd quieted as seven men and six women took their seats at the table on the stage. The last to take his seat was an exact replica of Aldon.
Must be Aldon’s brother Reynard
, Cat thought. 

“We all know why we are here today. We shall hear all the evidence before judgment is passed,” Reynard’s voice boomed in the vast room.
He sure doesn’t need a mic
, Cat thought.

“Ms. Colvin?” Reynard repeated for the third time.

Cat jumped a little and realized everyone was staring.  “Yes?” she answered in a quiet voice.

“Please speak louder! We all have great hearing, but we prefer you to talk loud and clear,” councilman Rhys Darby ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Cat’s voice seemed so loud to her she wanted to cover her ears.

“We would like you to tell us, in your own words, what happened a week ago this past Friday. And please do not omit anything,” Rhys barked out.

“Where would you like me to start?” she asked, feeling a little bolder this time.

“Start when you…received the call from one, Amaya Phillips’ phone,” Rhys said as he read from a piece of paper in front of him.

Cat started her story and gave every minute detail about her trip to and through the tunnels and what she found there. She described the three girls, their master, and the state that Mr. Girven was in. The gathered council hung on her every word. When she finished there was only silence.

“That will be all, Ms. Colvin. Aldon, will you please escort her to the holding room until all testimonies are finished. I think a break is in order. We shall now take a short recess,” Reynard declared.

Aldon took Cat’s arm and led her to a doorway opposite from where she had entered. When they were alone, Cat pulled Aldon to a stop.

“Why didn’t they ask me any questions?” Cat asked anxiously.

“If they have questions after every testimony is heard, you will be brought back in to answer them. Do not fret, child, everything will work out.” Aldon gently guided her along until they reached a small waiting area. It held a few chairs sitting on a large beautiful rug with a picture of a wolf woven into it. “Stay here, Cat, I must go and speak with Reynard, please do not leave this room. I will return after Matt’s testimony.” After noticing Cat’s worried expression, “Don’t worry, you did well. This will all be over soon, my dear,” he said and patted her cheek before he left.

A few minutes passed and the door to the waiting chamber opened. Cat clutched her messenger bag tightly as a woman entered, one that Cat recognized as a councilwoman from her hearing. She was strikingly beautiful with her dark brown hair pulled up into a bun, allowing for her high cheekbones to be showcased. Her eyes were cold, so cold that Cat involuntarily shivered.

“Catherine, please accept my apology if I startled you, but I must be quick. This trial is a farce. The council has already determined your fate, and it is not favorable. I have come to take you to a safe place where you will meet up with your family and escape back to your home,” Blanche whispered.

“But, Uncle Aldon told me-”

“He believes this will be a fair trial, and unfortunately, his brother has no control over what happens. He is but one man.  Quickly, we must leave. I must be back before the recess is up.”  Blanche grabbed Cat’s arm, dragging her out the door and down several hallways until they reached the outside. The air was chilled and snow covered the ground. “Now Catherine, see those trees across that frozen river?” She paused as Cat nodded. “That is your destination. Here, take my coat. We wouldn’t want you to freeze now would we?” she said, and then kindly helped Cat into it. “Now hurry before the guards spot you.  Your family and friend will meet you just inside the woods,” she continued as she gave Cat a little shove. Moving toward the forest, Cat stopped and turned back to find the woman had disappeared.

“You! Stop!” A guard called out from behind her. Cat’s eyes grew wide as she watched two guards hurrying toward her. Turning on her heel she sprinted for the frozen river. Hearing a loud howl, Cat glanced back. The two guards began running on all fours as they shifted into their Varulv form. An explosion of clothing shreds were left in their wake. Cat quickened her pace as fear surged through her. She could feel them nipping at her heels as they snarled just inches away. Her fiery red hair flew behind her, being thrashed about by the wind. She almost lost hold of her messenger bag as she picked up speed. Seeing the river just ahead, Cat reared down preparing to jump. Leaping into the air, Cat felt herself float up and over the frozen river, landing safely on the other side. She whipped around just in time to see the two Varulv guards skid to a halt at the river’s edge. One began pawing at the ground, as the other paced back and forth. Both let out low growls as they stared her down. Confused, Cat continued her way into the forest as the Varulvs’ howls echoed in her ears.