The House (55 page)

By the time I
thought to get up, Stripes had already taken the bathroom and I had
to settle for choosing my outfit instead. The suitcase Jalas had
brought was plain black with a biometric lock set to me, which was
a nice touch. I had assumed it would be set for Jalas and I would
have to get him to open it all the time.

Inside were
five different full-length garment bags. They were the new ones
that kept clothes crease free even when packed in a suitcase. I’d
had visions of having to ask for an iron to make my clothes
presentable; it would have been déclassé beyond measure. I laid out
each item carefully and opened them one at a time.

The first
contained a full-length gown with dropped sleeves and a sweetheart
neckline in an amazing crystalline blue. Jalas informed me that it
was in case we had to attend some kind of ball or dance. I thought
our chances of being invited to social functions weren’t all that
good but I supposed Jalas and my grandfather, and probably the
Covenant seamstress, knew better than me what we’d be likely to
encounter. Or they had simply packed for every occasion possible,
which was probably more likely.

The second was
a burgundy dress with a higher, round neckline. It was shaped very
well and I had to wonder when anyone had gotten my measurements. I
really hoped they hadn’t used the same ones I’d had for my prom
dress. That would not look good; perfect clothes that I’d never get
into. The dress was silk and looked like it would come down to my
knees. Dressy, but smart.

The third was
a smart pair of grey trousers with a blazer and cream shell blouse.
I was sure it would look lovely. Maybe not on me, but we’d get to
that. The fourth was along the same lines, but in black with a
green fitted blouse in cotton this time. I guessed the pants suits
were for if I was going to need to spend all day in them. They
would have to be comfortable. If I was really honest, I would be
more comfortable in the dress. I never really liked how restrictive
smart trousers were; even new jeans weren’t terribly comfy.

The last
garment bag turned out to have a green-blue dress in it. The colour
was beautiful and as I pulled the dress out I saw that the cut was
as well. Stripes exited the bathroom in her own new dress just as I
pulled it out. Slit sleeves that would reach my elbows, a moderate
neckline and a modest cut that didn’t take away from the beauty of
it.

I practically
ran to the bathroom with it as soon as Stripes came out. I needed
to get changed, the guys could just deal.

The bathroom
stopped me in my tracks even with my rush to get into the dress.
Gold gleamed on every surface and the floor was more pale marble.
It wasn’t heated –as I found out when I removed my shoes and socks
– however, it was so beautiful as to almost make me not mind,
almost. It helped that I wasn’t planning to use it every day.

There were
several sets of soaps and washes set out on the counter. I first
availed myself of the facilities then started to sort through them.
I would need a shower and the great double shower in the bathroom
was the most inviting thing I think I’d ever seen. I hung the dress
on the back on the door in its garment bag to keep it dry, and then
stepped into the gold expanse.

I didn’t have
time to dawdle no matter how much I wanted to. The bathroom was the
most opulent room I think I’d ever seen, but I could admit to
myself that most of the appeal was still in that as long as I was
in the bathroom I didn’t have to face the Council. I dried myself
off soundly before putting the dress on. There was underwear in the
bag behind the dress as well. Clearly my grandfather didn’t trust
me with even the simplest of things. Mind you, seeing as I’d rocked
up to the Covenant in fishnets and lace-up boots I guess I couldn’t
blame him. I don’t normally dress that slutty, honest.

I struggled
into the corselette and knickers before drawing the dress over my
head. I wondered why I really needed the corselette when I already
had a toned figure. Once the dress was on though, I realised that
it was more about holding it up than pulling me in. Perhaps with my
pregnancy I might even gain enough fat to be soft.

The back of
the dress had a series of buttons that I was never going to get
done up on my own so I had to go back out holding the dress up.
Jalas wasted no time in sweeping past me into the bathroom as I
left. He beat Eddie by half a second, who recovered by pretending
that he’d gotten up to help me into my dress. It took at least five
minutes to finish buttoning, by which time Jalas was done and it
was Eddie’s turn in the bathroom.

I gave a
little spin to show Stripes the dress.

“Well, I
suppose if I’m going to stand trial I might as well look good doing
it,” I said. I wanted to be happy, to laugh with Stripes about the
amazingness of the new dress, but I just couldn’t get over my
reasons for needing it. The High Council wouldn’t be easy to
impress. It took most of the fun out of new clothes – and I loved
new clothes, as my bank could attest to.

“Here,”
Stripes said as she handed me my make-up bag. I managed half a
smile for her before she went back to rearranging her hair. She’d
done it before we left but her nap on the train had left her
looking a bit dishevelled. I’d left mine down in a dark fall around
me but I’d thrown it up for the shower. I’d just let it down again
when I’d done my make up and I’d be good to go. The curls from
repeated bunning made my hair much easier to style.

I poured all
of my focus into my make-up. Not that I wore very much. It tended
to be risky to wear too much around people who had lived through
much more modest times. Just a touch of foundation to cover the
bags the worrying had given me and a slick of mascara to make my
blonde eyelashes match my dark hair. I looked really silly without
it, not as bad as when I forgot to dye my eyebrows but enough to
make me uncomfortable. I was trying my best to avoid looking
uncomfortable in front of the High Council lest they mistake it for
guilt.

It was a good
job I wasn’t putting on a lot of make-up. No sooner had I finished,
and Eddie emerged from the bathroom in his own suit, than Madaline
appeared at the door to escort us before the High Council. I was in
front of the doors to the great hall when the panic really started.
It all felt like it was going far too quickly. I wanted to stay a
while in the room and admire my new dress. I’d barely had the
chance to twirl once.

“They will see
you now,” Madaline told us as she opened the two-storey doors with
a light touch. It brought my mind crashing back to the more
important issue. I could ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over the brilliance of
everything later.

I wondered
briefly if the oak was as heavy as it looked, but there was
probably some kind of spell to assist with opening them. I knew so
very little about the witch part of my life. It seemed suddenly
absurd that I should have to be here, to answer to people I’d never
called lord or lady. Yet, when the High Council said jump, it was
best to say how high, even if you’re a shifter. I liked to keep my
head attached to my body that way.

“Beatrice
SinClara,” said a man standing on a raised dais. “Please come and
stand in the middle so we can see you.” There were five people sat
on the dais and more spread around the hall. The room was so big
and so imposing that I couldn’t even make a guess at how many
people it held. At least it seemed to be a more informal gathering
than a full court. The majority of the seats were vacant.

“I am Beatrice
SinClara, known as Trix,” I stated as we reached what appeared to
be our assigned place. There was nobody else in it that was for
sure. I felt like an attraction at the zoo, stood there all dressed
up in the middle of the room. The man in the middle on the high
dais nodded his acknowledgement. I wondered if he was the man
Madaline had referred to as the old codger. It was probably best
not to ask.

“Now, we are
here to start discussions on your powers, Miss SinClara. Tonight is
just an introduction to get the feel of things, you shouldn’t be
worried.” He did, however, manage to give the sense that there
would be a time to be worried in the future, very worried. His
sheer confidence and control astounded me. Nobody uttered a sound
as he spoke. He stroked his hand through his long beard as he
talked, making him look like he was thinking deeply as he spoke
despite the fact that they were likely pre-arranged words. Maybe I
was projecting too much from movies. Then I realised that he knew
exactly what image he was projecting. I did not want to end up
against him in an argument; there was no way I’d win.

“I wish to
present to the High Council,” Jalas announced from my right. He
stepped forwards and bowed to them. I hoped that I hadn’t committed
a faux pas by not bowing myself. Then again, they couldn’t expect
me to know all of their customs. I hadn’t been raised as they had,
as Jalas had.

“Very well,
Jalas,” the man in the middle replied. He sounded intrigued, almost
amused. There was something there that made me take a second look
at Jalas but there was nothing different about him. He was the same
as he’d always been. I shook the thought off. Jalas was there to
help me; I didn’t need to start second guessing him. I took both
Stripes’ and Eddie’s hands in mine for comfort.

It was going
to be hard work not to break their hands but I needed the warmth,
the stability. By the feel of her emotions buzzing around me, so
did Stripes. I was careful to stay as blocked from Eddie as I
could; I had an unfortunate tendency to slip into his mind if I
wasn’t careful. The thrum of his power felt all too good in my
hand, like a blanket that I’d had forever. His mind was too
familiar. I would have to concentrate.

“I would like
to present that these proceedings against Beatrice are completely
unfounded. That they are, in fact, dangerous. Not just to her but
to the very secret of our existence. I would like to request, at
the very least, a delay until things can be settled with her late
mentor’s estate and the running of the House.” Jalas sounded good.
I’d never heard him speak so well, then again, I was used to
hearing him laugh at the prisoners in the Covenant’s torture
chamber, not address the High Council.

“We have
discussed this already. These proceedings cannot be justly delayed
for the death of one woman. There is far more danger in letting a
potentially dangerous telepath run loose than in letting a few
shifters fend for themselves. She is not the only one there. There
are others who can take over her duties.”

Jalas seemed
unfazed by this statement and I had to wonder at how much of this
they had rehearsed beforehand. Maybe not formally, but certainly in
conversations. I imagined it was not the first time they had each
heard the other’s arguments. The High Council was more about
politics than anything else, despite what Madaline had said about a
fair hearing.

“I would also
like to bring to your attention the young shifter called Hannah.
She is in the care of Beatrice and would suffer if she were to be
thrown to the world. She is a danger to our remaining secret, not
through any fault of her own, but through her lack of knowledge and
training.”

“As I said,
there are others who can take over Miss SinClara’s duties. The new
shifter is not as dangerous as a telepath. We will keep an eye on
her anyway.” I felt my heart contract with the thought that the
High Council would be monitoring Hannah, she was only a girl. She
was bound to make a mistake that they would deem unacceptable. I
thought I could have strangled Jalas for bringing her into it. It
was my responsibility to keep her safe, not use her for my own
gains.

Unfortunately,
Jalas was starting to look a little bit ruffled. Clearly the
answers he was getting weren’t what he’d been expecting. I found
myself wishing that I had used the journey to pump Jalas for
information rather than to play board games. It was too late
though; I had put my fate almost entirely in his hands without even
realising. I hadn’t been on top of things lately. If I ever got out
of this, that would change. I would be much more proactive in
future about my duties, my responsibilities – hell, my life in
general.

There was a
brief pause before Jalas spoke again and I knew as soon as he
opened his mouth that it would be bad. “Then I concede that there
needs to be a trial.” He held up his hand to prevent the other man
from interrupting and to my surprise it worked. “However, I call
upon your own laws to say that she cannot stand trial now.”

“By what right
do you so call?” the man asked. The question seemed to have more
weight than it should and I found myself holding my breath before
he spoke. Somehow, I had a horrible feeling I knew by what right he
would delay my trial and I hated him for it. I hated him for being
able to open my mind, for seeing my deepest secrets.

“By the right
of the child she carries within her,” Jalas stated. Not one single
person on the dais even blinked. The only person to react was
Eddie. He dropped my hand and turned me to face him so abruptly
that I had to let go of Stripes as well. I felt the loss of contact
as a physical weight. I needed her, I needed both of them. I felt
so stupid.

“Is it true?” he asked me. The whole hall was silent in
waiting. I guessed that the man on the dais would have asked for
confirmation from me if Eddie hadn’t. I was almost ready to kick
Eddie for interrupting the proceedings. I knew that he would need
to air his feelings; I just
really
needed him to do it later. I needed him to
understand the severity of what was happening, but looking into his
face I knew that he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t truly understand until I
was a notch on the execution list at the High Council.