Page 58 of I Am the Wild
"Which story is the truth?" I ask. They are both entirely too compelling.
She laughs. "The truth? Why, all of them. And none of them. We are each a truth unto ourselves."
I realize I'm willing to say yes, despite the warning Liam gave me, despite my own revulsion to the idea, despite the fact that I don't know what game she's playing. I'm willing to do it, if it helps our case. Because her testimony could make or break us. And if it breaks us, the Night brothers will be forever tormented.
Derek must see how close I am to offering myself up, because he stands between us once again and shakes his head. "No deal. You know I can't allow that."
I tug at his sleeve. “But we need—"
“No deal.” His eyes are hard.
I nod.
Lilith pouts and reclines back to the couch. "Pity. See you in court then."
* * *
We sitin the carriage in silence. I'm breathing heavily. Everything feels surreal.
"Why didn't you let me do it?" I ask.
"It's too risky. You could have died. You could have become her obsession, in which case we couldn't protect you. She'd turn you and you'd have no say. Also, it's not ethical. It would be considered buying a testimony. We could be disbarred."
"Those are a lot of good reasons," I say, breathlessly. And I'm an idiot, I add silently. I clearly have no self-preservation instincts. What the hell is wrong with me?
When we get back to the castle, I excuse myself to my suite to collect my thoughts. And to sketch.
I first draw Lilith, the way her neck curves in just such a way, and the way her large cat-like eyes take everything in. She misses nothing in the going-ons around her, and I suspect she's always several steps ahead. Her and Dracula must have been quite the potent power couple.
And then I draw Derek the way he looked when he was refusing Lilith to protect me. My hands fly across the page as I capture his stance, the strength in his frame as he stands between us, a living barrier to whatever mischief Lilith had planned for me should I have agreed to her offer. I don't think I could have imagined any of the Nights as white knights, but something in the way he holds himself brings that image to mind, and I know there is more to all of them than I have yet imagined. I know he gave the argument of being disbarred as a reason for turning down Lilith's offer, but their legal standing isn't going to matter much if they lose and become tormented until insanity by their sire. He was protecting me, at the cost of everything, possibly.
The trial is starting soon and our case isn't yet strong enough to guarantee a win. We need more.
When I finish Derek's drawing, I admire the determination in his eyes, the slope of his nose, the way his jaw tightens when he's serious.
Pulling out of my self-induced trance I realize it's time to find Elijah and head to his contact to study the letters.
I'm putting a lot of unearned hope that this will be the clue that breaks the case.
And hopefully in our favor.
The Graphologist
She's mad but she's magic. There's no lie in her fire. ~ Charles Bukowski
I findElijah in his study, surrounded by books, which is not surprising.
His pale blond head is bent over a large leather-bound tome, and he mumbles under his breath as he reads something in Latin.
"Not summoning any demons, I hope?" I ask jokingly, and then I realize we are in a world that likely has demons and all manner of other creatures, and suddenly my little joke isn't so funny.
"Not at the moment," he says, in all seriousness. "That requires more candles. And a virgin sacrifice."
It takes me a beat to realize he's joking. He winks at me, and I exhale and then laugh awkwardly. "Ah, the classic virgin sacrifice joke. Good one!" I clumsily punch him in the arm, then step back and screw my mouth shut and plaster my arms to my side, because I am being entirely too weird.
"It was a joke, yes?" I ask after a moment.
"Yes," he says with a softer smile. "We don't use virgins anymore. Too hard to find." I frown at that, and he tugs at one of my braids. "Don't take it all so seriously or you'll make yourself crazy."