"Mira," Nathan said, and something about his tone - so full of concern, so gentle - made her blood start to freeze in her veins. "Mira, there won't be time for any of that. Not now."
Her heart dropped, heavy as a stone. "What do you mean?"
She looked at him, realizing only now that his returning her dagger was only part of the reason he'd come to see her.
"Tell me what's going on, Nathan."
He glanced down, swore a low curse. "Since Kellan's former Order, Lucan got the GNC to agree to hearing the charges and handling the situation privately rather than turning Kellan over to the criminal courts for a full-blown trial."
"Okay," Mira said cautiously. "That's good, right?"
Nathan merely looked at her. "Because of the riots and public calls for justice, and because the peace summit opens tonight, the GNC feels it needs to demonstrate decisive action to avoid potential disruptions during the gala. It's agreed to the private hearing, but the GNC will be conducting it - and determining Kellan's sentence - at a special meeting. It's taking place at GNC headquarters today."
All her fears came rushing at her in a buffeting wave. She staggered back on her heels, feeling as if the air had been sucked out of her lungs. "They're going to decide Kellan's sentence . . . today? Can't Lucan delay it? There must be something more he can do."
"He's calling in every political favor he's got, Mira. He's been in touch with each member of the Council, trying to bargain with them for a promise of leniency."
"How many?" she asked, going numb with a dread that made her stomach roil. "How many have agreed so far?"
Nathan didn't speak for a long moment. "There are sixteen Council members, representing eight key nations, with one human and one Breed member each." Nathan cleared his throat. "He's got confirmed votes from a few, but there are still several more Council members left to persuade in order to have the majority. Lucan's making a lot of promises, Mira. He's putting his balls on the line for Kellan. He's doing everything he possibly can."
She wanted to feel hope. She wanted to believe that everything would somehow work out and that, by some miracle, she and Kellan would come out of this terrible situation as one, together. But dread was a cold weight in the center of her chest.
"I can't talk anymore," she murmured, already backing away from the open door and Nathan's concerned expression. "I have to go. I thought there would be more time. I have to see Kellan before he goes in front of the Council."
Nathan gave a slow shake of his head. "There won't be time for you to see him before he's brought to the hearing. The Council is assembling to meet him there within the hour."
"No." She swallowed, her throat gone dry. "No, this can't be happening. We need more time . . ."
Words began to fail her, fear swamping her. She edged farther into the bedroom, holding Nathan's apologetic, regretful gaze. She closed the door on him and sagged against it, her forehead pressed to the cool wood panel.
She had to see Kellan. And there was no way in hell she'd let him stand before that Council assembly without her there to help defend him. To fight for his freedom, with blood and blades, if it came down to that.
Tossing her dagger onto the bed, Mira headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She undressed and stood before the mirror, staring into the face of the woman she'd become.
Blood-bonded, in love.
Never so terrified in all her life.
She knew the reflection would be cruel, even before she removed her purple lenses and lifted her gaze to confront the gift of her Sight.
The vision appeared in no time at all. The same terrible outcome, playing before her eyes.
Kellan, dead on the floor in front of her.
She, weeping in grief-stricken anguish over his lifeless body.
Mira stared, horrified and heartsick, until the steam of the shower filled the room, breathing a thick fog across the awful vision she couldn't seem to escape.
Kellan knew, when the phalanx of heavily armed JUSTIS officers - four Breed and two human - came to retrieve him from his cell just before noon that day, that he couldn't be heading into anything good.
But the full impact of that suspicion didn't hit him until they led him into a cavernous, private hearing chamber at the GNC's headquarters building. There he found himself staring at a panel of all sixteen Council members, seated on a dais behind a broad U-shape judicial bench. At the center of the assembly was Lucan Thorne, looking grave in his role as chairman.
Most of the Order's elder members were present as well, the warriors and their mates seated on rows of benches below the dais.
But the thing that really put a jangle of alarm in Kellan's veins was the sight of Mira standing directly in front of the Council. Outfitted in black fatigues and combat boots, her long blond hair woven into a tight braid that snaked down her back, she was dressed for the hearing as though she'd come prepared for war.
What the hell was she doing?
Kellan nearly shouted it to her, but then she pivoted around to face him as his guards shoved him forward into the room. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes rimmed with red as she looked his way.
Her eyes . . . ah, Christ. Her eyes looked straight at him, no longer milky and unfocused, but bright behind the violet contact lenses and fixed squarely on him.
She'd been healed.
She could see.
He'd been afraid to trust the bond that told him earlier that day she was whole again, but now he felt a surge of elation - of bone-deep relief - to see for himself that either Tess or Rafe had been able to do for Mira what he'd been unable to with his blood.
Now he wanted to run to her and sweep her into his arms. He would have, if he didn't suspect his sudden break would invite the JUSTIS officers walking him into the hearing room to open fire on him and possibly Mira in the process.