Dire(63)

I glanced down at my boots. “Yes. I’m good.”

“That’s good, because we don’t have another option.”

“Having to stand is the least of my concerns right now.”

“Got it, I’m trying to distract you.”

“It’s working.” It was.

Denny turned, and stopped in front of a set of double doors. He knocked a few times, and the door opened.

“What do you want?” A tall man dressed in a black suit asked.

“We’re here for a trial. She’s a witness.”

“The wolf’s trial?”

“Yes.”

“She’s the mate?” He looked me over.

I looked at Denny. He nodded. “Yes. May we enter?”

“Yes. Be prepared to be called on.”

“We will.” Denny nodded. He grabbed my hand, and we walked through the doors that led to a steep staircase.

“I told you there was a basement,” Denny whispered.

“Don’t let me fall.” The stairway was completely dark. I couldn’t see a thing, but from what I’d gathered, Dires had much better night vision.

“I value my life, so I’m not going to show up with you all bruised from falling down a flight of stairs.”

“Glad you have the motivation to keep me in one piece.”

“You lucked out.”

We reached flat ground again, and Denny pushed open another door. We stepped into a dimly lit hallway. The minimal light flickered across the hallway, but at least this time I could see something. We turned again, and the lighting was brighter. The floors were marble or some similar stone. Pretty swank for a courthouse, but then again a king was presiding over these trials.

I stayed glued to Denny’s side as we made our way into what appeared to be an everyday courtroom, but I knew it wasn’t. There was no jury to decide whether those accused were innocent or guilty. All power rested in the hands of a single man. I didn’t understand it. Hadn’t they heard of democracy?

Denny grabbed my elbow and pulled me to the side right before the crowd hushed. The doors opened and a procession of people walked in. I stood on tiptoes so I could see around the crowd. I saw a few men, and then a beautiful girl maybe a few years older than me. She had long brown hair that fell down her back in these perfect waves that I thought only existed in shampoo commercials and movies.

“That’s got to be the queen,” Denny hissed.

I nodded, watching her move down the center aisle like a model on the catwalk. When she was halfway through the room a guy followed. With brown hair and these grayish-blue eyes he matched the girl in attractiveness. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit that seemed more appropriate for an attorney to be wearing than a king. Because that’s who he had to be. For some reason I just knew.

I couldn’t see anything over the much taller people in front of us, and I struggled to hear. From what I could tell, it sounded like the other cases were for much less urgent crimes, people fighting over property and money.

What felt like hours later, the king cleared his throat. “We will take a twenty minute recess.”

“I’m going to run to the bathroom.” I hated leaving, but I knew my bladder wasn’t going to make it much longer. All I needed was to pee my pants while sitting in the witness stand.

“Want me to come with you?” Denny asked.

“I can manage. I saw the sign on the way in.” I was always careful to notice restrooms. You never knew when you’d need one.

“Let me at least walk you there. I can wait outside.”

I stood up on my tiptoes to see what was happening. Maybe the queen and king had left.

“I’ve really got to go.” I started weaving through the crowd. I didn’t care whether Denny followed.

I turned around when I reached the door of the courtroom. “I’ll be right out.”

“You promise to come right back?”

“You really think I’m going to make a run for it at a moment like this?”

He shook his head. “I’m making sure you realize how important it is that you show up for the trial.”

“I wouldn’t leave Gage at a time like this.” I hurried down the hall to the bathroom, letting the door swing closed behind me.

I walked through a lounge area that was complete with snacks and a water cooler. This was way nicer than most restrooms I’d ever been in. I continued through to the main restroom and found a stall.

I was getting ready to leave the stall when I heard the door open. I was kind of surprised there weren’t more people using the restroom, but there really weren’t that many women in the courthouse. I waited a moment longer, not in the mood to have any awkward small talk with anyone.