“You used my daughter as leverage to falsely arrest the Compasses. You held a decapitation spell to her throat. You’re lucky I don’t kill you right here and now.”
At least Dad believed in their innocence.
Kristoff was not strong physically, but his magic was. With a blast, he shot my father back. “You would be lucky to kill me,” he sneered, as he straightened and smoothed down his black dress shirt. “See you at the trial, Jessa. I hope you’re okay without your protectors.”
I bared my teeth but didn’t reply. I took the warning for what it was.
“Jonathon…” Lienda’s panic was clear as she came up to us, Mischa by her side. “This is what you were talking about, the start of an assault on our family.”
He nodded. “Maybe. It is too soon to tell if it’s about the Compasses, the girls, or just another attack on my position on the council.”
It was late at night and a small group was gathered around our living room. Jonathon, Lienda, Mischa and myself on one couch. Across from us was … well, I almost couldn’t believe it … Louis. The. Sorcerer. This had to be the man who had spelled our dragon marks. He was the strongest sorcerer in Stratford, probably in the entire supernatural community. A legend. He looked about twenty-eight, which meant he was old in supernatural years, and he was absolutely striking. Honey-blond hair with caramel-colored skin, almond-shaped eyes that I swear were so blue they were purple, and straight, aristocratic features. He wasn’t as tough looking as, say, the Compasses, but you only had to meet him once to know he was scary. I’d only seen him from a distance a few times and I couldn’t believe he was sitting here in my living room. Our privacy dome was courtesy of his spell, so we all knew it was more than safe to speak freely.
I was doing everything I could to not think about the boys. I kept having some sort of panic attack as my brain conjured up images of what might be happening to them in the prison. Sure, they could look after themselves, but for all I knew this entire setup was to take them off and kill them.
Shit. Stop thinking, Jessa. I focused back on the room.
Sitting next to Louis was Torag, the council member of the demi-fey and loyal friend and supporter of my father. It had been him in the crowd to call Kristoff out. And lastly were the Compass parents: Jo, their very tall, black-haired and stunningly beautiful vampire-sorceress mother, who was tightly gripping the hand of Jack, their very blond lion shifter-fey father. He was built like a tank and it was easy to see where the boys got their size. Yep, Jo and Jack, simple of name but huge of presence and power.
“We have to get them out.” Jo’s voice floated softly around the room. Her pale, creamy features were scrunched. I could scent her desperation. “They have enemies in there, criminals they’ve detained.” Jack pulled her closer, his hands running soothingly over her.
She was right, although the boys weren’t officially hunters – we hadn’t even finished school yet – they’d been involved in a few arrests. As future council members they were not supposed to take part in risky missions, but hey, they were the Compasses, they lived for dangerous shit. Generally, they didn’t hear the word “no” much. So all of them at one time or another had left the protections of Stratford. I’d been waiting to reach twenty-five to be able to head out with them. Jonathon had laid down the law. I couldn’t leave Stratford until I was legally a supernatural adult.
The Compasses used to go out together, but the last time all four of them left the community the vampire had tried to usurp my father from the council. It was then we realized their presence added some protection to the Lebron home. They never left me alone again; at least two of them were in Stratford at all times. Which made it doubly hard right now. I felt their loss like a missing limb or organ. No wonder my chest hurt. It felt as if my heart had been ripped from its cavity.
I jumped to my feet, both of my hands flying to my hips. “You have to tell me where the prison is.” I was trembling as I raised my chin at Jonathon.
He shook his head. “I won’t. Firstly, it’s forbidden and I’m spelled to prevent unauthorized location revelation. And secondly, I will not enable you to get yourself killed trying to free them.”
I huffed in and out. Each breath felt strained, like my lungs weren’t filling. I narrowed my eyes. “I can’t leave them there. I will find the prison. Don’t you think for a moment you can keep me from helping the boys.”
Jonathon and I locked eyes, neither of us backing down. I could not let him dominate me this time. I loved and respected my father, but if he didn’t fight for the Compasses then we were going to have a big problem.