"I'm sorry. I don't seem to have much control over my little storm cloud, but it should be clear to you now that I don't intend to take you up on your…er…offer." I mentally dismissed my cloud, and was relieved when it dissipated to nothing, the air losing its charged feeling.

"Bitch! You will find that we are not as easy to fool as your lover. The Court takes a dim view of murderers and cheats, Portia Harding."

There was no reply I could make to that which didn't involved some pretty rude language, not to mention more in the thunder-and-lightning area, so I simply turned around and walked away as fast as I could. I got lost twice despite the signposts and Theo's mental threats to hunt me down, but finally arrived back at the square to confront the furiously scowling vampire of my dreams.

"You can stop looking like that—I didn't leave willingly. I was hauled off by a cherub to go on a tour of the Court."

His scowl turned blacker as his eyes lightened to a slate grey. I followed as he started off in the opposite direction. "Don't you think you have enough trouble without getting involved with that randy lot? Come along, we don't have time to waste."

"Where are we going?"

"The library. One of the mares has agreed to meet with you."

"Excellent. I have much to say to her."

"I'm sure you do."

I peeked a glance at Theo, but his face was unreadable.

"Are all the cherubs like the one I met?"

"Yes."

I bumped my hand against his a couple of times, but he didn't take the hint, so I ended up sliding my hand into his, smiling to myself when his fingers tightened around mine. "You might have warned me, you know."

"Consider yourself warned: Stay away from the cherubs. They're a heartless group."

"They certainly don't fit into the idealized vision of angelic," I said, pondering that point for a few minutes while we walked along the narrow path that ran alongside a tall stone wall. "You said this isn't heaven, but I rather expected the people who hang out here to be more or less good. If the cherubs are such bad news, why are they allowed to stay?"

Theo stood aside as I passed through a narrow wooden doorway. Ahead of us, a building dominated the area. Tall, with high, stained-glass Gothic windows, and pointy spires that seemed to stretch up to the sky, the building looked more like a cathedral than a library. "You have such a black-and-white view of the world, Portia. You're going to have to adjust that to include shades of grey."

"Meaning, everyone who resides in the Court is not good? I suppose it follows that everyone in Abaddon isn't evil?"

"As you have had proof, having visited it just a few hours ago." Theo marched forward, to the marble steps that led to wide double doors.

"Touché." It was cool inside the library, the sunlight beaming through the windows not doing much to raise the temperature. As I gazed around at shelves of books that seemed to be at least fifteen feet tall, I wondered if the climate was artificially controlled. Some of the books that lay open on pedestals appeared to be old, and no doubt fragile. There was a hushed atmosphere of subdued reverence that seemed to seep into my bones, leaving me with a slightly itchy feeling, and the propensity to whisper. "Whereabouts is the mare?"

"This way." Theo's voice was quieter than normal, making me feel a bit better about my own reaction. He led me to the left, to an area that would have been a small chapel if this had been a cathedral. We wound our way through the maze of books until we came upon a door almost hidden by a rolling ladder that allowed patrons access to the upper shelves.

Theo stopped before the door, fixing me with a dark look. "Although the sovereign does not enforce strict formality in the Court, mares are usually treated with a bit more circumstance than the rest of the officials. They are referred to as 'your grace' in conversation."

"I have no intention of being rude," I assured him. "Credit me with having some amount of tact."

"You will need more than tact," he answered rather ominously, knocking firmly on the door.

A voice bid us to enter. Theo stood aside for me to go in first. I will admit that I was beginning to have second thoughts about the wisdom of tackling someone so high up in the Court organization, but a reminder of what I'd cost Theo had me walking into the mare's office with my head high, my back stiff, and my determination immovable.

A young woman in her early twenties looked up from a laptop. She looked like any other successful businesswoman, from expensively dark brown hair, to a smart, jade green suit with matching shoes. "You are Portia Harding, yes?"

"Yes, I am." Theo, standing beside me, brushed his hand against mine. "Er…your grace."

"Good." The mare stood up, raising her voice. "Portia Harding, you are hereby charged with the murder of the virtue named Hope. Bailiff! Take the prisoner into custody!"

Chapter 13

"Murder? Hope was murdered? When?" I asked, backing away from the muscular young woman who bowled in through the door. "I had no idea where she went, let alone what happened to her, but I certainly haven't killed her!"

Theo, what's going on here? Murder?

I don't know, but the mare must be handled carefully. This is a serious situation.

You ain't just whistlin' 'Dixie'!

"I fear there has been a misunderstanding about my client's situation, your grace," Theo said suavely, positioning himself between me and the bailiff.

The mare stared at Theo for a moment, thawing visibly when he smiled at her.

Oh, that's subtle, I thought at him.

Subtle doesn't win the fair maiden.

I sent him thoughts of what I'd like to do to him at that very moment.

You are a bloodthirsty little thing, aren't you? You can stop mentally sharpening your neutering knife. I simply mean to win her over to our side, not seduce her.

"You are the champion?" the mare asked, giving Theo a much more thorough eyeing than I thought strictly necessary.

"Theondre North at your service, your grace," he said, bowing, charm positively oozing off him.

Just see that you don't. I like to think of myself as a generous person, but when it comes to men, I don't share.

Neither do I, but that's not the issue at stake.

I won't say the mare actually cracked a smile, but she stopped looking like she was going to have me gutted on the spot. "One moment, Mathilda," she told the bailiff before turning back to me. "Am I to understand that you did not seek an audience with me in order to turn yourself in for the crime of murdering the virtue named Hope?"

I lifted my chin and gave her a polite smile. "That's correct. I am here to discuss the continuation of the seven trials I have been forced to undergo. I also wish to discuss the process for submitting a petition. And finally, I want to lodge a complaint about two old ladies who beat me up without due cause."

The mare's eyebrows rose, her eyes chilly. "I see."

"I can reassure you that my client is not the type of person who would commit murder for her own gain," Theo said, moving closer to me in a show of faith. As a gesture, it warmed me to my toes. "She is innocent of the charge you have laid at her feet."

The mare didn't look at all like she believed him. "And did you take on the role of her champion before or after she summoned the virtue?"

"After, your grace. I discussed the situation with her at some length—"

If you could call almost choking me to death discussing the situation.

Hush.

"—and determined that she summoned the virtue without knowing that she was doing so. The virtue assumed she wished to take on the position, and since she was desirous of leaving, she passed on her powers without Portia being aware of exactly what she was committing herself to."