“No!” Bayani screeched as he slammed his hand on the judges desk. “ This cannot be! Your devotion to him will be your undoing—”
“Maybe so, but he won't be my undoing today.”
I smirked at him as I watched his body dissolve, pieces floating away in the wind like dandelion puffs. The bubble around me popped, and I let go of a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I felt Wyatt's arms around my waist and melted into him on instinct.
“You scared me there.”
“Really? Nah, I'm just teasing. Besides, if anybody's going to fail their trial, it's probably going to be me.”
I looked down at him and pushed his glasses up on his nose for him. He blushed at how close we were.
“If I can talk my way out of this, then you can too. All you gotta do is be honest.”
I shouldn't have said that. Being honest, it's probably the worst thing you could ask Wyatt to do. And I would know I've been married to him for over a century now, and I still can't get a straight answer out of him.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, surprised to see Noa trying to get my attention.
"You got a minute?“
“For you? I've got at least five. What's up? “
“I have to be Wyatt's judge.”
He said with the saddest expression I have ever seen him make, granted I've only seen him make two expressions in our very limited time together, but still.
“I'm sorry, what? Why would you have to be Wyatt's judge?”
“Well, why was your father your judge? Think about that for a second.”
He made a good point, but still, I couldn't quite figure it out. I know with my father; he was kind of forcing me to confront my past decisions with and surrounding Wyatt. Sort of a self-reflection kind of moment.
After a couple of minutes of thinking to myself, I shrugged.
“I don't know. I know you and he have some sort of connection, but weren't you just made when those two combined?”
A thumb over my shoulder, Guy and Wyatt.
“No, we've been together for a lot longer than that.”
I raised an eyebrow. Why do I feel a tension headache coming on?
“How long? He's never told me about you.”
Noa chuckled, chest barely moving.
“That doesn't surprise me, and frankly, it shouldn't surprise you either. That man is a vault of secrets; that's not entirely his fault. But the decisions he’s made as an adult, yeah, those were his. That's why they want me in the chair; he has to face up to all his decisions, including me. “
Well, now I am thoroughly confused.
Noa did something a little shocking: he touched my face. It wasn't a lover's caress. It was more of a I care about you and I want you to be safe, caress if that makes any sense? When his thumb brushed over my cheekbone, I shuddered and tried to pull away from his embrace, but I couldn't.
“What are you?” I whispered, heart pounding like it was our first touch. “I mean, what are you really, Noa?”
Noa looked at me, smirked, and then he kissed my forehead.
“You'll find out soon enough, goddess, and when you do it's going to change everything.”
He left me standing there, and he took his seat in the same place my father had just sat, gavel in hand, ready to dole out his brand of justice, whatever that may look like.
Mnemosyne sighed and opened her book. Her break was apparently now over. The stones and Themis’ hands had reset, but as Wyatt took his place before the judge. The weight of the guilty stone nearly dropped her to her knees.
“Well, that's not a good sign.” I mumbled. I knew he was guilty, but damn.
“But I suppose it's to be expected.” Wyatt answered.
I moved over towards the guy and watched as the bubble closed around Wyatt. Wyatt’s shoulders were set, his hands clasped in front of him. He met Noa's gaze, unwavering and unapologetic. The same way I’ve always known him to be.
So why did this time feel like something was about to break? Why did it feel like a dam was about to burst?
“Wyatt Hart, you have been accused of murdering 2 million civilians. That is a war crime. How do you plead?”
Wyatt opened his mouth, quick as a whip, “Not guilty.”
My jaw dropped. Guy looked at me like I held a secret to this insane plot. But I assure you, I did not. As well as I knew Wyatt, whatever he was cooking up now, it was all on him.
“Wyatt, what the hell are you doing?“
“I'm doing what anyone would do in my position. I'm defending myself.“
“By lying on the stand?! You know you're as guilty as the day is long, what the hell?!”
“To some degree, you're right—”
“No no no more half truths you said it yourself, you confessed to me about what you did!”
“I confess to you that I tried to save people—I tried to save the whole world. And in the process, 2 million souls died. Though I had a hand in it, their deaths were not my fault.”
Was this motherfucker for real right now?
“You've got to be smoking something because what?! What do you mean you had a hand in it but it wasn't your fault?”
“If you two are done.” Mnemosyne started.
We are most certainly not done!
“I would like to get started with the first memory that could shed light on this whole thing. If we jump back to the day Wyatt placed you in Sanctuary—”
“Oh no, we're not starting on that day,” Wyatt interrupted, wagging his index finger.
“No, if you wanted to walk through Sapphyra's past, you will walk through my past as well. Otherwise the word fair can never sit beside trial in this kangaroo court again.”
I sighed as all the energy left me. This man would be the death of me. All the tricks and twists and turns I'm not built—for this bullshit anymore.
“Wyatt, don't.” I pleaded.
“Sapphyra, If you trusted me this long then trust me now. There will be no more lies here today and on that you have my word. No half truths, no manipulation, just cold hard facts.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, searching for any hint of deceit.
“All right, I’ll trust you but if this goes south you have no one to blame but yourself.” And I mean that.
He nodded.
“I know and thank you.”
“For what?”
“For standing by me despite all my sins.”
I placed my hand against the bubble. It wasn't much but he knew I supported him. Sometimes that's all somebody needs.
Themis struggled. Her arm was trembling, trying to maintain its weight and not get crushed underneath Wyatt’s guilty rock.
" If we could please get started with the trial “ She wheezed out.
Mnemosyne turned to Wyatt, the corners of her mouth upticking slightly. Her eyebrow twitched twice.
“Go on, pick the memory you want me to regale us with. We do not have all day. “
Wyatt rolled his eyes and then he turned his body halfway to wink at me.
“That day at the volcano? Run that back right after she saved me. That's the day my mission started. And everything I've done up until now was for the mission. It was for my wife. “
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