Only we weren’t headed there, after they bypassed the door to the cafeteria my fight instincts kicked in and I started kicking and screaming.

“where are you taking me? I want a trial you bastards! Let me go.”

“Someone shut her up before I do... permanently.” Comes from someone in the group.

“You can’t shut me up, I’m being wrongly accused and I demand an investigation and a fair trial, ya’ll can’t just take me to the woods and chop off my head!”

“Oh, you are getting your trial, and boy am I glad you are, we would have shown you mercy, the public? Not bloody likely.” Gloats Cain and that has a shiver wracking my entire self.

Anything that makes the sad sod excited is definitely not good for me, or anyone else, if we are being totally honest.

I struggle a little bit more only for Ryder, who had just gotten back, to turn to me hatred and rage burning his eyes, “fucking quit it Mahina, or I swear to God I’ll gladly let them devour you right here trial or no trial.”

Nothing could explain how those words broke me; I had thought he was just holding back since he couldn’t openly defend me with all the evidence pointing to me being guilty, but I had hoped that he was still firmly in my corner, that was the final straw then, I was well and truly alone.

“no, you’re not.”

Huh?

I look around only to be met by stoic faces.

“Where do you think you are taking her?”

King Darian, with a gasp I whirl around as does the rest of the Mahi execution team.

“To the auditorium, the stupid woman demanded a trial.”

“She is not getting one, take her to the library and meet me in the formal room.”

“No, the fuck not, take me to the auditorium.”

For the first time since he stopped us, the king turns his eyes to me, and the intensity in them would have brought me to my knees if I wasn’t being held up by the Bright assholes.

“you really are stupid.”

“Pardon me your ass...highness but I’m not stupid.”

The king looks at me quizzically; like maybe I had really lost my marbles.

Why is he acting like he didn’t just speak in my head, prick.

I prod my shield and it’s intact, how is the bastard slipping past?

As soon as I think that, I feel a foreign pressure on the shield again and I kick out with every ounce of mental energy, instead of flying out like my dramatic self imagined, a husky chuckle sounds in my head and the entity settles, IN MY HEAD!, getting comfortable and my conscious doesn’t seem to mind.

Sneaking a glance at the king, he’s still engrossed in a conversation with his sons, about my impending death no doubt.

I gather myself once again trying to kick him out and once again it’s futile. A sharp pain flashes in my head and a sharp keening sound fills the air.

Everyone turns towards me hands moving to the weapons hanging all over them. Was that sound from me?

The blinding pain ceases the minute I stop trying to force the entity outside my head and I can feel the smugness.

“damn it Mahi are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Before I can retort, a comforting familiar weight settles on my shoulders and I almost burst into sobs.

Nyx! He was back, now I wasn’t alone.

“I told you were never alone.”

Nyx, why are you speaking in different fonts?”

A startled chuckle fills my head, and I almost miss Nyx’s reply.

“What do you mean Mahi?”

“just now and before, that was painful by the way.”

“what do you mean, I just got here and thank the fates I did.”

My reply is disrupted by the loud silence that had reigned around us.

“she’s plotting her next murder spree, let’s get this over with before she takes more souls.”

Classic Cain, I think he’s obsessed with making me a murderer.

When the king doesn’t reply, I turn towards him as do the rest, only for my heart to drop to the pits of my bowels, because the freaking King, was staring, right at Nyx... invisible Nyx who was sitting on my shoulder.

Fuck!

“uh... Nyx, I think you’ve been made.”

"no shit.”

The response has me choking back a surprised giggle, I know, now wasn’t the time.

Cause fuck me sideways, the dragon had a fine sense of humour.

“Is that an offer?” Now this, I definitely knew was Darian with how he was now looking at me with barely concealed humour.

“you give Dar too much credit.”

“Get the fuck out of my head!”

Now everyone was looking at me like I had grown two heads.

“do you have a multiple personalities issue?”

Maybe I could blame it on my other half, and get freed.

“Before you answer that dumbass, in this world, that means there are demons in you and that will further cement their belief in your supposed actions.”

“I’m tired of everyone calling me that,” I mumble head hanging.

“What was that?”

“no, I don’t have multiple personality issues,” I reply out loud.

“good girl.”

My knees go weak and I almost fall on Jain, but stop myself at the last minute. Nyx wasn’t so lucky, my sudden movement jolted him from my shoulders and he face-planted right next to the king.

Heart in throat I glance up at the king, and I have to take another look after shaking my head because there’s no way, evil incarnate, the producer of the annoying Bright brood looked like he was fighting really hard not to burst out laughing, no freaking way.

My thoughts are solidified the next second when the expression is wiped off his face and he turns to the boys, giving a curt nod and the next minute he’s gone.

Nyx stands up gingerly and turns back to me, did he get hurt?

Before I could ask him if he was hurt, I feel a tentative touch in my head, then... “keep that annoying dragon with you at all times little human, it will keep you safe, and tell him Dolly says hi.”