Chapter 52 52.Plea
Tabitha’s POV
“Not guilty! As I have said more than once, I had nothing to do with the damaged artifact. I didn’t even know where it was being kept.” My chest heaves with indignation as I scan the faces around us, and I see how ready they all are to dismiss my words the same way the elders did the last time I tried to defend myself. Yet when my eyes find my four stepbrothers, a different strength rises in me. Luca meets my gaze and gives a firm nod of encouragement, and the silent push steadies me enough to keep going. “I was taken, locked away, and treated like a criminal without anyone ever giving me a chance to explain myself. You wanted someone to blame, and I was the easiest target. But that does not make me guilty! I may not know who damaged the artifact, but I know it was not me. You can accuse me as much as you like, but the truth does not change just because you refuse to hear it.”
The words leave my mouth sharper than I expect, but I do not regret them. For a heartbeat, the room is quiet, and I catch the faintest curve at the corner of Reed’s lips. His eyes hold a degree of pride that I never thought I’d see in him. It’s as if he has been waiting for me to finally throw my voice into the fire instead of shrinking from it.
“Your words are bold, Tabitha. I will not accuse you of lying outright, but I cannot accept your claim as truth without proof. The artifact was destroyed under suspicious circumstances, and suspicion falls heavily on you. Bold denials are not enough. What matters is evidence and unfortunately for you, the elders have presented them and they all point to you being the culprit.” Beta Renston steps aside to make room for Eli, who strides forward with the air of self-importance already thick around him.
There they go again with their freaking evidence!
Eli pulls out a plastic ziplock containing a few strands of hair which they claim belong to me. They are brunette strands, alright. It could be anyone, I’m not the only one with chestnut brown hair here.
He raises the small plastic bag for all to see. Then, he pulls it open and lets the strands of hair fall lightly into his palm. “Human eyes may doubt. But scent cannot be deceived. These strands belong to Tabitha Huxley,” he declares.
At first, I do not understand what he is doing. To me, they are nothing more than loose pieces of brown hair. But then Reed’s chest rises with a sharp breath. Luca’s nostrils flare, Evren’s back straightens, and Jace tilts his head as if he has caught something foul in the air. They all react in the same way—and so does the crowd around us—until I feel the weight of every eye in the room snapping toward me. Half of them glare with open accusation, as if the verdict has already been made and the elders are right. I catch a glimpse of Yennifer smirking like she has already won a war.
Only then do I realize what is happening—they are scenting the air. Of course. How could I forget about werewolves and their unnervingly sharp sense of smell? Everyone in this ballroom is detecting this supposed scent of mine, everyone except me. I am a human with a nose that can only catch food from paper bag deliveries, nothing more.
My stepbrothers look a bit taken aback. They probably didn’t expect that the elders have ‘actual’ evidence against me. Honestly, me too. I thought they were just bullshitting their way just so they could lock me to the dungeons for the crimes I didn’t commit. Turns out it’s real.
Okay, so the strands are mine. But how is that possible? My mind reels for an answer. How the hell did they get my hair? Unless I somehow sleepwalked my way to the artifact, there is no way I am the one responsible for its damage. Which is impossible, by the way. I have never sleepwalked in my life, and as far as I remember, I did not even fall asleep when I locked myself inside my hotel suite that afternoon, the very same day they claim I damaged the artifact. That only leaves one explanation—they planted this evidence. But still, fake evidence or not, it’s a mystery how someone managed to retrieve it. When? Where did they get their hands on my hair?
Beta Renston clears his throat and signals the guards. “Bring out the Diamond Mountain.”
Two guards roll forward a wheeled stand carrying a heavy case. The artifact sits at its center, displayed for all to see. The first time I saw it was during the wedding, when Alpha Emery presented it to my mother. It is a huge snow globe. Inside the glass sphere rests a mountain-shaped rough diamond. I heard it weighs around one thousand carats. Its jagged surface rises like frozen uneven peaks, yet glittering with raw brilliance. The sphere is held in place by a base of solid twenty-four karat gold as if it was forged from sunlight itself. The Aldair's family name is engraved on it and it is also heavy enough to anchor the weight of the diamond mountain and the glass sphere. It’s quite a sight. I remember gazing at it in awe during the wedding ceremony.
But the artifact before me now is nothing like the one I saw that day. The glass globe is cracked, thin lines running across its surface like broken veins. The golden base that once gleamed with perfection is scarred with dark blotches and burn marks. Gone is the flawless brilliance, replaced by a ruin that makes the sight almost painful to look at. Shit. They weren’t lying when they said the thing got roughed up.
Beta Renston steps closer to the artifact. There is a slight anger in his usually stoic expression as he observes the damaged Diamond Mountain.