Chapter 289. Trial VII

Chapter 289: 289. Trial VII

Maisie

Quinlan shifted behind us. "Thought you had Zaytsev on our side. She’s out for blood."

Jericho grunted. "I did, until Maisie had her ass on my dick in front of her."

It was Alden’s turn to begin choking on a cough.

"You also reported an incident involving a... bath," Zaytsev informed the court.

Tessa nodded. "I was staying at my fiancé’s home." My Lycan made an irritated sound at the ’fiancé’ part. "I asked Maisie to clean my bedroom while I bathed. She must have been upset about... well..." She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly. "Soren and I had just been... intimate."

An actual flush spread across her cheeks and my throat tightened at the sore sight the image was in my head.

"She came into the bathroom and attacked me." Tessa’s fingers rose delicately to her throat. "She strangled me and tried to drown me."

"Were there other incidents of violence?"

"The wedding." Her voice cracked and she looked down. "You all saw what she did to me there." A pause. "And after Maisie returned, I went to welcome her home because Koen had been distraught while she was gone."

My mouth actually fell open. Welcome me?

"She grabbed me by the hair and slammed my face in the wall. And during an exercise at Greymoor, she tried to kill me again. Everyone saw."

The next person was called up. She was slightly familiar, but I didn’t recognize her much, but Soren stiffened.

"How long did you work at the Crown Prince’s’ residence?" Zaytsev asked.

"A few weeks."

"And during those weeks, did you personally witness violence between the accused and Prince Soren?"

"Yes."

My head snapped toward Soren. His jaw was clenched.

"What did you see?"

"She hit him."

Zaytsev paused. "Explain ’hit.’"

Helena glanced nervously around nervously. Her face burned when she noticed Soren’s stare. She looked like she’d been asked point blank if she had a crush on him. "She punched him in the face. He hit the wall. Broke his bones."

I closed my eyes. Oh, for fuck’s sake. "He was perfectly fine," I growled and glared at Soren.

"I was," he smirked. "Matter of fact, I liked it. It’s her love language."

The audience closest to us looked at us like we were insane.

Another witness was called. A student this time. Claire.

"You witnessed Maisie Adams assault Cole Hayes at the mixer?"

"Yes."

Goddess, give me patience.

"And later at school?"

"Yes."

"Did you hear her threaten him?"

Claire nodded. "Said she was going to kill him."

"You mentioned your sister being threatened by the accused last week. What did she say?"

Claire’s eyes met mine as she repeated my words. Verbatim. "It would be a shame if something happened to her on that trail. People disappear so easily these days, you know? She could trip over a few stones... or fall over a cliff. It would be one nasty fall."

Alden shot me a look. "Did you say that?"

I stammered. "S-she threw a stone at my head--"

"And then you verbally re-enacted Lyon Park death as a threat?" For the first time since we met, the attorney took of his glasses and cursed. "Fuck."

"Get your shit together, Alden," Soren said, his hands falling on my shoulders, squeezing reassuringly. "We don’t pay you a fortune to panic and curse at our mate."

The attorney ran a hand down his face tiredly.

Zaytsev turned to the court. "Clearly there is a pattern of violence here. Maisie Adams may be the best of her year. She may look like a meek scholarship student. She may deceive the court with a look of innocence. But a track of violence and death follows her. A constant promise of death." A pause. "Did you know Ms. Foreman’s sister did fall off the trail and is currently hospitalized?"

Oh goddess.

Alden sighed.

"Regina Braxton," Zaytsev said after a long pause.

Regina marched down the steps and took her oath over the flame. Then she dropped into her seat, crossed her arms and glared at Zaytsev.

Zaytsev smiled. "What would you describe your relationship with the accused to be?"

"She’s my best friend."

"And does she confide in you?"

"Yes."

"Would you say she tells you everything?"

"Most things."

"Did she tell you she’d been meeting with her biological mother or their plans to raze the Night Shade pack?"

"Maisie had nothing to do with that," Regina answered with a shrug.

"How can you be sure about that?"

"Because Maisie doesn’t have a single murderous bone in her body. You would hurt her and she would still stop to help you if you fell. I often called her an idiot for that particular trait," she answered.

I swallowed thickly, fighting back tears.

Zaytsev hummed in agreement. "Did she tell you about her affair with Lyon Park?"

Regina’s expression changed instantly. "They were not having an affair."

"What would you describe their relationship as, then, Ms. Braxton?"

"Friends. Maisie had a crush on Lyon when we were little. She grew out of it." Regina tilted her head. "Like I’m sure you’ll eventually grow out of your crush on Professor Ivanov."

Silence fell in the chamber.

Zaytsev blinked and the tips of her ears turned red.

Jericho laughed softly behind me. "I see why you like her."

Councilman Derek’s left eye twitched.

Zaytsev continued after the initial shock, like nothing had been said. "There are several witnesses who have attested to seeing Lyon Park and Maisie Adams engaged in intimate conduct. A kiss in the library. Sexual activity in the bathroom of a nightclub--"

"They didn’t have sex," Regina countered. "They just... you know... smooched."

Zaytsev’s brow lifted. "With their clothes off? If I heard correctly, Prince Koen found them both naked."

"Half-naked," Regina corrected.

"And coitus can’t happen with half clothes on?" Zaytsev said, but there was heat in her voice. She was getting frustrated with Regina.

Regina paused. "Maisie was drunk. The girl can get drunk just by sniffing alcohol. Doesn’t mean shit. I’m sure you take a hike out of town, get drunk and fuck some hottie at the bar when you’re a little down. Doesn’t make you a killer."

Zaytsev smiled again. "A hike out of town, you say. "You’re saying Samhain is not the first time Maisie Adams ran off with her lover. Is also a pattern of hers--"

"I never said that--"

"And did you know that at the end of their lovely time at the bar together, Lyon Park had nearly every bone broken in his body and could not walk for two days?" Zaytsev looked at the Council. "It looks to me that every time Maisie Adams was with him, he always got hurt."