After two weeks in New Orleans, Skander was feeling part of the family. Keldin had been working on getting the FBI building back in tiptop shape so he spent most of his time on the phone in his office. He had made sure Skander understood what he was up to even if it did make the other man mad.
It gave him time to get to know everyone. He spent most of the time in the study with Tyler as he studied different languages. Tyler taught him some important words in those languages so it would keep him safe should he get in trouble in any other country.
The time he spent with Austin was learning how to be sociable. Austin was the overseas liaison. He spent most of his time making sure the people in other countries who hated the monarchy understood what they were doing. That man had the patience of a saint when he needed it and a temper that could rival Keldin's when he was angry.
Now the time he spent with Clint or Aiden's five older brothers was interesting. Clint was a professor at one of the local colleges. During the day he was gone but at night he played with his children in the courtyard or in their playroom on the first floor. After dinner, he and Aiden would give them a bath then put them to bed.
Aiden's brothers were completely different from their sister. Cole was the jokester of the family but no one could say he didn't love them. He was head of the Court guard and could easily take anyone out with his Ranger abilities. He and Tyler talked most days on how to make security tighter around the entire area, especially since his family was young and growing.
The middle brother was Andy and he took care of all the legal things. It helped that he had been a JAG officer for half of his career. When he had quit, the US had lost a great legal mind. Now he was holding his office in New Orleans and he had plenty of clients. He raised his family in the Garden District since that was where his kids' private school was located, but he was at the palace every afternoon with them.
Wyatt was the doctor of the family and he had the tendency to be a little on the crazy side. He was a great man and the only one in the family, the Silver side at least, who knew how to sense and break bonds. He had told Skander if he wished he could break the bond with Keldin. The other man wasn't sure how he felt about that but he hadn't told Keldin. It would kill him.
The other two were Jesse and Klark, Aiden's brothers by adoption. They were Level 2s but they were feisty when they needed to be. Jesse was the oldest at thirty and Klark was twenty-six. They held positions on the Council alongside their parents. Their parents, Kathryn and Jordan, were good people who could make rational decisions without their children hindering them.
Jess was mated to an Elf, and no one had known they were still around until recently. Kasta was a real treat. She showed Skander how to make simple lunches and helped him with his designs if he was stuck. Her earthy style was really refreshing even if he could sense how much older than everyone she was.
It helped to know what he was getting into. They had explained some things but left the majority to Keldin. He hadn't done any of that and it was kind of annoying Skander to no end.
He was sitting by the bayou at the back of the property watching the murky water glide on by. It was his favorite time of day. It was just after noon and everyone had eaten lunch or was in the process of eating. It was quiet because they were all in the dining room together. Skander didn't eat with everyone because he couldn't get used to it, not yet at least. These people were becoming his family but he didn't feel as if he fit in.
"Skander." He turned around. It was Wyatt who had come looking for him. "You're needed in the Council chamber."
He stood and dusted off his pants. "What do they need me for?"
"I was just told to come get you. The Court and Council are meeting simultaneously."
Skander allowed himself to be led through the palace until they reached a set of wooden double doors. Two guards opened them and Wyatt led him inside. The room was huge, boasting a dais and ten chairs arranged with five on the left and five on the right. He knew from his readings there should be more, almost seventeen, but some people were missing.
As he walked further in, he saw two people kneeling before the dais. Aiden and Clint sat on two silver thrones and the looks on their faces were pure anger.
"Thank you, Wyatt, for bringing him here," Aiden said when the doors shut behind them.
"It was my pleasure, your Majesty," Wyatt replied automatically. He took several steps forward and claimed the one empty seat.
As he stood there, Skander was able to see the woman in all her glory. She sat before him in jeans and a low cut tank top that showed an intricate moon carved in silver on her skin right at the base of her neck. Clint sat beside her in khaki shorts and a polo.
"Thank you, Skander, for joining us," she said to him after a few moments.
"It was my pleasure." The response was immediate, like a compulsion. "Why am I here exactly?"
She turned her head and Andy stood. He opened the folder he had in his hands and looked down at it. Nobody moved. "Your Majesties, Council members, and Court, we are gathered here to pass judgment on Drew and Max Taylor for the murder of Sheila Moore and the attempted murder of Skander Giles. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty," Max replied through gritted teeth.
"Skander, would you please come forward?" He did so but very slowly. Andy's eyes were full of compassion when he looked up at him. "During this session, we will find out if Max and Drew are guilty for your attack. If they are, they will be held accountable. If not, there is a possibility you will be in even more danger. Do you understand?"
Skander looked for Keldin. Finding him in the crowd, the other man nodded. It didn't escape him that his face was drawn with anger and concern. "I understand."
"Please, sit." Once he was settled on the chair in front of everyone, including Max and Drew, Andy continued. "Once I start the interrogation, you will be judged by Aiden. She is the Truth Hearer. If she hears any lie, she will tell the Council and the Court once they deliberate."
His head snapped to the side to look at Aiden. She didn't say a word but the look in her eyes, the silver glint, told him she was all business. The carefree woman had been handled and was replaced by the Queen.
"I understand."
"Can you recount what you did on June third?"
Skander wracked his brain. What had he done? "I went to work at eight like I usually did. I had a big account that I was working on and the final product was due in two days. I wanted to get it done so I could turn it in early. I worked well into the night. Finally my boss told me to go home. I did and not two hours later my house was broken into."
"Do you remember by whom?"
He shook his head. "I didn't know who they were, just that Keldin and his team came in before they did anything. They told me they were going to protect me. I had never met them before but I felt safe with them."
"So you went with them?"
"Yes."
Andy nodded and Skander felt as if he were going to cry. Tears pricked at his eyes and threatened to spill hot and heavy down his face. This wasn't something he ever wanted to do again. The last court session he had been in had seen a rapist go free after serving only ninety days in jail. He didn't want to see that happen again and he was certain it would.
'You can't win. You know you can't. You're new to this world and the people in it.'
He reacted to the voice in his head and before he knew it, Aiden had moved from her throne and was standing right in front of Max, one hand clasped around her throat. The other woman glared up at her but he noticed fear that she couldn't mask.
"Your Majesty?" one of the Council members asked in shock.
"You are in my Court and you dare to frighten the witness? How you are sadly mistaken. The only one allowed to skirt freely around people's minds while in this room is me. Do it again and I will kill you where you kneel. You're already on thin ice so don't make it any thinner to where you fall through. Do you understand me?" Max nodded and Aiden let her go.
"Aiden, come sit beside me," Clint called from his throne. Aiden turned and placed a hand on Skander's shoulder as she passed by. When she took her seat, Clint placed his hand on hers and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. "My wife has had a stressful week. She has been cleaning up your mess. Now you will stand accountable for them. Andy, please proceed."
"Pardon the interruption, Council and Court. Skander, you may step down. Keldin, will you and your team please step forward?" Andy said.
"Skander." The young man was startled by the stone cold voice behind him. Aiden was looking down at him. "Come sit by me. You'll be safe up here."
A maid suddenly appeared with a seat and placed it between Aiden and the woman beside her. She smiled gently and it was then he realized it was Kathryn, Aiden's mother, who sat there. Once he was seated she placed her hand over his and held it gently. Something about that movement made him realize she had been through something like this as well.
The hearing went on for two hours. Keldin and the others gave their testimonies then the Council and the remainder of the Court disappeared into another room. He and Keldin kept their distance from each other because Max was in the room and there was no need to agitate her even further. Drew didn't seem to be upset with anything other than the fact that he was there.
After what seemed like forever, Aiden and Clint led the procession back into the chamber and took their seats. As soon as they were seated, everyone else sat back down. Andy was the only one who remained standing once the others were seated.
"Considering we had to make this an impromptu hearing, several of our Council members could not be in attendance. Please understand it is only with dire circumstances when we do not function at full capacity. However, the people in attendance are highly capable of making a decision." He turned his attention to those behind him. "Council, what did you find?"
Aiden looked at her mother and nodded. Kathryn stood and smoothed out her skirt then placed her hands in front of her. "In the case of Andrew Taylor, we find him not guilty. He didn't mean any harm in calling the young man's father. He truly wanted to help the young man."
"And Maxim Taylor?"
That was when Kathryn's face took on a different look. "In the case of Maxim Taylor, we find her guilty. The woman was destined to be Keldin Somme's mate but due to other circumstances, he broke that bond. She knew what she was doing when she didn't stop the trace on the work the young man was working on after Keldin asked her to. By her actions, we find her guilty of the murder of Sheila Moore and the attempted murder of Skander Giles." She turned to her daughter. "Your Majesty, what is your verdict?"
Aiden rubbed her jaw as she looked around the room at everyone gathered. Skander knew she wouldn't want to hurt Keldin but she had to make a verdict on these people. She couldn't keep the good of the one over the good of the many.
She stood and no one moved. "My verdict for Andrew Taylor is demotion. You will go from an FBI detective to a paper pusher at the police department in New Orleans. If you keep your nose clean, you may get a promotion there but you will never work in the FBI again. Is that understood?"
Drew lowered his head. "Yes, your Majesty."
Her gaze shifted. "As for you, Maxim Taylor, my verdict for you is imprisonment for fifteen years." A commotion went up and she held her hand up for silence. "You will wear a neutralizer and will never work in law enforcement again."
"You can't do that!" Max yelled as she shot to her feet.
"I just did. Get her out of here."
As Cole and Tyler were getting ready to grab her, Max shot them with an electric surge. They fell hard as she turned to Aiden. The Queen stood her ground, shifting slightly to protect her husband. Max launched another attack but Aiden absorbed the impact. Skander moved forward but was stopped by Keldin with an arm around his waist. He was pulled into the strong chest but he fought to get away.
"Let me go! She's going to kill her!" he yelled.
"No, she won't. Aiden's a Spirit Wielder. She absorbs other people's energy and converts it to use as her own. The elements are hers to command as long as someone in the room uses them first. Max made the mistake of attacking her husband. It won't end well. Just stand here and watch," Keldin replied.
Skander followed his gaze and watched as Aiden used Max's energy against her and subdued her with bonds of electricity. This time it was Austin who moved forward. He yanked Max up, threw her over his shoulder, and marched out without a word. When Skander looked back, Clint had Aiden wrapped in his arms with his face pressed into her hair. Aiden glared daggers at the closed door until Clint forced her to look at him.
"See? They're fine."
With so many emotions rolling around in him, he didn't have control over what he did. Whatever anyone thought or the fear that Keldin was keeping his sexuality secret went out the window the second he grabbed him and kissed him. He felt Keldin inhale in surprise before his arms tightened around his waist and pulled him closer. The entire world pretty much fell away until it was only the two of them.
"I know I'm a sap for happy endings but there's more going on than just pulling Drew and Max from their positions." They both stopped and turned to Aiden when she spoke. "Cole, is what you said true? Are there more coming after him?"
Cole nodded seriously. He was rarely like that unless there was trouble. Keldin pulled Skander closer to him. "Unfortunately yes. I was in contact with some of my overseas ventures and one of them said that a group of Hessians was dispatched to New Orleans."
"Hessians?" Tyler asked. "I thought they disappeared after the Revolutionary War."
"No, Hessian is the term used for someone who comes for Hesse, a state in Germany. They don't train as many soldier but they're still Hessians," Andy replied. He bit his bottom lip. It must be a family thing because Aiden was doing the same thing. "What are we going to do?"
Aiden looked at Keldin as she released her lip. "It's your mission so it's your call."
Keldin looked down at Skander. All his life he had been letting people watch out for him and defend him. His first reaction when things got tough was to call Aiden for help. Normally he would stay away from the capital but here he was. He was standing in the middle of the Council he swore never to see again with the man he was bonded to.
It was the man he needed to protect. He'd failed the first one, the one who had shown him what it meant to love and be loved by someone else. He had the burn marks to prove it. Now that he'd been blessed with a second chance, he wasn't going to scorn the memory of the first one. He'd protect the second with everything he had.
"We're leaving," he said.
"Boss, that's not a good idea," Deuce said as he threw open the doors. He caught himself at the last minute and bowed. "Majesty."
"What are you talking about, Deuce?"
"Landen and Cougar have the airport staked out. They just sent word that twenty men with cases have arrived. There's no doubt that inside those cases are military grade weapons that they will use on us should they get the chance."
Aiden was moving before the words even left his mouth, Clint's hand securely in hers. "I want this entire place shut down in five minutes. No one gets in or out without credentials and even then I want them double checked on our systems and the government's. The children are not to go out in the courtyard without heavy supervision."
"Yes, ma'am."
Everyone scurried along at the Queen's orders. People were going every which way as if they were used to something like this. Skander turned to Keldin.
"Are you going to listen to her?" he asked.
"I have to," Keldin replied. He looked down when he felt Skander's mind working overtime. "No, don't do that. No one's going to get hurt. We've done this before and we won. You have to have faith in us and me." He watched Skander until he nodded. "Okay. Let's go to our room and try to get some sleep."
Skander wanted to laugh. Sleep wasn't something that was high on his list right now. Not with twenty people coming after him for something he had no idea what was going on. Was it because of Keldin? What had Max done that would bring mercenaries after him?