The Dream Charmer

Chapter Eight--(part 2) It must be true.

Kellan dropped into his seat and tossed an arm over the backrest. His hair needed a trim, and it looked like he hadn't shaved since I last saw him.

"Gentlemen." He waved two fingers in the direction of the leaders.

Archamaeus, Blackstone, and Otis didn't look amused. The empty seat next to Archamaeus, I assumed belonged to Kellan if he weren't the one on trial.

"You've been informed of the charges, have you not?" Brackstone asked in a deep baritone voice.

"Sure." Kellan smirked, then squinted in the bright sunlight filtering through the windows. Bruises darkened the side of his face. "But for the amusement of our audience, why don't you remind me."

Otis bent forward. "You've been arrested on the grounds of partner interference."

The first time since the proceedings had started a deafening silence fell over the room. A few people from the Water Circle looked at one another then over to me.

"So, I've been told," Kellan answered.

Archamaeus perched on the edge of his seat. "Well, what say you?

"Not much really."

Otis gripped the armrests of his chair. "Then you admit it."

"That I love her?" Kellan shifted in his seat. " Of course I do. I have since we were little, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her until recently. If I'd said something years ago, this trial would never have happened."

The chair glowed a soft white as if verifying the truth of his words. Jaxon covered my trembling hand with his palm.

"Who's this girl he speaks of?" a woman across the aisle in the Fire Circle section asked her partner.

"She must be involved with the higher ranks of our Circle." Her partner pointed to Otis. "Our First is never this interested in council proceedings."

My heart raced, and I forced a few long breaths, trying to calm myself.

Wren, it's going to be all right, Jaxon said inside my thoughts. You'll see, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise.

I wasn't worried about me. But the handsome idiot confessing his undying love for me? Yeah, what happened to him not only concerned me but stabbed at my heart.

Archamaeus' brows pinched together. "Otis, you brought forward this complaint. Please..." He waved a hand for him to address the council. "Enlighten us on this girl who's stolen the heart of the Water Circle's First and one of your own."

"Happy to." Otis pushed to his feet, unlatched the gate separating the stands from the arena and stepped onto the main floor.

Fire circle members gasped. I stared at the wooden peg replacing his lower leg. The one with the wound I'd slammed a tiny seed into before Robin unleashed his ability on it.

You've defied his authority to demand your partnership, and he lost his leg to you. Kellan raised a brow but didn't face me. No wonder he's pissed.

Are you blaming me for this?

No... He propped up his arm and rested his chin on his fist, showing off his bruised cheek. Like I said, none of this would've happened if I'd just told you I loved you in the first place—I blame myself.

You're not entirely responsible. You had nothing to do with Otis' missing leg, I answered, knowing that if my future father-in-law had his way, I would be paying restitution for it for the rest of my life.