Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
The coven watched through wide eyes as Emberlyn casually twisted the ball of magick this way and that. Then, holding Ames’s gaze, she snapped her fist closed and crushed the ball to nothing.
Her cousin paled. Gazes zipped away from her. Reena closed her eyes in what seemed to be exasperation.
Ripper didn’t get why they’d reacted that way. Didn’t care to figure it out right then. His focus was on her piece-of-shit cousin.
He growled again, catching Ames’s attention. ‘Unless you want me to slice off your fucking tongue and make you eat it, you won’t dare try to harm her again.’ The threat was low, menacing and laced with protectiveness.
Shane sighed. ‘This is why I don’t like presiding over witchy matters. Someone always ends up tossing magick around.’
Clarence’s lips twitched. ‘Is it much different from how a punch always seems to get thrown during werewolf meetings?’
‘I suppose not,’ mumbled Shane. ‘All right, let’s circle back to why we’re really here. The will.’ He paused. ‘The letter does shine a very bright light on things.’
Tyra’s shoulders went stiff. ‘It doesn’t change the situation,’ she objected. ‘Every sentence in it is as invalid as the will – Millicent was incapable of making sound decisions.’
‘That isn’t the impression I get from that letter,’ said Shane. ‘Her thought processes seem clear. I hear no indication there that she lacked mental capacity. Her relatives inherited exactly what she wanted them to have.’
Ripper sensed some tension slip from Emberlyn’s frame.
Gill’s face went crimson. ‘But the manor—’
‘You believe it should go to you, I know,’ said Shane. ‘But you did have the chance to earn the house’s approval. Your mother ensured you had that chance.’
‘Emberlyn is the last person who should be living in it,’ Dez threw in.
Shane frowned. ‘Why? Because you don’t like it? That’s not reason to remove her from the manor. You talk as if she stole it from under you. As I understand it, she didn’t object to you, Gill, Mari or Ames attempting to enter the house first. She stood back and waited.’
Ward spat a curse. ‘She should have been driven out of this town years ago, should have—’
‘Be very, very careful,’ Ripper warned him, quite frankly fed the fuck up with the coven tossing verbal shit at her.
Ward pressed his lips closed, averting his gaze.
‘We’re not here to discuss Emberlyn,’ began Shane, impatient. ‘She isn’t on trial here. The purpose of this meeting is to establish whether there’s reason for Millicent’s will to be rendered invalid. The fact that she anticipated this would happen and took measures to prevent Gill’s claim from being successful shows two things. One, she was very much aware of what she was doing when she wrote her will. Two, she was equally aware of what the consequences could be. That demonstrates a soundness of mind.’
Gill looked desperately up at Tyra, who gave a helpless shrug.
Mari leaned forward in her seat. ‘We should at least be compensated for how the will breaks the promises that Millicent made to us.’
‘You cannot prove she made those promises,’ Shane pointed out. ‘You have no impartial witnesses.’
Sera lifted a hand. ‘I was there. So was Tyra.’
‘Both of you legally represent the daughter of the woman who wants the manor for herself. You’re also both people who loathe the witch who currently occupies it. That makes you far from impartial.’
Dez’s lips thinned. ‘The land—’
‘I see no reason why it should be taken from Ripper,’ Shane told him. ‘He has more of a rightful claim to it than anyone in this room.’
‘Millicent approved of my mother’s plans for that land,’ Tyra said to Shane, her hands balling up.
‘So you all claim,’ Clarence cut in. ‘But this letter from Millicent contradicts those claims, as does her will. They carry more weight here.’
Shane dipped his chin in agreement. ‘Both those documents are in Millicent’s very own words. In this case, it is her words that matter most.’
‘Carver confirmed that Millicent approved of the plans,’ Sera piped up.
Shane waved that away. ‘He’s no more impartial than any of you.’
Carver’s back straightened. ‘You calling me a liar, Shane?’ he asked, a dangerous note to his tone.
Shane met his gaze evenly, visibly unconcerned. ‘I find it easier to believe that you lied here today than that Millicent praised you in any way.’ He rose to his feet. ‘It’s my opinion that the conditions of the will should remain in place. That’s all.’ With that, he turned away and swanned off the platform.
As shouting broke out among the coven, Clarence glanced from Emberlyn to Ripper and said, ‘I think that went well.’
‘This is a fucking injustice!’ Gill ranted.
Emberlyn’s lips hitched up. ‘Very, very well.’ She held her hand out to him. ‘Thank you for everything.’
Clarence’s mouth curved as he shook her hand. ‘No thanks necessary.’ He then exchanged nods with Ripper.