Pele and the gods spoke among themselves for several minutes, but Evalle started to feel optimistic about being returned to VIPER long enough to help them deal with this problem. Maybe she'd been worried unnecessarily.
Worried sounded so much better than terrified.
When the trio of entities finished talking, Loki leaned against one of the columns that decorated the dais, and Ares tapped his fingers on the hilt of the sword sheathed at his hip.
Pele paid no attention to the gods when she spoke. She had a soft voice, but power surged beneath the feminine tone. "Evalle has committed a larger transgression."
What the hell? Evalle got an air cuff upside her head kinetically from Brina for cursing. Sorry.
Brina asked Pele, "What transgression?"
"When we last met, Evalle was told not to associate with another Alterant. We have learned that while hunting said Ngak Stone she communicated with the escaped Alterant Tristan."
That blasted Sen must have ratted her out even though he knew the circumstances. She'd also sent Tristan back to his spellbound cage in South America with him begging her to kill him instead.
She'd hated doing that to him. Tristan had only wanted what she wanted, what any person wanted--to be free. Death would have been more humane, but neither could she have killed him in cold blood.
Tristan would gut her if he stood before her now, and she couldn't blame him, even if she had been doing her duty when she'd sent him back.
Pele asked Evalle, "Do you deny communicating with the other Alterant?"
Evalle said, "No. I did speak to him, but doesn't the fact that I returned Tristan to captivity count for something?"
Ares pointed out, "We let you live."
Brina kept her hands linked in front of her, docile to an untrained eye, but she wasn't a warrior queen in title only. When she spoke her words rang with authority. "Evalle communicated with Tristan only to gain valuable information that was key to getting the Ngak Stone away from a dangerous predator. Had she not, the Kujoo might have destroyed much of the human world. Due to Evalle's efforts the stone is now secure in the VIPER vault."
Ares crossed arms bulging with muscles and dismissed Brina's explanation. "No provision was made at our previous meeting when this Alterant was ordered not to associate with another Alterant. She should have asked for an exception to the terms before agreeing, and that is but the least of her charges. Any aid she gave to recovering the Ngak Stone does not justify her part in releasing deadly Alterants in the human realm."
I did not release Alterants, Brina, Evalle sent to her queen mind to mind.
I believe you, Brina replied, then addressed the Tribunal. "What evidence is used to charge Evalle with this?"
Still amusing himself by tossing miniature fireworks the size of a baseball from the palm of one hand, Loki said, "Let us get to the point. You told Tristan you wanted to see Alterants freed."
"Tristan said that. I didn't," Evalle argued.
Brina swung a look at her that promised retribution if Evalle had just fed her a bunch of hooey.
Evalle shifted her hands to open palm out at her sides. Do I look like a glowing beacon in the red light district? I never told him that. Sen had obviously given his own version of what had happened that night, editing at will.
Pele asked Evalle, "What did you say to Tristan about the Alterants?"
Anything less than truth would burn her. Evalle said, "I told him I wanted to help Alterants so we wouldn't have to be locked up or destroyed."
Loki interjected, "I see no difference."
Ares' voice boomed. "Guilty as charged."
Evalle argued, "No, there is a difference, because it was taken out of context."
Shaking her head at Evalle, Pele said, "Context doesn't matter. In our world, words are as dangerous as any other weapon and should be wielded with care."
Loki said, "She influenced the Alterant Tristan, who released three others from captivity. Now we have even more beasts shifting and killing humans. It appears this could be part of a plan by this Tristan to turn Alterants loose on the world."
Un-freaking-believable. Forget being locked away. They could dust her if they thought she played any part in the Alterants that are now shifting and killing. "If that's the case, why don't you bring Tristan in for questioning?"
Pele glared at Evalle, power blowing across Evalle so sharply that it bumped her back a step. "Macha ordered the Alterants caged. We do not have Tristan's location."
Evalle tossed a look of question at Brina, then swung her attention back to Pele. "I asked the Ngak Stone to return Tristan to his original prison."
Pele picked up on Evalle's glance. "Brina is under oath to her goddess. She can only divulge information voluntarily."
Brina gave a brief shake of her head. "Unfortunately, I can share nothing about the captured Alterants, O Goddess."
Pele told Evalle, "We cannot locate Tristan without Macha's assistance, which she is not offering. Since Tristan does not fall under the jurisdiction of a specific pantheon that is a part of the coalition, we cannot demand his presence."
In other words, Tristan was safe from the Tribunal.
For now.
Chills skittered along Evalle's spine, but so did a hot streak of anger over the injustice of twisting her words to make her responsible. Without thought to ask for permission first to speak, she said, "So Tristan commits a crime and doesn't even have to answer for it, but I do?"
Don't push this, Evalle. You're not helping your case if you annoy them.
I have to push this, Brina. Humans are dying and I have a bad feeling that something is happening for so many Alterants to shift at one time. We need to know why, and I'm the best one to put in the field to find out. But I can't get that information or help anyone stop these attacks if the Tribunal is going to drag me in here every time there's an attack.
Ares' booming voice shook the ground. "Insolence is not tolerated here, especially from a beast."
I got your beast in my boot. Evalle kept her hands at her sides, when she wanted to shake her fist at the god. "I didn't change and kill a human. And I didn't release the three captured Alterants. And I have nothing to do with the ones who are shifting and killing now. Why am I being held responsible for the actions of others?"
Brina started, "My apology for her disrespect--"
Pele lifted her hand in a signal the floor was clearly hers. She silenced Ares with a severe glance, then addressed Evalle. "A fair question. Alterants are an unknown element in our world and not a recognized race. Until someone can determine their origin or they are accepted into a pantheon, their status will not change."
Evalle deserved credit for not rolling her eyes. What deity was going to invite Alterants into a pantheon where the god or goddess ruling it would be responsible for powerful beings that might shift involuntarily into beasts and kill everything in sight?
Ignoring Loki's drawn-out sigh, Pele continued, "When other Alterants have shifted and killed, they were captured or destroyed. You are the only Alterant we have allowed to remain with the Beladors rather than cage you as an undomesticated beast."
Anger clawed up Evalle's spine at being compared to a rabid animal.
Without pausing, Pele said, "You were permitted a great deal of freedom for the past five years because you were the only female Alterant identified until this new one was discovered. Her pregnancy raises the possibility that male Alterants are seeking females for breeding. That alone is reason enough to require placing you in a secure location."
Schooling her face to neutral took some effort once Evalle caught Pele's point that she would now be a magnet for rutting male Alterants. She'd happily offer to neuter those Alterants, but Pele wasn't finished.
"Are you being held accountable for the actions of others? Perhaps. Associating with an escaped Alterant this week and indicating you would like all Alterants to be free lays the responsibility of the three escapees and the more recent Alterant shifting at your feet."
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That pretty much killed any chance Evalle saw for walking away from this free.
She spoke to Brina. I live with the proverbial axe swinging over my head every day because, fool that I am, I protect humans when my life counts for nothing.
Not true! Brina shouted in Evalle's head, this time with a thicker Irish brogue. You are Belador and we will find a way to take this mantle of burden from your shoulders.
Evalle maintained her blank expression when she answered, I appreciate your sincerity, but the only way to do that would be by defying this Tribunal. I would never put the entire Belador tribe in conflict with VIPER or a Tribunal decision, so I'm stuck answering for the crimes of others until I can figure out where Alterants came from . . . but know that if they try to lock me up I will not go quietly.
Brina spoke to the Tribunal. "I believe Evalle is not just safe to walk among humans but that they need her now. She is an asset both VIPER and the Beladors cannot afford to take out of active duty. Not with this new threat having surfaced."
Evalle wanted to smile and give a shout with a fist pump for Brina, but keeping her mouth shut and showing no emotional reaction would better aid her warrior queen.
Ares stepped forward, his standard grim expression twisted with irritation. "An impassioned statement in favor of the Alterant to be sure, but if we allow this Alterant to remain free, will you pay the price of this Tribunal's judgment if you are wrong?"
His blatant challenge struck Evalle with a cold fist. Ares dared Brina to put her neck on the line with Evalle, but the Belador warrior queen couldn't make that commitment because--
"I will," Brina confirmed.
Evalle shouted into Brina's mind. No! You can't risk the future of the Beladors on me.
Will you not uphold your vows?
Of course I will, but I'm, I'm--
What are you, Evalle?
A bad gamble.
No, you are a Belador who has sworn to protect your tribe, just as I have. I vowed to protect every Belador, too, which includes you. Even if this Tribunal will not recognize you as one of us, we do. I do.
Evalle swallowed hard at the gift of Brina's faith, but that was even more reason to accept that she'd been cornered. She told Brina, I'll . . . Evalle drew a breath, determined to get the words out. She could not put the most important person behind the future of the Beladors at risk. I'll let them lock me up.
You. Will. Not. I will not allow it.
Evalle would never doubt Brina's support again and she would not let her warrior queen down, starting with trying to convince the Tribunal not to place Brina in jeopardy.
Ares said, "I admire your loyalty to the Alterant, Brina of Treoir, but that does not mean she is safe to move among humans."
"May I speak again?" Evalle asked Pele.
Ares ignored the direction of Evalle's question and snarled at her. "Speak one last time and be done with it."
Brina's shoulders moved as though she'd taken a breath, preparing to intervene once more, but Evalle answered first.
"Is there not some way to clear my name once and for all? I only ask for the same chance any of you would want if you stood in my place today."
Fury rolled through the air, and Ares' formidable gaze turned black. He warned Evalle, "Do not compare yourself to me. I am a god."
Evalle saw her last chance slip away with his anger.
Loki stopped playing with his tiny fireworks and glanced over at Ares, who didn't notice the sly smile that lit Loki's eyes. "I say we grant the Alterant's request."
Evalle's mouth slipped open at the unexpected support from Loki's corner, even if the real reason behind his comment was only to poke at Ares, who reached for his sword.
As moderator of this Tribunal, Pele took a step back, placing herself between the two gods once again. Addressing Loki, she said, "She must first answer for the three escaped Alterants."
Loki nodded. "Agreed. Let the one who returns the three escaped Alterants to VIPER be cleared of prior transgressions. That would stand as proof of her safety to humans and solve the missing Alterant problem."
That was an answer, if not the answer, to Evalle's problems. How would she find the escapees? And if she did find them, how could she condemn someone to life in a cage when she would fight to the death to avoid the same thing? "About those three--"
"Silence!" Ares shouted.
"Let the Alterant speak," Loki said in the most gracious benefactor voice anyone had ever heard.
Evalle knew better and attributed the intervention to Loki yet again antagonizing Ares, but that was Pele's problem, not hers.
Pele nodded. "You may speak."
Ares sent her death looks. Not getting any yea votes from that corner.
Evalle said, "Thank you. If the three Alterants come with me willingly, I'd like to ask for a provision that they have a chance to plead their cases to a Tribunal court."
Brina didn't move, but her posture stiffened.
Ares said, "No."
Loki beamed a rich smile. "I see no problem with that."
"This is not a vote," Ares argued.
"Oh, but it must be," Pele said, stepping in before things heated up again. She turned her back on Brina, Evalle and Sen to confer with the two gods. Ares glared the look of death at Loki, who grinned nonstop.
Evalle told Brina, The only way I'll bring back three Alterants, if that's even possible, is if Macha will guarantee their safety while they are waiting to speak to the Tribunal and not just toss them back in a prison. And if any of those three killed in self-defense I want them freed.
Your freedom is in question at the moment, Brina reminded her.
No one's freedom is worth more than mine. I know Alterants have just killed in the last two days without cause, but that doesn't mean they are all insane murderers. If an Alterant stands in this court and says he fought to defend his life and doesn't turn into a red lightbulb, he's telling the truth and deserves to be protected.
Brina nodded slightly. I will allow an Alterant his freedom if the Tribunal finds him innocent of murder and he swears loyalty to the Beladors.
Evalle released her breath. Her chances of finding the three escaped Alterants would be minuscule if she didn't have her Belador buddies and Storm to help her.
When Pele turned around, she addressed Evalle. "We have reached an agreement and support Loki's offer."
Only by one vote, based on Ares' steaming frown.
Evalle had already been burned by not clarifying the rules of engagement last time. "Is there anything I can or cannot do while searching for the three missing Alterants?"
Brina would know where the three had been before they'd escaped, since she was the one who'd ordered them caged. If Evalle asked to be sent to the locations with Storm, then he could track from there.
Evalle brightened at that thought until Pele said, "You may not request help from anyone with VIPER, as the escaped Alterants are not their problem and their assets must be used to defend humans against the current problem. Neither can you ask Brina to share what she knows, as she is under an oath of silence regarding the Alterants."
"Then it's an impossible task," Evalle murmured, though Brina and the entities missed nothing spoken in this realm.
Sen stood close enough to hear, his mouth curving with undisguised delight.
Loki lifted a finger, as if he were Aristotle instructing students. "Not so. We give you three gifts, as long as they are used with the explicit intent of returning the Alterants. If not, the power will turn on you. Each gift must be unique and cannot be duplicated once requested. You may not use any of these gifts to kill unless you have no other option."
Evalle frowned. "What are the three gifts?"
"That will be for you to decide as the need arises," Loki answered. "To call upon a gift, speak the words 'By the Tribunal power gifted me, I command' what you need. You may only use these gifts for fulfilling your agreement. If you misuse a gift, there will be a severe penalty."
It wo
uld take a magician to unveil the truth beneath words spoken by a god or goddess. Evalle banked the three gifts mentally and started to ask about how to get help when Loki added one more caveat.
"And you may ask one person now for help. Is that not generous?" Loki smiled, supremely pleased with himself.
Talk about a trick question.
Ares held his hand out, and an elegant gold-and-black hourglass appeared in the palm of his hand. "When I turn this over, you have until the sands run out, then we will send Sen for you. When your time is up, the hourglass will take Sen to wherever you are. If you fail to deliver the missing Alterants, we will turn every asset at VIPER loose to hunt down all Alterants and destroy them."
That would include me, Evalle acknowledged silently.
She got it. Ares had no intention of spending another minute hearing further arguments on her behalf. Evalle couldn't gain anything more right now. She had no choice but to get moving and figure out her next step--if she could actually find the escaped Alterants.
And there was only one person who might know where the other three Alterants were. Since she'd been told she could ask one person for help, maybe Tristan could be brought here.
That seemed fair. That way Brina wouldn't have to divulge his location and she could send him back to his cage after he answered Evalle's questions.
What were the chances of Tristan answering truthfully?
Pretty good if he lit up bright red every time he lied. No one could defy a Tribunal but a god or goddess and that would end in bloodshed.
And Tristan can't attack me here.
This had potential.
"I understand," Evalle said, then added, "but how long does it take the hourglass to empty?"
Loki said, "More than a day and less than a lifetime."
Not helping. She gave up on that and moved on to something she might be able to get straight. "I wish to carry full responsibility for the success or failure of this on my shoulders, not Brina's."
Ares barked, "Denied."
Brina's words came to Evalle's mind on a whisper. Do your best. I expect no more.
The power of that faith hit Evalle squarely in her chest. She couldn't speak for a moment.
Brina whispered quickly in Evalle's mind, The Tribunal is not as informed as they'd like to believe. There have been sixteen Alterants that have shifted and attacked in the past forty-eight hours. Those have killed seventy-six humans. But sharing that with a Tribunal convinced that you are at fault for this outbreak will not free you sooner.