You have to stand up for what’s right, even if you’re standing alone. The mantra that her father had taught her to live by came to her in that moment, giving her strength. She’d lost her parents in the Dark War, but she knew they would be proud of her right now. Even if she lost everything she’d worked so hard for today, at least her conscience would be clear. At least she would know that she was standing up for what was right. She wished she would have pushed back harder in the beginning, when Commander Hawkins first told her that she would have to seduce Russ to bring him home. But since she hadn’t, this was her chance to redeem herself. This was her chance to say that, at least for her, dishonest tactics were not acceptable.
The front row of benches was the only empty row, and Mandy sat in it, feeling conspicuous and exposed. She kept her back straight and proud, but it was hard to ignore the muffled laughter behind her. She knew they were laughing at her. They were all here to watch as Amanda Evans, the best agent in the Dragon Recovery Division, brought about her own demise. Mandy glanced up at the giant clock that hung on the wall behind the High Council. She had approximately one more minute until her demise began.
The door to the hearing room opened again, and the laughter behind her momentarily stopped. All eyes turned to see who the newcomer was, and then the laughter and whispers started again when they saw it was Jake. Mandy gave him a weak smile, and he responded with a much stronger smile.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered as he sat next to her. “Everything is going to be alright. We have an ace up our sleeves.”
“We do?”
“A dragon,” he said, his smile widening.
The hope that had briefly flickered in Mandy’s heart flickered out just as quickly. Did Jake really think that just because he was a dragon and on Mandy’s side that everyone would believe Mandy? Yes, dragons commanded a great deal of respect in Torch Lake, but even a dragon like Jake couldn’t do much to help when he hadn’t actually been a part of any of the events that had led up to this hearing.
“I don’t think—” Mandy started to protest, but before she could finish her sentence, the senior wizard of the High Council was standing and speaking.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to officially call this meeting to order. All rise, please.”
Everyone in the room stood, and the Head Wizard, Blaise Morgan, waited until the noise of shuffling feet had stopped before speaking again. “As you know, we are here today for a hearing on the matter of Commander Alex Hawkins versus Dragon Recovery Agent Amanda Evans. Will the two parties please step forward?
Mandy took a deep breath, gave Jake one last, uneasy look, and then made her way to the podium on the right. Commander Hawkins sauntered up to the podium on the left, a sneer on his face as he took his place. Behind him, more barely muffled laughter could be heard, until Councilor Morgan sharply yelled, “Enough! I will not have people acting like clowns in my courtroom.”
The laughter quieted, but Mandy could still feel the mocking eyes of the crowd boring into her back. She looked straight forward and tried to focus on what Councilor Morgan was saying.
“Those of you in the witness stands may be seated.” This statement was followed by more noisy, shuffling feet, “Commander Hawkins, you are accused of giving Mandy orders which you claimed came from the High Council when, in fact, the Council never gave any such orders. Specifically, Ms. Evans accuses you of telling her that she would be required to use her feminine charms to flirt with Russ Porter and seduce him into returning to Torch Lake with her. For the record, let it be known that the High Council never ordered any such thing. Our primary method of dragon recovery is to offer financial compensation. We have a few other methods for convincing dragons if financial offers fail, but we do not under any circumstances advocate for any method that requires coercion of any sort. Falsely giving commands under the supposed authority of the High Council is a treasonous offense, punishable by prison time and potential excommunication from the clan. Commander Hawkins, how do you plead to the charges against you?”
“Not guilty, your honors.”
Mandy shivered at the mocking tone in Commander Hawkins voice, but again, she forced herself to remain calm and composed. Councilor Morgan asked Commander Hawkins to give his side of the story, which he did with great flourish. He went on at great length about how he had dedicated his life to the Torch Lake Clan and would never dream of defying the High Council. Mandy bit her tongue hard to keep from yelling at him. She would have her chance to respond, she knew, but it was hard to stand there and listen to him lie through his teeth about how dedicated he was to the town. Mandy loved this town, and the thought of an asshole like Commander Hawkins being allowed to keep his position of authority was almost more than she could bear.
After Commander Hawkins finished his nauseating monologue, the High Council allowed him to call witnesses. Mandy’s heart sank deeper into despair as she watched half a dozen different people take the stand and swear on their honor that they had never heard Commander Hawkins tell Mandy to use anything other than standard recovery procedures when trying to bring Russ Porter to Torch Lake. Her situation was looking bleaker with every passing second, but she stood tall and kept up the appearance of being calm. She focused her gaze on the High Council members in front of her, who were busy taking notes on the yellow legal pads, or on the court reporter, who was furiously typing away, creating a record of every lie being spoken here today. When at last all of Commander Hawkins’ witnesses were finished, Councilor Morgan turned to Mandy.
“Now, Ms. Evans, you may share your side of the story.”
Mandy took a deep breath and launched into an account of how Commander Hawkins had told her, in front of everyone on the dragon recovery team, that she should use flirtation and seduction techniques to win over Russ. She managed to keep her voice steady, despite the occasional snicker she heard from behind her. When she had finished her monologue, which repeated almost word for word what she had written in the official complaint, she looked up at Councilor Morgan while gripping the podium so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
“Thank you, Ms. Evans. Now, you may call your witnesses.”
Mandy gripped the podium even tighter. “Your honors, I don’t have any wit—”
“I’ll be her first witness,” a voice behind her interrupted.
Mandy’s heart jumped, and started pounding wildly in her chest. She turned to see who had spoken, but she already knew. She would have recognized that voice anywhere.
“Russ,” she said softly, her eyes meeting his in disbelief. For a moment, it felt like she and Russ were the only ones in that room. The wood-paneled walls, the proud High Council table, and even the sneering faces in the crowd all faded away. She felt her heart leap the same way it had the first day she met him in the bar. The hatred that had been so evident in his eyes when she ran into him outside the locker room had disappeared. His expression was softer now, almost apologetic. He made an impossibly handsome figure in a charcoal gray suit. His deep purple tie matched the color of Mandy’s wizard robe, and she had a feeling that the color had not been chosen by accident. His close-cropped hair was neatly combed and he was clean-shaven, which showed off the sharp, chiseled outline of his jaw. His brown eyes flashed with determination as he looked around the room, daring anyone to question his right to be there. He nodded to her as he approached the podium, and motioned for her to step aside. Mandy felt a delicious soothing warmth fill her body as she stood in wonder only a few feet away from the dragon who had just come through for her. The room had become so silent that Mandy could hear the ticking of the big clock on the wall. She had no idea when Russ had entered the room. Somewhere in the midst of the snickering and loud, emphatic testimony of Commander Hawkins’ little cronies, Russ had slipped into the door without Mandy’s noticing.
“Please state your name for the record,” Councilor Morgan said, as the court reporter once again began typing. The High Council members all sat looking down at Russ with i
nterest, their pencils poised over their legal pads. Behind Mandy, things were still quiet. She took a long, shuddering breath, and silently prayed that Russ’s testimony would be enough.
“I’m Russ Porter, dragon shifter. I’m currently in the training program in the Dragon Utilization Department. I am the dragon that Mandy was sent to Chicago to bring back to Torch Lake.”
A murmur went across the room, although Mandy wasn’t sure whether it was of surprise, disapproval, or a mixture of both. Not everyone had met Russ, and many of the people in the room likely hadn’t realized that he was the newest dragon shifter in town until he got up and introduced himself. Mandy felt that tiny flicker of hope starting within her once again.
“I’m here to verify that Mandy’s story is true, as far as I can tell. When I met her in Chicago, she was at a bar, and clearly there to flirt with me. Admittedly, I found her quite attractive—”
A few muffled snickers came from the crowd behind Mandy at this remark, and she felt her cheeks burning with anger and embarrassment. What was so funny about the fact that a man had found her attractive? True, she wasn’t as stunning as some of her long-legged, blue-eyed, colleagues with shiny blonde hair. But she wasn’t exactly ugly, either. If Russ heard the laughter, though, he simply ignored it and kept on talking.
“And I was contemplating asking her to date me. Before things could get serious between us, though, Mandy confessed to me that she had only flirted with me because she had been given orders to do so.”
Mandy felt her back stiffen. Russ still thought the flirtation had all been fake. Mandy ached to grab him by the shoulders, shake him, and ask him how many times she had to tell him that her feelings for him were real. Now was not the time to push that point, though. She remained silent and let Russ continue his testimony.
“I have no reason to believe that Mandy was lying. In fact, she seemed quite torn up about the fact that she had tricked me. She explained to me who she was, and offered me monetary compensation to come back to Torch Lake with her.”
Russ paused, and Councilor Morgan looked down at him for several long moments before replying.
“We appreciate your testimony, Russ, but this is still circumstantial evidence. Mandy told you she was given these orders, but you yourself obviously did not hear the orders being given. We still have no eyewitness proof that Commander Hawkins did, in fact, tell Mandy to use flirtation techniques.”
Mandy’s heart dropped. Was this really happening? Was it possible that even Russ’s testimony, the word of a dragon, would not be enough to sway the High Council? Mandy blinked back the tears that were starting to threaten her lower eyelids, and focused on Russ, who was once again speaking to Councilor Morgan.
“I understand this is not direct proof. However, I think the fact that Mandy was so upset when she told me about the orders she received speaks to the truth of her statements. If she were merely making up a story, I don’t think she would have been nearly as emotional. Additionally, she only stood to lose by confessing to me that her flirtation had all been part of a scheme she’d been ordered to undertake. Like most dragons would have been, I was angered at being tricked. This made it more difficult for her to convince me to come back to Torch Lake, even with the money. And everyone in this room knows how important it was to Mandy’s career that she actually come back with a dragon. When you consider how upset she was, and that she was acting against her own interests by telling me about her orders, it seems reasonable to me to assume that she was telling the truth. She had no reason to lie about this.”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Commander Hawkins suddenly interrupted. “She was trying to make you feel sorry for her so you’d come back. Your testimony proves nothing.”
“Commander, restrain yourself, please,” Councilor Morgan warned. “It’s up to the High Council to decide what Russ’s testimony does or does not prove.”
Commander Hawkins fell silent, but he gave Mandy a glare that spoke volumes. She swallowed, hard. If he was acquitted today, there was no way she would be able to go back to her job. Even if the High Council allowed her to, she wouldn’t be able to sit in the same room as Commander Hawkins anymore. He would do everything in his power to make her life miserable.
“Ms. Evans, do you have any further witnesses?”
Mandy turned her attention back to Councilor Morgan. “No, your Honor. I—”
“I will speak for her.”
Mandy turned, shocked to be once again interrupted by an unexpected witness.
“And you are?” Councilor Morgan asked.
“Jordan Cooper, equipment specialist at the Dragon Recovery Division.”
Mandy’s eyes widened as she recognized the man who had given her all of her supplies before she headed off to Chicago. He walked up to the podium, giving her a small, courteous nod as he did. Russ stepped aside to let Jordan take the stand, and Mandy felt the air crackling between Russ and her as he stood beside her. She wanted to look up at him and see the expression on his face, but she didn’t dare. If she saw him looking at her with anything close to contempt right now, she was pretty sure she would fall apart completely. Instead, she focused her gaze on Jordan, who was clearing his throat to give his testimony. She wasn’t sure what an equipment specialist was going to say that would help her, but she was grateful for any support she could get right now.
“I tracked down this guy for you,” Russ whispered to Mandy, tilting his head slightly toward her so that she could hear his low whisper. His hot breath hit her ear, and she felt her stomach fill with nervous butterflies. She hadn’t expected to ever stand this close to Russ again, let alone to have his mouth inches from her ear. She was so flustered by the moment that it took her a few seconds to realize what he was saying. She looked over at him with wide, questioning eyes. He had found Jordan? But how, and why? Mandy was about to find out. Jordan was speaking again, and everyone in the room listened with rapt attention.
“I was assigned to prepare Mandy for her trip to Chicago to attempt to bring Russ Porter to Torch Lake. On paper, everything looked like a completely normal job. The only surprising thing, I’d say, was that the recovery agent was a woman. I’d never seen a woman sent on a recovery job before.”
Mandy saw several of the High Council members frown and scribble on their notepads when Jordan said this, and she felt the flicker of hope growing stronger. Her written complaint had gone into great detail about how she thought Commander Hawkins had falsified her orders to try to intentionally cause her to fail her job assignment, with hopes of “proving” that female agents could not succeed at dragon recovery jobs. She was glad that Jordan was subtly reminding the High Council of the fact that Commander Hawkins had vehemently opposed women going on dragon recovery missions.
“I gave Mandy the standard equipment for a dragon recovery job, but when I had handed over everything, she still looked confused. Then she asked me if there was anything else. When I told her no, she pushed me and said she thought there would have been some sort of special training or equipment since she had been ordered to use her powers of feminine persuasion to bring home this dragon.”
Mandy saw several of the High Council members exchange glances at these words. Her heart continued to pound in her chest. Was it actually possible that she might triumph over Commander Hawkins in this hearing?
“I thought Mandy was making a joke at first. But when I laughed her off she seemed distressed, and told me she was serious. She thought that perhaps there would be special outfits or perfume intended to help her flirt with Mr. Porter, as per her orders. I still thought she was joking, but she was so insistent about it that I actually made a note of it in the equipment file for Mr. Porter. I brought a copy of it with me today.”
Jordan raised a sheet of paper and waved it around, and Councilor Morgan beckoned him forward.
“I’d like to see that if you don’t mind, Mr. Cooper.”
“Certainly,” Jordan said, and stepped forward to hand the paper to Councilor Morgan. As Jord
an returned to his spot at the podium, Councilor Morgan studied the paper with a furrowed brow. Then he turned to hand it to one of the other High Council members.
“It does appear to be a certified, official record from the Russell Porter file,” Councilor Morgan said.
“Are you kidding me?” Commander Hawkins interrupted again. “You think a note in a weapons file that Mandy whined about wanting perfume proves anything?” His voice was rising and his face was turning red, a fact that gave Mandy immense satisfaction. She knew that, at the least, he was getting worried. Even if she lost this war, at least she hadn’t gone down without a fight.
“Quiet, Commander,” Councilor Morgan warned again. “I’m growing quite weary of your outbursts. Jordan still has the floor.”
“Thank you, your Honor,” Jordan said, giving Commander Hawkins a sideways glare. “I obviously cannot speak for what happened in the meeting where Mandy was assigned the job, but I can tell you that when she came to get her equipment she seemed genuinely confused as to why there was nothing in Russ Porter’s file about using flirtation to bring him home. I think most would agree that this would be an odd thing to joke about with an equipment specialist, which makes me think that Mandy was telling the truth about the strange orders she received from Commander Hawkins. I thought the High Council should be aware of the incident in making their decision.”
“Thank you, Jordan,” Councilor Morgan said. “Now, would anyone else like to speak on Mandy’s behalf?
“We would, your honor.”
Mandy turned to see Jake standing, along with, to her surprise, Leif and Clint. She had worked briefly with Leif and Clint, and knew they were two dragons who had decided to stay in Torch Lake after being brought here by recovery agents.
“What’s the meaning of this,” Commander Hawkins exclaimed. “These three can’t possibly have any knowledge of what orders Mandy received. I object to their being called as witnesses.”
Dragon Returning (Torch Lake Shifters Book 1) Page 10