Page 60 of Forbidden

He blinked his eyes open?—

A shiver went down his spine. He was in a cell. The walls and floor were made of stone, the iron bars to his right huge and imposing. On the floor beside his cot, someone had left a paper plate with two round, white pills, and an unopened bottle of water.

He couldn’t be sure what the pills were, and he didn’t actually need them, so he left them where they were. It was nice of them to offer, maybe, if they were actually just the mild painkillers he suspected. He picked up the water,inspecting it thoroughly before he cracked the seal and took a sip. Somehow he doubted they’d given Alex these accommodations. But then, prophets were less expendable.

“Hello?” he croaked. The only thing he could see from here was the empty cell across the walkway. He had no idea if anyone else was in the dungeon with him.

Nothing but silence greeted him, so he assumed he was alone for now. That probably wouldn’t be the case for long.

He wondered what they would do with him. And God, he hoped Wolf was okay. He’d heard his voice before he was dragged away, so he at least knew Wolf was alive. His vision hadn’t revealed the outcome of the fight, though. Was anyone hurt? Had the fire consumed the club? He only knew about Wolf and Malachi. What about Alex, Luke, and Talon?

He laid back down, his eyes burning. He would rest for as long as he was allowed, and whatever happened next would happen in its own time. He’d done all he could, and he wasn’t going to apologize for his actions. His time with Wolf was the happiest of his life.

Sleep didn’t come—his anxiety made sure of that—and he had no idea how much time passed before the door finally squealed open down the hall.

He pushed himself upright, his heart pounding.

A shock went down his spine when Commander Sloan and the prophets’ division head, Diviner Christina Rousseau, stepped into view. Sloan struck an imposing figure, tall and built like a powerlifter, his figure divided by the iron bars. Diviner Rousseau was a willowy woman, her long brown hair spilling down to her waist in curls reminiscent of nineties’ fashion. Her severe, pointed face was softened by her voluminous bangs and black-rimmed glasses. She was dressed as though for church, in slim black trousers and aflower-patterned red blouse. She glanced around the dungeon as though she was afraid she would catch something if she touched anything.

The last time he’d been under both their attention at once, he’d been graduating.

“Ah, good. You’re awake.” Sloan’s voice was like a winter tide, frigid and unforgiving despite his unassuming words. “Don’t worry, the paladin who hit you over the head has been properly admonished.”

It hadn’t even crossed his mind, honestly. And if Sloan cared anything about what happened to him… “Why am I in a cell?”

Sloan clasped his hands behind his back. “Well. You were interfering with paladin business.”

Setting fire to a building filled with innocent people and halflings—yes, they were innocent, too, as far as Ira was concerned—waspaladin businessnow. He fought the urge to sneer.

“Yes. I had a vision that you sent your men to make a mistake. I was attempting to rectify it.”

“I assure you, no mistakes were made,” Sloan said. “And you’re not a field agent. You should’ve reported it. But oh, that’s right,” Sloan tapped his chin as though he’d forgotten, “you abandoned your duty and went missing, didn’t you?”

“There were human beings in that club, Commander Sloan. Innocent people who didn’t deserve to burn to death.”

“Anyone who willingly goes into that club is as guilty as the demons who dwell there. It’s a den of wickedness. No one with an ounce of morality would set foot in there.”

Ira’s blood boiled. “It is not your place to judge the sins of others.”

“Iam the commander of this guild.Ialone make thechoices that keep the scales of good and evil from tipping too far toward our enemies. If they get caught in the crossfire, may they find their salvation in the afterlife. It’s their own poor choices that led them to their demise.”

Ira could barely believe what he was hearing, but at the same time, he knew he shouldn’t be surprised. He’d seen enough glimpses of the future to know better. His gaze slid to Diviner Rousseau, searching her face for some sign of discomfort at Sloan’s ego-mindedness. But he saw only conviction.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” Ira quoted. “We aren’t meant to judge our fellow man.”

“Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword,” Sloan quoted back. “They are as much the enemy as the demons they lay with.”

Ira schooled his face. “Are we still talking about the human patrons or someone else?”

Sloan’s face soured. “Where have you been these last few weeks, Mr. Faer?”

He had to spin this in a way that didn’t bring up Wolf or the others. “I was doing what I thought was right. I saw the vision of myself intercepting those paladins, and I knew you wouldn’t allow me to go if I reported it. So I hid until it was time.”

“You aren’t meant to make those kinds of decisions on your own,” Rousseau said firmly. “We have checks and balances in place to avoid exactly this kind of blunder. You could’ve been killed in the field tonight.”

“Or by the demons you’ve been associating with,” Sloan said coolly, his gaze sharp.

“What? What demons?” Ira asked sharply. They had no proof he’d been with any demons until he showed up atthe club, and they only knew he was there becausetheywere.

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