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I returned to the world of the living with disappointment weighing me down. Ria’s face lit up when she saw me, but that spark quickly died down when she realised I was alone.
“It didn’t work?” she asked.
I shook my head, too defeated to speak.
“Oh, Bryn... It was a long shot.”
She was right, but that didn’t mean anything. I really thought I’d manage to bring Heike back. It just... It didn’t happen.
I checked my watch and sighed. I still had ten minutes, but it didn’t matter. It was over. Stina won. This was the end.
“I’ve got to go,” I said.
“I understand.”
“Thanks for everything.”
“It’s not over. I’ll keep taking care of her.”
I nodded. At least that was something. “That’s good.”
With a heavy heart, I left Ria and the hospital behind me. The wind tugged on my sleeves and played with my hair, but the joy escaped me. This was my one chance to make things right, but it didn’t work out. Stina would get away with her crime.
The stairs leading to the East Mansion had never been this hard to climb. It was like my feet were made from lead and my entire body wanted to go the other way, but I had to face the music. I’d have to see Stina’s smug face when she realised I had nothing on her.
I crossed the marble tiles, every step harder than the one before. With a heavy heart, I knocked on Grandmamma’s office door.
“Come in!”
I gathered one last breath, preparing myself. It was one thing facing the Matriarch, it was a whole other thing facing a disappointed Grandmamma.
The hinges shrieked and despite my predicament, I got annoyed they weren’t oiled. The room was already silent when I entered, all three participants seated as far away from each other as possible.
“Brynhild,” Grandmamma said. She pushed her glasses further up her nose and nodded. “Let’s resume. Brynhild Beryldottir versus Stina Senadottir.”
“Good luck,” Stina whispered sarcastically. She rolled her eyes dramatically, something that had always annoyed me.
“Silence!” Grandmamma barked. “Brynhild, present your new evidence. If you have more witnesses, this is the time.”
“I...” I hesitated, not quite sure how to tell her I didn’t have anything new.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Brynhild?”
“I don’t have anything else,” I murmured so softly she couldn’t hear me.
“What? Speak up, Brynhild.”
“I—”
A hard knock on the door interrupted me. I stared at Grandmamma, who seemed just as confused as I was.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked me.
“I, I don’t know. I might?”
She shot me another disappointed look and sighed with so much attitude, it blew a sheet of paper from her desk. “Pick that up, Brynhild, and then open the door.”
She could never resist ordering me around. It was humiliating to have it happen in front of Stina, but there was nothing I could do about it. “Yes, Grandma— Matriarch.”
Cross, I grabbed the sheet and threw it back up. She clicked her tongue, but it couldn’t get any worse than it already was. I hurried past Doctor Wagner, who seemed incredibly bored, and opened the door to be greeted with my friend.
“Ria?”
Grandmamma’s voice boomed through the room. “I told you, she can’t testify for you.”
“You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered at her, but she waved my concerns away.
“She’s awake.”
My eyes widened as I stared at her. “Really? Are you messing with me?”
Ria’s smile lit up the room. “She’s awake for real. Whatever you did, it must’ve worked.”
The sincerity in her voice convinced me she was speaking the truth and relief washed over me. Thank the gods for that.
“Is she okay?” I asked.
“Surprisingly so. There’s pain of course and she’s in shock because of her wings, but she’s lucid. She’s angry. I told her what you’re doing.”
“And?” I could barely control the nerves jittering my voice. Maybe Heike would wake up to tell me I had it all wrong and that it wasn’t Stina who did this to her. Maybe—
Ria nodded. “You’re doing the right thing.”
That was all I needed to encourage me. To fuel the smouldering coals in my stomach. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, go tell your Grandmamma.”
She was right. I couldn’t waste any more time, especially since we didn’t know how long Heike would remain conscious.
I shut the door again and took place on my side. Stina’s triumphant face had lost her smirk and concern flitted across her features.
Grandmamma glared at me. “Well?”
“I have a new witness. Actually, I have a whole new trial.”
From the corners of my eyes, I saw Stina gulp.
Good. It was her turn to sweat.
Instead of looking at Grandmamma, I locked eyes with her. I wanted to see her face when I told her the news and she realised it was all over.
“Heike is awake.”
That wiped the last smugness from Stina’s face and a paleness crept up to her cheeks. Panic filled her eyes and erased her poker face.
Gotcha.
Grandmamma rose from her desk and nodded. “I heard enough. My judgment will be postponed until I hear Heike’s side, since she’s the victim. Stina, Brynhild, you’re both not to leave the village.”
As expected.
She turned to Doctor Wagner.
“You.”
He seemed confused. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” she said. “Escort Stina to her grandmother’s estate where she is to stay put until I summon her again.”
“Yes, Matriarch.” With a simple bow, he and Stina took their departure.
That left me alone with Grandmamma, something I never looked forward to.
She pushed her glasses up her nose again and sighed. “You’re dismissed too, Brynhild. We’ll resume this tomorrow.”
“Why not today?”
“I’m busy. You’ve already taken up much of my time.”
“But—”
“Dismissed, Brynhild.”
Fine. There was no sense in arguing with her when she clearly had made up her mind already. I just had to hope that Heike would still be alive tomorrow.