Eden Read Online Free PDF Page B

was
surprised. I expected them all to look like Michael: Dark eyes and
hair. Instead they more closely resembled Claire. A few of them
looked upon me with curiosity, others with disdain, but mostly they
seemed to be there out of duty and not personal reasons. That logic
went against why Claire and Samuel appeared so uneasy.
    Eli spoke. “Michael….”
    “ Isaac had no choice!” he
said. “He was important. He was given gifts unlike any Half-Breed.
The choices of his Taleh do not justify his death!”
    Eli nodded. “Jared….”
    Jared showed no emotion. “The choices
of our Talehs never justify our deaths, but it is the duty and
curse that we must accept to be obedient.”
    Michael shifted his weight. “What do
you know about duty, Half-Breed?”
    Blood rushed to my cheeks. “How dare
you,” I seethed.
    “ Nina,” Jared
warned.
    “ Your son—the one with
such gifts—was also half human. I suppose since Jared doesn’t
support his Taleh living a life of crime and serving a demon, he
doesn’t take his duty seriously?” I said, my temper temporarily
removing any thoughts of my own safety.
    A deep line formed between Michael’s
brow, and his eyes glistened with anger. “My son was not as
fortunate as Gabe’s. He accepted his fate and made the best of it.
We cannot interfere with the free will of humans. It is against His
will.”
    “ So is serving the other
side,” I grumbled.
    “ Nina!” Jared
growled.
    Michael jerked forward, and arms burst
from the long, black sleeves of cloaks behind him as hands held him
at bay. Simultaneously, Samuel angled his body toward Jared in a
protective stance. He didn’t crouch, as I had seen Claire do so
many times before when she protected me. Samuel would not fight his
brothers, but he wouldn’t allow them to harm us.
    Claire leaned against my arm, and
whispered in my ear. “Shut up, stupid. You’re not
helping.”
    “ She should not speak
here!” Michael said, jerking away from his allies.
    “ Enough,” Eli said, his
voice calm and even. “Nina’s fate is affected. She is allowed an
argument,” he said, looking to me. “Your thoughts have been
considered. That will be all.”
    For the first time, I didn’t feel
Eli’s bias. I nodded quickly, showing my obedience with a small
step back.
    “ Claire….” Eli said,
moving the trial forward.
    “ The truth is, Isaac and
Donovan were working with Shax, and they were there to kill Nina,
in effect to kill Jared,” she said in her no-nonsense way. “Eli, it
was going to be Donovan or Nina. Isaac or Jared. If you ask me, the
best man won.”
    Her words stung Michael, but he didn’t
argue.
    Eli’s eyes scanned the looming angels
behind Michael. “Do any of your supporters wish to enter
opinion?”
    Michael shook his head. “It is my
claim.”
    “ And what exactly is your
claim?” Bex asked.
    Michael’s eyes narrowed, staring
directly at Jared’s younger brother. “That he murdered my
son.”
    Claire took a step forward. “Your son
murdered Nina’s father.”
    When recognition hit that Claire was
speaking of my father, my knees buckled, and Jared tightened his
grip to keep me on my feet.
    “ W-What?” I said, my voice
barely a whisper.
    Jared leaned into my cheek, his nose
grazing my ear. “Donovan shot your father. Isaac was with
him.”
    My eyes widened, focusing on Michael.
“You want to blame Gabe and Jared? You come here, interrupt our
wedding day, yell at me, accuse us of murder, and your son was an
accessory to the cause of all of this?”
    Michael’s dark eyes darted from me to
Eli.
    Eli shrugged. “She has a
point.”
    Michael’s jaw dropped. “Isaac did not
to deserve to die. He was a good son. He accepted the curse and
honored his duties.”
    “ Michael,” Samuel said in
his deep, firm voice.
    Michael stepped toward Eli. “Gabriel’s
son should be punished! He allowed his Taleh to kill my son!
Rebecca’s son!”
    Eli looked to the ground in thought.
“Rebecca was unhappy with