Alterant by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love Read Free Book Online Page B

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