And then he's gone, and I'm alone in the room, without Evie even, since we aren't allowed to wear eGlasses in class. I sit on the small cot, which is the only furniture aside from a sad-looking toilet and sink.
As I wait, every fear imaginable plagues me. I consider calling for Zorin using the Nephilim sign made with my blood, but what could one Nephilim do against the entire Four Orders? He'd just be caught, or worse, and I'd still be here.
So I wait, and hope I can find words to talk myself out of a death sentence.
Maybe I can control someone, if I can get close enough. Maybe Varian? He has a lot of power and influence.
It feels like hours when finally the door opens and Jax is there, a grim expression on his face. I follow him out. "What's going on? What's going to happen to me?"
He shakes his head. "I can't say anything. Just come with me. And… choose your words carefully."
He brings me back to the Council Chambers. I've been here before, but I was covered in my parents' blood and knew nothing of this world, this life. It was only a few weeks ago, but it feels much longer.
All of the Grandmasters are sitting in their marble seats above the semi-circle I stand in. This time, Master Varian is in the seat of the Templar Order. And my grandfather is conspicuously missing.
This scares me more than anything else. I thought for sure I'd have at least one ally.
I stand before the Council and try to act braver than I feel. For all my training with my parents, I never prepared for this.
"Let's get this started," Ragathon grumbles from his seat.
"Where is my grandfather?" I ask.
Ragathon narrows his eyes at me. "We'll be doing the asking around here, Miss Night."
Varian looks sternly at his brother. "No need for hostility, brother. We'll find the truth of what happened in due time." He looks around the Council and then back at me. "Chancellor Forrester seems to be unavoidably detained, so we shall have to begin without him. As highest ranking Knight, I will direct these proceedings."
Master Varian recounts what happened in Combat Training today and I hold my head high as they all stare at me. When he's done, Ragathon leans in. "How did you keep this a secret for so long?"
Varian holds up a hand. "Let's start from the beginning. You've never been listed as a Zenith in your testing. Can you explain how you demonstrated para-powers in the Arena today? "
"I don't know. I've never had any para-powers."
Ragathon sneers. "How did you cheat the tests?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say. "This is as much a shock to me as to everyone here." At least that part is true.
When the door behind me opens and everyone looks past me, I turn and sigh in relief. My grandfather has arrived.
"Excuse me for my tardiness, but I thought we might want some actual evidence before we convict my granddaughter for something she didn't do." He climbs the stairs to his seat slowly, then sits and clicks on his eGlass. "I'm synching files to each of you. These are the test results of the blood work we did when she arrived, as well as all of her tests since she was a child."
Each of the Council members click on their eGlass and look through the files.
My heart is pounding. I've been trying to find the results of my blood work for weeks, but they weren't in any of the systems. Those tests will prove I'm a Nephilim. So why does my grandfather look happy?
"As you can see," he says, "she's tested negative since she was a child. Until a few weeks ago. We just got those results back, and they show she is a latent Zenith. Rare, but not unheard of. Likely the stress and injury sustained during the attack on her family activated this latent gene."
Latent Zenith? How did the test show something like this?
My grandfather looks at me. "Scarlett, have you noticed any subtle changes in your body recently?"
I tilt my head as I consider how to answer, and I see this could be a way out of a few problems if I choose my words carefully, as Jax suggested. "As a matter of fact, I have noticed a few things," I say.
He nods. "Such as?"
"Well, I've been a bit stronger lately, though nothing like what happened in the Arena. I've been healing faster, though again, I've always been a fast healer. And… well, one other thing."
"Yes?"
"I think I'm starting to see color."
I sneak a peek at Jax, whose face can't hide his astonishment, though he recovers quickly.
"It's as I thought," Chancellor Forrester says. "She's developing her latent para-powers. The outburst in the Arena wasn't in her control. I vote we dismiss the charges against her and change her registration status to Zenith, without punishment. All in favor?"
Three voices say "Aye." Ragathon says "Nay."
"The Ayes have it," my grandfather says. "I also vote for no public identification, since she's an Initiate at our school. All in favor?"
Three Ayes. One Nay. Naturally.
My grandfather bangs his walking stick on the marble floor. "Council dismissed. Let's allow Scarlett to get back to her classes, and we can all get back to our work."
The Council room clears out quickly. I'd hoped to talk to Jax, but Varian pulls him out first thing, and I'm left alone with the Chancellor. "Walk an old man out?"
I nod and take his arm as we walk slowly through the Castle. "My test really showed I'm Zenith?"