Hybrid's Trial Read online

  I was helping my mom throw some things into the cauldron for a potion she had been working on for ages that she never told any of us about when Bali walked into the light from her little alcove. The light from the candles made the gold tips on her jetblack wing (her left wing was white and her right wing was black and gold) glisten as though they were real gold.

  She was what was known as a Metamorphic - a hybrid of three or four different species that was capable of morphing into any of those four species as they wished– and was one of only six of them in existence. In a lot of ways, that was why we thought she liked to hide so much.

  She furrowed her eyebrows and tossed her dark black hair over her shoulder. “Taz, you seem worried.” She stated as she moved to my side.

  She took the rat tails I was throwing into the cauldron from my hand and threw them in herself before turning to me and lifting my chin so that I was looking straight into her stone-grey eyes.

  “I’m fine.” I replied. Lying wasn’t something I was proud to do, but I was doing it anyway. I didn’t want her to know what was going on– not yet anyway and definitely not with Mom in ear shot.

  Bali bit her lip as Mom soundlessly left her lair. She took me by the arm and lead me into her alcove (which was surprisingly neat compared to the rest of the lair). She pushed me down onto her bed before sitting beside me. “You’re going to tell me what’s going on before I let you leave this place.”

  Chapter Four (Lily)

  “In a worldwhere you can be anything be kind.”-

  T

  Unknown hose two pink lines couldn’t be a worse sight. My parents were going to

  kill me when they found out I had another boyfriend– let alone that I was pregnant. They still thought Lazarus Rizo was my boyfriend and they didn’t know I had been lying to them all this time so they wouldn’t be angry when they found out that I was dating a merman.

  Mother had always told me that she didn’t mind me dating a hybrid because then at least she can find out what makes them tick, but the Watcher family did not mingle with any kind of mermen– hybrids or not. That was always a rule from day one and to break that rule was to have a death wish.

  I looked up to a knock on my bathroom door. “Lily?” Kyan called. I forced a smile at my big brother’s voice and quickly walked out of the bathroom with my pregnancy test hidden behind my back.

  “Are you okay?” He asked me gently. I quickly nodded, but he didn’t see my head bob for looking at my bent elbow.

  “What’ve you got behind your back?” Kyan questioned, raising both of his eyebrows. I watched him, my heart racing as I tried to scramble for an answer. Kyan reached forward and grabbed my arm and brought my hand out in front of me. He frowned at the test in my hand and snatched it from me.

  “Hey!” I protested. I watched as his upper lip twitched.

  I knew that twitch, and it was never a good sign. “That little broomstick -rider will pay for this!” He shouted angrily, attracting the attention of our parents in their bedroom just down the hall. It was my turn to raise my eyebrows.

  “Kyan?” I whispered. Kyan put his arm around me, “Don’t you worry, Lil, he’ll pay for ever laying a finger on you.” He promised, but I still had no idea what he was going to do.

  I watched him with a confused expression and he seemed to finally realize what was going on in my head. “He’s the father, isn’t he?” He

  muttered.

  Oh, so that what was going on in his head. I forced myself to tear up (several years as the president of the school drama club can teach you a lot) and nodded, “Yes.” I told him. “Oh, Kyan it was just terrible.” I added. For good measure, I threw myself into his arms. He put his arms around me.

  “Wait, what’s going on?” Daddy asked as he approached us. “Lazarus Rizo happened, Dad.” Kyan told him. Daddy smiled, his fangs shining under the light of the hallway chandelier.

  “Don’t worry, Kyan. Don’t worry, Lily. The Rizos will pay the price for ever crossing paths with us shortly.”

  Chapter Five (Hazel)

  “Sometimes you don’t realize you’re drowning when you’re trying to be everyone else’s anchor.” Unknown

  One of the most important ingredients in my potions was frog legs, so the next

  morning while the boys were still asleep I had to leave the house to go to the park to find more frogs. However, my expedition was shortlived when one of my fellow council members - Rowena - walked up to me fuming with anger.

  “I hope you know that we’re voting to get rid of you come the next

  meeting.” She sneered as she circled around me. I got dizzy just by

  watching her, so I opted for just looking forward.

  “Pardon?” I asked. Just last week, the council had absolutely no problem with me and my leadership was always undisputed because I was arguably the most powerful witch in Rockfell and they all knew better than to test my abilities.

  What could’ve possibly gone wrong in such a short amount of time that would make them want to get rid of me so quickly?

  Rowena rolled her eyes and

  conjured up an article clipping from the local newspaper: The Rockfell Times. She shoved it into my face. The story told that the Watchers were suing two teenage boys for six

  different things.

  But they weren’t just any teenage boys: they were my teenage boys. I looked up at Rowena in shock, but before I could say anything she snarled at me again and snatched the clipping from my hand.

  “We can’t have the mother of two juvenile delinquents leading us. We put up with you not following the Code of Ethics, but we can’t tolerate this.” She spat. I always knew that people had a problem with me not playing by the rule book, but that rule book was centuries old and way too outdated for anyone to logically stand by it anymore.

  I watched as she bent down to spit on my shoe. “Good riddance.” She hissed under her breath before storming away. My heart sank to my stomach and I was so fixated on getting home to Levi and Taz that I completely forgot my basket of frogs that I had left sitting on the park bench.

  I called the boys down from their rooms and Bali up from the basement for a family meeting in the living room. Once they were all sitting around me, I looked straight at my two sons. “Did you know about this lawsuit?” I demanded. I knew they would never keep this kind of thing from me, but my heart was pumping so loud I couldn’t even hear my own thoughts.

  Taz and Levi quickly shook their heads. “What lawsuit?” Levi asked meekly.

  I sighed in relief. Good, they weren’t keeping anything from me. I started to explain to them what Rowena told me when I heard a soft knock on the door. I quickly got up to see a police officer standing before me. He handed me an envelope. “You’re Leviathan and Lazarus Rizo’s mother, correct?” He asked in a voice that echoed off the walls. I slowly nodded. “Good, your boys are expected in court. There is no date yet, but I suggest you find them a lawyer.” He sneered before turning and walking away.

  Rockfell’s court system didn’t act like the humans used to run their court system. Hybrids were treated very unfairly in the court of law and our only saving grace was that the case was surely going to be all over the news soon and therefore we would perhaps get the “speedy and public trial” the humans prided themselves on cultivating.

  Even if we got the speedy trial there was little chance the boys were going to win. The court was extremely biased and almost always the

  defendant pleaded guilty when a vampire or a werewolf got involved.

  It was going to take someone special if my boys were going to win this case.

  I sighed as I turned and walked into the living room to show the boys what I had gotten. I opened the envelope and the three teenagers leaned in to read over my shoulder. I held my breath as I looked to see what they were accused of.

  Part of me hoped that it would be something small, but part of me also knew that the Watchers never did anything small.

  Taz alone was acc
used of the sexual assault of Lily Watcher, the firstdegree murder of Daisy and Sylas Watcher, inappropriate pictures of Lily Watcher, and battery.

  Levi was accused of theft, battery, and the kidnapping of Bali Rizo. Together, they were accused of the enslavement of Bali Rizo and the use of dark magic.That wasn’t even the end of all of it because at the end of the long paragraph it also said that there were other charges still pending.

  Levi watc hed me carefully. “So, what now? Are we going to be arrested? What are they going to do to you?” He asked nervously.

  I sighed, “Well, as it stands right now you’re not going to be arrested. There’s not enough room in the prisons to hold the accused, so they let them run rampant until their hearing. Just be very careful, the Watchers have enough influence over the court that they can have that changed in a heartbeat.” I replied. I didn’t want to tell him what I was going to do. I didn’t even really want to admit it to myself.

  “But what are we gonna do now? There’s no way we’re going to win.” Taz pointed out.

  I shrugged, “I’m going to go do something I never wanted to do. Do you remember Samuel Caeruleus? Up until the point when he ran away, you referred to him as your Uncle Sam?” I asked. Both of the boys shook their heads and Bali just looked extremely confused.

  I sighed, “He was your father’s best friend and he actually used to live here with us because at the time he was studying for his third PhD. I think it was in psychology, but I honestly don’t remember. Anyway, he lives in Crystalhills now and he runs this massive law firm called Caeruleus Incorporated. I’m going to call him and ask him to take up your case. If anyone can help you, he can.”

  I didn’t w ait for the boys to say anything before I got up and headed into the kitchen to call Samuel. I dug through a drawer trying to find my husband’s old wallet but ended up just saying an old spell that I had learned ages ago to find it. The wallet was showing its age with its cracked black leather, but I didn’t care about the appearance. I cared about Samuel’s first business card that had ever been printed that he had gifted my husband so that he always had his number.

  I said a prayer that the number was still correct and punched in the number: 697-912-2325. I leaned against the cabinet and closed my eyes as I listened to the dial tone.

  The things I did for my kids.

  Chapter Six (Samuel)

  “You can give a person knowledge, but you can’t make them think. Some people want to remain fools, onlybecause the truth requires chance.”–

  T

  Unknown he Watchers were crazy, everyone knew that. And I knew it was only a matter of time until they got some innocent family in trouble.

  I just didn’t expect it to be the Rizos. I wa s friends with Lazarus Rizo’s father and when he was on his

  deathbed he made me vow to keep his boys safe and look after his wife.

  Though a demon, that man loved his family. Even Leviathan, the son of his arch nemesis.

  I was always pretty hell-bent on keeping my promise, I just didn’t think I’d have to do it through helping them win a lawsuit. I mean, it wasn’t like I couldn’t do it. I was the owner and founder of Caeruleus Inc., and I had three PhDs (one in psychology, one in sociology, and the other in law). I was one of the best lawyers that money could buy.

  I was lounging around in my office when my phone rang and I jumped up to grab the phone before the second ring sounded (I prided myself on being punctual. One of my biggest rules I held over my employees was to never keep our clients waiting.)

  “Caeruleus Incorporated, this is Samuel Caeruleus speaking. What can I do for you?” I asked, rattling off the same two lines I was really getting tired of saying. I always felt like I needed to change it, but– me being a creature of habit– I could never find anything I liked.

  “Sam, this is Hazel Rizo.” The voice on the other side of the line sighed. My heart sank to my stomach and jumped up to my throat like it was on one of those free fall towers at the carnival.

  I cleared my throat, chomping down on my lip as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my desk.

  “Hazel, what’s going on?” I

  questioned nervously. I hadn’t talked to the woman in over fifteen years and now all of a sudden, she was talking to me again?

  “It’s the boys, Sam. I’m afraid they’re in deep trouble and I’m almost positive you’re the only one that can get them out of it.” She explained, listing off all the things the Watchers were accusing Lazarus and Leviathan of. I sighed. Really? Did the Watchers seriously not have nothing better to do with their lives than antagonize Hazel, Lazarus, and Leviathan day in and day out?

  “My team and I are on our way.” I promised as I started to hang up the phone.

  “Sam, wait. They can’t stay in Rockfell. You know what will

  happen.” Hazel replied softly.

  I sighed once more, “I know. My team and I will come and get them and bring them here.” I answered.

  With that, Hazel thanked me and hung up. I got to my feet and walked out of my office and closed my eyes. I heard footsteps and I opened them again to see the “ghost” of Lincoln standing before me. He and I had been so close before he died, we still had a connection in his “afterlife”. “You know where I’m going, don’t you?” I asked him telepathically.

  Lincoln simply nodded and stepped out of my way,“Go save my boys.”

  Chapter Seven (Lazarus)

  “How we walk with the broken speaks louderthan how we sit with the great.” – Unknown

  Levi and I had to fight with our mom to go to school the next day, but by the time we got back home we both regretted it.

  We forgot that it was the last of Samhain (aka, October) and that every day of the week leading up to Halloween was dedicated to a

  different species.

  The first day was always dedicated to witches and usually the students that belonged to the species of the day were expected to get their parents to sign a permission slip saying that they couldn’t participate in the lesson, but our mom never believed in that. She believed that we needed to learn about our history so we wouldn’t repeat it. Specifically, we were learning about the Salem Witch Trials and our teachers absolutely hated the fact we were participating.

  Levi and I weren’t even in the same classrooms (he’s a senior and I’m a junior), but we always got the same treatment.

  Besides the poor treatment we got from the teachers, our classmates acted like we had the black plague or something and either avoided us or called us unprintable names.

  I was hoping that after school at football practice would be better, but to no avail. Apparently, being the star quarterback of the football team doesn’t mean anything when you’re in trouble with the law for something you didn’t do because I got to practice and was immediately told to turn in my jersey and leave.

  The good news was, I got to walk home with Levi and protect him from Kyan and his posse, but that didn’t stop them from throwing things at us.

  I ended up having to use a spell to create a barrier to protect us from the rocks and fire ants that they were throwing so that we could get home in one piece.

  When we reached our house, we spotted a limo sitting outside and the suitcases we had packed the night before were being loaded into the trunk by a guy in a black suit. Levi and I looked at each other before hurrying inside.

  We heard our mom in the kitchen talking to someone and there was a group of people in the living room that were wearing sunglasses inside the house.

  Seriously, they looked ridiculous. One of the guys stood up when he noticed us staring. He towered over Levi and I and looked like he could easy break us in half. I couldn’t read his name tag, so I decided his name was Scary Guy 1 and his male comrade that was the exact same size as him became Scary Guy 2.

  The lady that was sitting between them with a file folder full of papers became Scary Lady 1.

  Levi quickly pulled my arm and dragged me into the kitchen away from the s
cary people and we tossed our backpacks down on the console in the entryway on our way by.

  Mom was sitting at the table across from a guy that was vaguely familiar even though I couldn’t come up with his name.

  He wore a black suit and he was cleanly shaven. He wore boxy black glasses and he had blue eyes that were very close in color to my brother’s. His medium brown hair was neatly combed back and had a few streaks of gray in it. He was quite tall like Scary Guy 1 and Scary Guy 2, but while it was obvious he was quite fit, he was nowhere near as muscular as the other two. It was obvious he took pride in his appearance.

  The man got to his feet after he noticed our presence and quickly stretched out his hand for the both of us to shake.

  The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I noticed his wings. He was an angel and the only angel I liked was Levi.

  “ Samuel Caeruleus. Nice to meet you.” He stated hurriedly before stepping back. I looked over at my mom, silently begging to know what was going on.

  My mom sighed as she got to her feet. “Boys, I want you to go

  downstairs and say goodbye to Bali and make sure you didn’t leave anything in your rooms. You and Samuel need to leave pretty soon here.” She said gently.

  Mr. Caeruleus quickly shook his head, “No, no. Take your time, please. The private jet doesn’t take off until we’re ready.” He replied, offering us a small smile neither of us returned.

  I started to head downstairs but noticing that Levi wasn’t following stopped me in my tracks.

  “Wait, so we’re leaving, but who’s going to look after my mom?” He asked anxiously.

  Neither of us had ever truly been outside of Rockfell. I’d at least been under Rockfell when I went on trips to the Underworld with my dad, but Levi had never been above, under, nor outside Rockfell. With that being said, it was quite obvious why we were both nervous about going to