Free The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney Page B

well that all our representatives will stay for as long as needed. Even beyond the weekend, if that becomes appropriate.”
    Simon blustered for a few moments, but soon ran out of steam.
    Quentin’s tone remained mild. “We will hear from this witness.”
    Donna swivelled in her seat so she could see her aunt, trying to figure out what the hell was going on—whether, in fact, everyone knew what was happening. But Aunt Paige looked as confused as Donna herself felt.
    Maker nodded at Robert, who moved silently across the room and opened one of the panelled doors.
    A slender figure of medium height stepped into the makeshift courtroom. His black hair shone in the flickering ceremonial candlelight, and his normally smoothbrown face looked pale and drawn. His cheekbones protruded a little more than Donna remembered, giving him an older look that suited him.
    Navin Sharma stood under the scrutiny of the representatives from four alchemical Orders, his red and black biker jacket completely out of place and marking him as other .
    A commoner.
    The expression on his face—the determination in his dark brown eyes—let Donna know that her best friend wasn’t going to allow himself to be treated as anything other than an equal. In that moment she felt so unbearably proud, her heart swelling in her chest as she squashed the urge to run to him. If she could somehow let him know how glad she was to see him, how relieved, maybe she wouldn’t lose him after all. And this wasn’t just for her sake, but for his. She’d been so worried about him when the wood elves took him, and now she had to make sure he was okay.
    The truth was, she blamed herself every single day for what had happened to Nav. There wasn’t a day that went by when she didn’t think about the queen’s blade at his throat. His life had been under threat because of Donna—because of their friendship. She could only hope that he didn’t feel the same way. He possessed so many amazing qualities, and she felt lucky to call him her friend.
    And even though the last two weeks apart had been tough, perhaps it had done their friendship some good. Navin had discovered so many crazy truths about her, and, more than that, he’d learned that the world isn’t thenonmagical place he’d once believed it to be. He must have needed time to process everything. But he was here today, as part of her defense. Donna was dying to know how Maker had arranged that with Quentin—and right under Simon’s nose, too!
    It was as if Navin had come for her, in the same way that she’d gone in search of him in the Ironwood. In stealing the elixir from the alchemists, she’d been willing to give up everything—and now she knew it hadn’t been for nothing. Donna wanted to cry; she wanted to throw her arms around Navin and ignore the watching alchemists. She needed him to know how grateful she was, how much she still cared about him.
    But Navin wouldn’t look at her—not even once, no matter how hard she willed him to glance her way.
    Swallowing a rush of bitter disappointment, she watched Navin as he studied the gathered alchemists with an expression of curiosity. Stop being so selfish , she told herself sharply. Nav was here, that’s all that mattered. Maybe if they spoke—or even made eye contact—it would put him off.
    Simon was staring at Navin like he was something particularly unpleasant. His almost non-existent top lip curled upwards in a sneer as he turned back to address Maker. “Why have you brought a commoner before our Council?”
    Donna had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from calling Simon Gaunt something a lot worse than “commoner.” She was quite impressed with her restraint.
    Maker frowned. “I thought it prudent that we hear all the evidence—and that includes listening to Mr. Sharma’s experience and his account of why Donna was in Ironwood Forest in the first place.”
    There was a pulse beating in Simon’s temple, and for a very pleasant