"We found out where the fifth seplicur was..." she said, her voice trailing
off, only to go back to the details of what had happened as she took a
steadying breath "And we went to Ireland to retrieve it before someone could
get hurt... or worse."
"We arrived, Nick unloaded the car and Derek gave us our instructions. I
was to find a girl in a red coat and we were to all meet back at the pub in
two hours."
"I left and was directed to an antique shop."
She stopped and took a slow, steadying breath, not wanting to say this next
part simply because she knew it would hurt Derek again. Her gaze reflected
this feeling as she continued, wishing someone would stop this line of
questioning but knowing it wouldn't happen and that the tale would be
retold. She only prayed that they didn't ask her for specifics concerning
the death itself. No one knew what had happened those few precious moments
after the demon had caught her in the field. She herself didn't remember
exact details, but she did remember up to that point and didn't want to
repeat it.
"I entered and saw the store empty. And instead of leaving and going to get
the others like I should have," she admitted, realizing what she had done
and her own part of it "I stayed to see if the shop keeper would show up."
"Then I heard a sound from upstairs....."
She went on to repeat how she had gone up there, thinking that she should
have gone to get Derek considering the danger but not saying that as she
reported what had happened, her eventual clash with the demon when he had
spotted the key around her neck..... and the chase while she tried
contacting Derek that had ended up in the field.
Julia looked at the Precepts as she reported the last of the details, in a
way angry at them for making her tell the story in front of Derek and the
others that had been there and were probably feeling the pain they had then
when it had first happened all over again.
She wanted to turn to Derek and tell him to forget the whole thing..... it
wasn't worth bringing up old wounds and she didn't want him or the others
hurting anymore...
She even started to turn to him, blue gaze showing how she was feeling as
she looked at him.
Derek swallowed hard against the emotions that were rising in him. His face
a mask hiding his inner turmoil. When he noticed Julia's hesitation, he
reached out and took her hand, squeezing it firmly. They'd come too far to
stop now. However, he did turn his hazel eyes towards the tribunal. "Is
this really necessary," he demanded. "All of this is in the records."
