Chapter 32

Mom wakes me early in the morning, and I drag myself out of bed, pick up my suitcase, and get into my parent's car. Dad drives us to the airport, and I walk through the security half awake.

When we finally make it onto the plane, I fall back asleep, only waking as we begin to land. Getting off the plane is a lot more of a hassle than it was getting on, and this time I'm more awake. We make it to the hotel rooms that had been reserved for us in a cab, and I gratefully take a hot shower.

Stepping out, I wrap myself in a towel and swipe at the condensation on the mirror. Looking in, I look at my tired eyes. Fear gnaws at my stomach as I towel off, and I worry about the upcoming public hearing. Opening my suitcase, I take out my pants suit, but Mr. Pouch spits out my roll of armor, now appearing shiny and clean.

Faith was right about needing to look strong, and armor would be my best bet. I put an illusion over the armor to make it look like I'm wearing the pantsuit, and I blow-dry my hair and let my curls hang loose.

Pocketing Mr. Pouch, I leave my room to find mom and dad getting ready, too. Dad wears a suit, and Mom is in a pretty lavender dress. When we are dressed, it's noon, and we go down to a local bistro and eat a quick lunch before setting off for the capital building.

When we arrive, reporters swarm us as we are escorted into the building by big security people. We walk through large halls filled with people and flashing cameras, and I glance down to make sure that my illusion is still intact. We enter a larger room filled with important-looking people, many of who are already seated. We are shown our seats and we sit, then a pitcher of water is set in front of us as well as three glasses.

A short man in a blond suit sits down next to me and insists I shake his hand as he introduces himself as my case-appointed lawyer.

"Welcome, Ms. Yertly, and Mr. And Mrs. Yertly. Good to have you here." Says a congressman with a bad combover.

"Thank you." I say into the mic, and try to stay calm.

"Alright, let's go on ahead and get into it. Ms. Yertly, your full name is Asta Yertly, and you were born September seventeenth, two thousand two, making you eighteen years of age, correct?"

"Yes sir, that is correct." I say into the mic. He nods, and I hear flashes go off around me, reminding me how very public this is.

"Alright. Now, you were at school the day of August seventh, correct?" He asks, and I nod.

"And you were the one who responded to the armed intruder, correct?" Again, I nod.

"Please speak up, Ms. Yertly."

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me about your relationship with the intruder." He asks, and my ears go hot.

"Well, he was one of my closest friends. I knew him since elementary, and our friendship kept going all through middle and high school."

"Would you say you were romantically together?" He asks, and I can see where this is going.

"Absolutely not. I saw him like the brother I never had. He was one of my best friends." I respond quickly, trying to get rid of any idea of us being with each other.

"I see. And what happened on the morning of September sixth?" The congressman says, scratching notes onto his paper.

"That morning," I hesitate, fiddling with my fingers. "He did ask me out, and I declined him. He didn't take it well, and I told him I hoped we could be friends still, and he attempted to slap me."

The congressman nods and then writes something down. "Tell me how you disarmed him."

"I ran at him and forced his gun downwards, then punched him in the face." I pause, taking a shaky breath before contenting. "I yanked the gun from his hands and knocked him to the ground, and when he pulled out another firearm, I broke his elbow," I say, confidently, ignoring murmurs throughout the room.

"Did you sustain any injuries?" The congressman asks, smirking.

"I got hit in the forehead with one of the guns." I say, not denying getting shot.

"Were you shot?" He asks, point-blank, and I bite my tongue. There is no way to say anything without lying.

"Before you answer that, how about we show you some footage?" He says, and a screen lowers and multiple angles of me getting shot in the chest are shown, then the one shot to my forehead. The videos end, and I'm left speechless, dread coiling in my belly.

"As you can see, your shirt was shredded, and even if you were wearing a bulletproof vest, that point-blank bullet should have killed you. How is it you're in front of us, alive?" The room goes silent, and I scramble for an answer.

"I- I don't know. As he was shooting, the only thought in my mind was preventing any death."

"You didn't answer my question. Another odd happening was the bullets were pointed downwards in the floor, and not one hit anyone."

"You ask me to answer the impossible," I respond, and he scoffs.

"Fine. Let me put it this way. If you don't tell us how you managed to stay alive after being shot repeatedly, you will be charged with a large assortment of crimes, all going to keep you locked away for life. One I can list right off the bat is accessory to attempted mass murder. I suggest you answer the question."

"Accessory to murder? Sir, you flatter me." The words escape my lips before I realize what's happening.

"Sir my client meant nothing by that, she is under a lot of pressure and is stressed, not of a completely sound mind at the moment." My lawyer says quickly, and the congressman narrows his eyes as he leans forward.

"Very well, but I expect no more of that kind of behavior from now on. Now, Ms. Yertly, please answer my question."

I have no choice. I look to mom and dad, who sit, watching me. Standing, I look at the congressman.

"Sir, when Jameson came through the doors, I had one thought in my mind. Protect everyone at all costs. I ran towards him without thinking, and I made sure the bullets didn't strike a soul. Admittedly, I took a few bullets, but better that it was me than someone else. You want to know how no one died, how I didn't die? My answer to you is magic." I say, and laughter goes out through the room. My cheeks flush red, and the congressman swipes at tears as he laughs.

My lawyer pulls at my sleeve and tries to pull me to sit down, but I resist his feeble attempts. I've made my move, played my card. There is no going back, and only one way out of this hole I've dug for myself.

"That is the funniest thing I've ever heard. Now, I suggest you stop with the jokes and tell us what the truth really is." He laughs some more, and I exhale through my nose. Dropping my illusion, I add an illusion of the horned crown I had given back. Faith said to go strong, so here it is.

"I speak the truth." I gaze around at the shocked faces in the room. "I saved the school with my own magic, and I didn't die because of the magic." I pause to glance to my parents who sit wide-eyed and frozen. I turn back to the congressman and put my chin up. "My name is Asta Yertly, and I am a child of Loki."