“Yes, Sister. You and Mausya have brought a charge of Faithlessness against me. You feel I have failed the Coven for doing exactly what you and I planned for the last four or five decades,” Senka said, her tone even, with no detectable sarcasm.

“No, Senka. We have brought a charge of Faithlessness for endangering the Coven with reckless abandon, exposing us to the world, allowing important elements of the Coven to break away, failing to prevent the most dangerous advance in technology in the history of this old world, bringing us to the attention of another world, and bringing us into conflict with an ancient race of civilization-destroying beings,” Tzao replied.

“Oh, that’s it? So the poorly kept secret of our existence was brought into the open in a manner that has allowed us to conduct our lives and missions with almost no consequences; the rogue Coven members you speak of are here to testify on my behalf, which would seem to be at odds with your idea that they have broken away; the technology you mention has seized control of the most dangerous weapons humans have yet created, thus protecting us; only one of three realms of Fairie oppose us, and only then in the most tangential way, having been beaten badly in several engagements; and an unprovoked attack by an undiscovered race of advanced beings was repeatedly beaten back by those very elements you say I’ve lost influence with,” Senka countered, ticking each counterpoint off, one by one.

Tzao’s black eyes glittered as she regarded her fellow Elder. Beside her, Mausya looked cold and distant. Tanya thought her grandmother’s reply was pretty strong, but the two elders were visibly unmoved.

“You will have several opportunities to explain yourself, but for now, let the tribunal of Patrons hear from other, less biased sources,” Tzao said, waving a hand at the five old vampires sitting in attendance.

Lison, Sun, Gault, Tan, and Tavian were arrayed at a stone table along one long wall, their pale faces dimly lit by candle sconces made from human skulls. Tzao and Mausya sat in throne-like chairs at the end of the room, with Senka standing before them. The Eldest vampire was wearing the latest Paris fashion pantsuit, in black with a burgundy shirt. She looked cool and confident. The other two wore cultural clothing choices from their own countries’ ancient histories.

The hearing chamber was deep under the streets of Paris, below the tourist-trodden catacombs, the walls covered with the bones of the dead. In fact, the two Elders’ chairs were mostly constructed of human bone.

Behind the Patrons and the Elders, Guardian vampires lined the walls, each armed with a naked sword, points grounded.

This far below ground, vampires, at least older vampires, could stay awake during daylight hours if necessary, and every vampire in the room was alert and watchful.