“Um….” I looked to Jared, who’d told me just the opposite just a few minutes before. Any caution was absent from his face. “Jared didn’t kill Isaac,” I said. My voice was soft, but firm. Even if I incriminated myself, I couldn’t let Jared take the blame for my actions.

Eli nodded, knowingly and patiently. “The actions leading to Isaac’s death are why we’re here, Nina. You may enter your argument in a moment. I assure you this will be a fair proceeding.”

“Then why do Jared and Claire seem so nervous?” I said, deliberately leaving Bex’s name out. “This doesn’t feel like a casual inquiry.”

“You’re right. It’s not. The charges against Jared are very serious. A life was lost. Archs are not allowed to kill humans to protect their Taleh. Half-Breeds are exempt from our rules, as they are half human and allowed free will. However, because Half-Breeds are privy to those rules, it is important that they not take advantage. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes,” I said, afraid to say my next words. Eli seemed to have unending patience, but I didn’t want to test it. “But…Jared didn’t kill Isaac.”

Michael’s body twitched, and he began to speak in a language so beautiful, I knew it was of Heaven. Eli interrupted.

“English, Michael. It’s polite.”

Michael sighed with frustration. “Why do you waste your time?” he said to Eli. “We don’t explain ourselves to them.”

“Patience,” Eli said simply. He looked to me, then. “All actions leading to Isaac’s death are in review. In this case, Jared revealing himself to you plays a part. Typically, we would trace to the beginning, and hold the individual responsible. In this case, the individual would be Jared’s father, Gabriel, for revealing himself to Lillian Van Buren. That action ultimately resulted in Isaac’s death. But, because Gabriel has already been judged for that action, the responsibility falls on Jared.”

I frowned, still confused.

Eli smiled in understanding. “Think of the Garden of Eden. Our Lord judges wrongs based on chain reactions. It is the way of things.”

“You mean he holds grudges,” I said.

“No,” Eli said with a small chuckle. “No, that is not what I mean. He considers the root of the problem when He makes a decision.”

“’The sins of the father’ type of thing?”

“It’s difficult to explain in human terms, Nina. The short answer is yes.”

Jared had made his choices, but being blamed for being the product of his parents’ love, and for me for the death of Donovan was unacceptable to me. He was my husband, after all. It was now my duty to protect him, as well. I stood tall. “What about me?”

Jared tensed. “Nina,” he chided.