I press my fingers to my temples and try to breathe as Santi explains how there’s surveillance footage of me. How they know I was at the courtesan’s apartment, and her brother has brought it forward to The Tribunal. He doesn’t come out and say how bad this is, but he doesn’t have to. I know. This isn’t a matter of someone just disappearing. I’m linked directly to it, and that’s a problem for The Society. Outside attention on these matters does not bode well for members. Everyone knows that. The consequences for something like this will be far worse than a slap on the wrist. They could toss me in a Tribunal prison cell. Or worse yet, they could actually demand physical punishment.

I’m starting to hyperventilate when I feel Judge’s hand on my back, but it doesn’t help. Nothing is going to make this better.

“Pull over!” I screech, slapping a hand against my mouth as I start to gag.

Past the blood pulsing through my ears, drowning out the noise, I vaguely hear some muttered curses. The car comes to a halt, and Judge doesn’t even have time to help me out before I’m crawling halfway over his lap and puking out the door.

“Oh, God,” I choke out, another heave coming.

“It’s okay.” His hands hold me in place across his lap, my head hanging out over the ground as I puke again.

“Jesus,” Santi mutters. “Mercedes, are you okay?”

I can’t answer him because I’m too busy puking, but after a few minutes, it seems there’s nothing left in my stomach. I’m weak and humiliated when Judge pulls me back into the middle seat, using a handkerchief to wipe my mouth.

“We need to postpone,” he growls. “They’ll have to accept that.”

“They won’t.” Santi’s tone makes me think this has already been postponed for some time.

They start to argue, so I intervene. “It’s just the initial meeting, right?” I croak. “It will be okay. It’s not the trial. Let’s just get this part over with.”

I can feel their gazes on me, but I don’t dare look at them. I don’t want them to see the fear in my eyes.

“It’s just the initial meeting,” Santi assures me. “You’ll need to answer some questions today. That’s it.”

“Okay.” I stare ahead at Raul. “Then let’s go.”

“Mercedes, so nice of you to finally join us,” Hildebrand remarks dryly as he stares down at me from the dais in The Tribunal courtroom. Gone is his easy manner from the night we all had dinner together, and now I know I’m dealing with Councilor Hildebrand, rather than the man.