Justice Nova stared at me for a long moment, his orange eyes flaring against dark gray scales, hands twitching. Then he glanced at his wife, who was still radiating maternal power, her wings spread and shimmering with mind-bending colors.

  Finally, his gaze settled on Cinder, whose hand and wing remained firmly wrapped around me.

  "Cassiopea...." He began.

  “No,” Cinder said sternly, reality around her bending into wobbling rainbows. “I’ve made my choice. You can accept it, or fight me over it and lose me forever, dad.”

  "Your daughter is aware of everything that’s in those files. She knows everything and she still chose me, initiating a one-way soul bond to claim me as her own," I revealed, making Anitta beam brightly while the Justice frowned.

  “Did she now?” he asked.

  “Yep, yep.” Lenny bobbed, inhaling the air right next to me. “I can smell the link, daddy! A one way kobold soul-bond. He is her property. The link is quite strong too!” She breathed in deep. “Seven soul shards! Cassie should totally be able to tell if he’s lying to her or to us. Right?”

  Cinder nodded.

  “Hrm,” the Justice let out.

  "I could have already asked Father Matthias to two-way bind us without your consent, but I am a goodly Nazarite and I came to you to seek your approval, both you... Justice Nova and you, Hearth Keeper Lady Nova.”

  I looked at Lady Nova for support.

  "I… sense incredible bravery and passion in Alexander's words," Anitta hummed, her feathers pulsing and shifting through thoughtful blues and golds as she wrapped her elongated, clawed hands around Justice Nova. "He seeks to do things properly, my love. And our little Cassie has chosen him... just as long ago, I chose you after our Arx trip, Nathy."

  As her brilliant wings thrummed against the Justice’s massive shoulder, he seemed to relax ever so slightly.

  Nathaniel exhaled slowly, his orange eyes moving between me, the folders, his wife, his son and daughters.

  "Very well," he said finally. "I will review these documents and consider your request, Alexander. But, if any of this is some kind of deception…”

  “It’s not,” I said. “I intend to fully commit to your daughter because she is my world, the Shield of my Heart.”

  Justice Nova nodded slowly, his expression softening further at my words.

  "I'll... need to make some calls," he said, standing up. "And review these files thoroughly."

  "Of course, sir," I smiled. "Take all the time you need."

  As Justice Nova left the dining room with the folders, Lady Nova beamed at me.

  "Now, who's ready for something sweet for the occasion?" she offered.

  The Nova family made various sounds of agreement.

  "So," Lance finally found his voice as his mother departed to the kitchen. "You took over an entire prison island today?"

  "Yep," I nodded. "The previous owners were quite rude about my human heritage and tried to feed me to a shark."

  "A shark?" Lance sputtered.

  "Made friends with her," I grinned. "Using the magic of AI-composed music! Made her into a Knight of my clan."

  “A move worthy of a ruthless Omnicorp CEO!” Lenny commented from my right side. “Darn sis, you really caught a good one as your ‘bold.”

  I winked at Lenny, making her giggle.

  Cinder undulated between an embarrassed and annoyed expression.

  "I see," Lance commented after a pregnant pause. He didn't understand the full picture, not like Lenora clearly could. I'd have to introduce them both to Magdaline sometime in the future.

  "And you have a death ray?" Lenora asked excitedly. “How big is it?”

  "Pretty damn big. Built by my Prima Engineer," I said. "Though currently she most likely doesn't remember building it."

  "That's so cool!" Lenora squealed. "Can I see it?"

  "Only if your parents allow you to go to Arx," I smiled.

  "Mom!" Lenora yelled to Lady Nova. "Can I visit Arx to see Alex's death ray? Pweeeease?"

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "We can discuss it after your father visits the place first," Anitta's voice carried from the kitchen.

  Cinder's wing was still wrapped around me, but her tense posture relaxed now.

  "You planned all of this, didn't you, you chuppy bastard?" she whispered in my ear, claws digging into my side.

  "Some of it," I shrugged. "Some of it was... winged. Ow, stop biting me! Look, there's delicious ice cream en route! Bite that instead!"

  Cinder let go of me, blushing furiously as Lenora broke out into more furious giggles beside us.

  The rest of dinner passed rather pleasantly, with Lenora, Lady Nova and Lance asking questions about my compounds on Earth and Arx. Finally, Justice Nova returned, his expression carefully neutral.

  "I've spoken with Father Matthias, Scrutimancer Satosh, Attorney Thornheart and the Justice Department Scruts," he announced. "And reviewed the initial documentation. While I still have concerns, I... cannot deny the validity of your claims."

  I nodded.

  "Therefore," he continued, "I will... provisionally... accept your request to court my daughter."

  Cinder's feathers exploded with violet-gold-pink joy.

  "Thank you, sir," I said solemnly. "I promise to be worthy of your trust."

  "See that you do," he replied sternly. "And about these… legal matters. Let's discuss them in my office.”

  I followed him out of the dining room, giving Cinder a reassuring smile as her wing reluctantly unwrapped from around me.

  The Justice's office was exactly what I expected - dark wood paneling, leather-bound law books, and an imposing desk with an Infix Kitlix on it. He settled into his chair and gestured for me to sit.

  "Now then," he began, spreading the folders across his desk. "Let's start with the Stratos situation. You claim to have evidence of illegal activities at their youth rehabilitation facility?"

  "Yes sir," I nodded. "Unauthorized human executions, disposal of bodies, and collaboration with known criminal elements. Scrutimancer Satosh, his daughter and others provided sworn testimony. More evidence is coming in as we're currently combing through the island."

  "And you acquired this facility through..."

  "A hostile takeover after they attempted to murder me there," I said, watching the Inflix Kitlix on his desk flash green.

  . . .

  The Judge pounded me with question after question, confirming the truth of my corporate lawsuit cases, releasing me after about two hours of an interrogation with a stack of signed documents. He did make a sneaky attempt to pry into my past which I cleverly redirected by simply saying that my identity is now under Witness Protection Program of the Nazarite Church.

  "Oh good," Lenora commented, putting down her tablet when she saw my tired face as I emerged from her dad’s office. "You're still alive."

  "Obviously," I smiled at the young Black Shuck. "Your dad is quite just and dedicated when it comes to the law. Also, I gave him a present."

  "What kind of a present?"

  "A very expensive arbalest from Arx with Void arrows," I replied. “Rated for slaying dragons!”

  “Such thoughtfulness,” Lenny nodded. “I do hope that you’ll bring me another present of great value next time we chat.”

  "What kind of a present?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

  "A conversation with you and my big sister," she let out.

  "Just... a conversation?" I asked.

  The Black Shuck slid closer to me, a dark nose sniffing my ear.

  “Mom and dad think that you and Cass have known each other since February,” she whispered. “Been good friends since the Spring End Festival, helping out in the soup kitchen and whatnot.”

  “Are you…” I whispered back, my heartbeat accelerating.

  “Don't worry. I am thoroughly bribed and on your side,” she said. “For now... I’ll let it slide, as will Lady Nova who listens to my opinion on such matters. Even if Cassie isn’t the goodest Nazarite girl that you’ve portrayed her as on Thursday, I can see that things are changing for the better. I can smell that she cares for you and holds your leash via the soul bond. The much needed shift in her character from dark rebel back to the sister we love and care for is no deception.”

  I nodded.

  “You’ve succeeded where we’ve failed,” Lenora added. “Freed her from whatever was tormenting her psyche for two years. For this, I’m incredibly grateful.”

  “You knew about the Lake Eerie incident?” I whispered back at the clever young Scrut.

  “I suspected things, smelled the wrongness looming over her like an unnerving, ever-growing shroud,” the Black Shuck sniffed. “Alas, I could not force her into anything as she does not consider my opinion important, thinks of me as a kid, a little, annoying inconvenience. Anytime we tried to help Cassie, she’d just yell that it’s none of our knob-business, pushed back against any of Hearth-mom’s or Lance’s attempts at soft diplomacy. I was worried bout her, becoming quite desperate to resolve the escalating problem, even considered involving my Prima mom.”

  “Thanks for not involving Lady Xastigar,” I said.

  “As far as I sniffed ahead, it wouldn’t have helped much,” she said. “I will of course expect a full explanation from you both. That's my only request.”

  “Then you shall have it,” I said. “I’ll talk to Cass and all three of us can chat about it. I promise to treat you like an adult and a trusted friend, tell you everything. Sounds good?”

  “Thank you,” Lenora hugged me tightly, her eyes sparkling with pinpricks of tears. “Thank you… ever so much for bringing my lost sister back. Thank you for doing what I could not.”

  “Thanks for being on my side, princess,” I hugged her back.

  Lenny was a good kid. Scrutimancy was a heavy burden for her to bear, the power to sniff the truth in every word and action influencing her far more than I had initially suspected.

  "So… did dad sign all your stuff?" Cinder asked as she came out of the kitchen.

  "Yep," I nodded.

  She relaxed, drawing me into her embrace. "It's getting late. Wanna head to my room?"

  I raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the direction of her parents.

  "They won't say shit," she said. "You told them about the soul-bond. In their eyes we're pretty much dating now."

  "Better ask your mom just to confirm," I said. "She's still the boss of this house."

  Cinder rolled her eyes but called out, "Mom! Can Alex stay in my room?"

  "Of course, starshine!" Lady Nova's voice carried from somewhere in the house.

  "Thanks mom!" Cinder called back, then grabbed my hand and practically dragged me upstairs.

  Lenora looked up from her tablet with a thankful look as we departed.