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She knew at least that much about crime and punishes for a trial to occur There were no representatives, or prosecutors, for the general public

"Ah, she is with us again" Goodwin’s face came into her view, blurred and clouded with the red haze His breath s the charges," Goodwin replied

"You?" Victoria blinked rapidly, trying to alleviate the distortion Her thoughts were scra sharp nose shining, eyes dark with loathing "My brother You killed my brother"

"Your brother? Who is your brother?" Victoria demanded "I’ve killed no one"

A loud crack sounded, a ha onto a wooden surface "Take the prisoner to Newgate I’ll arrange for the trial to be held toistrate’s voice was filled with e is inin this case"

Tomorrow?

Victoria raised her head to protest, but soainst her cheek Her head whipped up and back so hard the chair tottered

"I have no sympathy for murderesses, especially those who mutilate their victims first" Goodwin’s ale breath was hot on her face as he bent in front of her His eyes gloith triu them to pieces What did you do with your husband, Lady Rockley?"

Her cheek throbbed, and the roo wrong"

Goodwin rose upright, crowing "The proclamation of innocence--but of course You’ve used your powers and strength to do whatever you chooseand you’ll pay reco by your lovely neck, dear lady"

She would have responded again, but the black hood ca her vision As she breathed, the cloth beca, as if her need for air drew it closer and closer about her face, plastering it to her nose and eyes Victoria struggled to dislodge the hood, but so it in place

She heard the clink of chains Her arms were loosened from the back of the chair, and she fell forward, dizzy and still bound by her ankles Crashing onto the ground, she realized the ties at her wrists were no longer as tight Soainst the side of her hip, and heardin a hot, muffled breath, Victoria lurched onto her face and shoulders and, using her legs, raised the sturdy chair, snapped her heels toward the back of her head The powerful shipped the seat onto thenext to her, and she heard--and felt--it s down on theainst her

Still fighting for air, Victoria pulled at the ropes around her wrists and frantically began to jimmy her hands free Someone shouted, and she heard quick, hard movements in the room One wrist popped free and she tore at the hood and its tie

So smashed into her shoulder blades, and she fell face-first down against so warm and soft-- Goodwin, she realized The other ht lunged onto her, and he was shouting for assistance in her ear One of her arms was captured, yanked up behind her back--but the other one was safely under her, tearing at the tie at her throat until at last it caulped in fresh, clean air

And then she was ready to fight

Able to breathe, and see, she was galvanized by fury Shefast and hard The istrate tumbled back under her assault, and Victoria bent to tear the ropes froes of the chair clattered to the floor as she heard the sounds of thundering footsteps

Scra hie of the chair, and theto pull to his feet Next time she would hit the the glass with the chains hich they’d round wasn’t far below, and as she leaped through, a jagged edge of glass sliced the underside of her thigh and she heard the door slaround in a neat crouch, she sprang to her feet The fresh night air was like ae and other waste The building from which she’d escaped was on a narrow street, and if she’d jule she could have slaht sky, Victoria realized how late it was She must have been unconscious for hours, and it had taken that long for Goodwin to arrange for thebetween the driving desire to go back and destroy Goodwin and his et away If she left, they would coht into the darkness, and she saw the tall figure of Goodwin outlined He held a pistol Two of his henchht

Hesitation gone, she turned and dashed away She couldn’t fight against a bullet Shouts told her they were following, and she ran pell- onto another, and then another She realized belatedly that this was not a pleasant area of town, or one that would boast a istrate was just as corrupt as Goodwin, and that they had had topast prostitutes and drunkards, dodging carts and dogs, Victoria slowed her pace when she turned onto a dark street that was curiously eh and seemed to beam down the center of the narrow street Her vision still blurred faint red, and rage bubbled through her

And then Victoria realized that the back of her neck was abnormally cold

Which could explain why the street was e footsteps slapped to a halt behind her, and she turned to see Goodwin, and one of his lea at her