The first sound was the breath she hadn’t taken.

A dry, broken gasp—like stone scraping against stone—dragged itself from Ana’s
throat as awareness clawed its way back into her shattered body. The taste of blood
lingered on her tongue, stale and bitter, remnants of both pain and prophecy.

She didn’t move. Not yet. Her limbs twitched beneath her like someone waking in a
coffin. But her voice—her voice still worked.

Cracked. Cold. Clear.

“Hello, Archon. Arthur. Welcome to the shitshow."

A pained groan escapes her lips. She should be dead. Not... this.

"So, I was not killed after all. Well then, let me tell you what I *should* say.
What I *must* say, as required by my duty to Justicar Juliet Parr.”

She took an unnecessary breath. And then she began.

“I should say that by the Traditions… by the ancient rights of our sect… and by my
place as Agent and Most Favored Direct Protégé of Justicar Juliet Parr…”

Her ruined lips parted further, breath catching around each syllable.

“…I invoke my right to stand trial under the authority of my Justicar, and my
Justicar alone. Because—”

A pause. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as her body convulsed once,
fingers curling like a dead spider’s before going still again.

“I should accuse Prince Jessika Drake of treason against the city of New York—and
possibly treason against the Camarilla itself.”

Another pause, then:

“And by proxy, Justine is complicit in this treason, having stood beside the words
Prince Drake spoke without hesitation. She affirmed them during and after the
altercation.”

Yes. Ana had heard it all, even as consciousness slipped from her. They wouldn’t
have known that was possible—barely—but it was. Maybe they hadn’t endured what she
just had. Or maybe their own hubris blinded them.

“For placing the Hecata at great risk by possibly knowingly facilitating—or

intending to facilitate—a breach of Elysium. A potential breach done, while Elysium
was in the charge of her Keeper, not herself, by her own acknowledgment and words.”

There was no hysteria in her tone—only grim, rattled truth, laced with fury and
madness. But madness was not always a lie. The mad often spoke truer than the sane.

“For trying to shame me into silence for a report on the matter, intended for the
Justicar—one that should have been willingly explained, clarified, and fully
investigated—regarding the Prince’s potential complicity in allowing a Thin-Blood
Baron to possess weapons in Elysium. During peace talks, no less. A desecration of
the sacred customs of Elysium and its time-honored rules. I, a sworn Camarilla
agent reporting directly to Juliet Parr, willingly showed her the draft for this
report, placing it first into the hands of Justine. I did this out of love and
respect—for my coterie, this domain, and despite risk to myself. Offering her to
help me correct the information on the situation for the Justicar was not an
attempt to bring her into a conspiracy, but to shape the unknown into facts, not
speculation.I have told her this. She rejects it.”

“For allowing that same Thin-Blood—a known killer of high-profile Kindred—to

threaten her publicly in front of multiple witnesses, asserting leverage over the
Prince, thus compromising the integrity and security of Elysium.”

“For accusing me of violating my duty as Keeper in order to potentially obscure and

facilitate that breach, all while not lawfully reclaiming control of Elysium in a
formal declaration, at the time, which would have given her power to do such. She
admitted, later, that she *would have* allowed it, had she known… despite the
Hecata not being the enemy, but a victim of the very sect Prince Drake tried to
provide a shield for by providing them with allowance no other Kindred had been
provided, thus far.”

“For declaring my loyalty to Justicar Parr to be a danger—to herself, to this

domain, and by extension, to the Camarilla.”

“For suggesting that Montano stands above a Justicar.”

“For threatening consequences against me for fulfilling my duty to OUR Justicar—one

she was fully aware of before finalizing my appointment as Keeper. I told her who
and what I was, months ago, myself, as a gesture of trust.”

“For claiming that Juliet Parr is unjust in her judgments—though she knows nothing
of the Justicar save her own paranoia—and for suggesting that contact with my
Justicar makes me dangerous and untrustworthy.”

“For threatening to abandon the Camarilla altogether simply out of dissatisfaction

with the prior Praxis. You, yourself, Archon... likely the soul reason she did not
walk away. I would even dare to say you physically stopped her, and are the only
reason she decided not to abandon us all and instead take up Praxis. That is not
loyalty. That is thinking you have a Demi-God on your side and that it makes you
unaccountable.”

She coughed. Something in her chest cracked again—but the words kept coming,
relentless.

“Additionally, I should now invoke the Right of Safe Passage, an ancient custom of
Elysium—protecting travel to and from the Elysium grounds—to a location of my
choosing, until the Justicar arrives and justice is rendered. For myself… and for
Prince Drake and Seneschal Justine, alike, whose complicity was made clear in this
affair.”

She opened her eyes—those beautiful, haunted eyes she once carried.

One was still blue.

The other—busted, bloodshot.

“I *could* say that I acknowledge wrongdoing in this room. But I will not speak of
it—of what it was, or what it wasn’t—except to my Justicar. Because what happened
here was provoked. Engineered to shift blame. To justify their own words. And
potentially, provocation was returned... and met with brutal, but understandable,
force.”

“I should say that Justicar Juliet Parr, by right, shall be my only judge. Unless
the Inner Council deems a tribunal of Justicars is warranted—because of the gravity
of my claims. I am her direct protégé. While not an Archon yet—I am on the path.
She trusts me implicitly. And so should you. Until she renders judgment, all are
expected to wait. To observe the laws, customs, and rights afforded in such cases.”

“I would remind everyone that to act otherwise would be a direct challenge to her
authority, provided her by the will of the Inner Council. *THE* Camarilla.”

“I would say that until that time arrives, I will raise no hand in violence. I will
remain in a place of my choosing—under the protection of Safe Passage—until she
comes.”

“I would say that I will not remain in the den of those who tried to shame me for
doing my duty. I will not abide by conspiracies, lies, or truths twisted to suit
agendas. I will not remain in the court of a Praxis that views the Justicars as
threats instead of what they are—pillars of the Camarilla itself. To suggest that
informing Juliet Parr of events in this domain is a betrayal and is —possibly—
treason.”

She took another breath. A vow, final and fierce:

“I should say that I wish to leave this place under Elysium’s sacred custom of Safe
Passage. If I am slain—now or before Juliet Parr arrives—let it be known: it was
not justice. It was silencing. And if this domain is loyal to the Camarilla, it
will see that a trial is held. That any who facilitated my murder—Kindred, ghoul,
lover, coterie—are hunted down and brought to justice.”

Yes, this was madness unveiled.

But not a single word rang false.

She either believed every word with her whole heart—or every word was simply true.

Her eyes turned to the Archon.

“I should now say, out of respect for the laws and the trial to come, I request all
items confiscated from Lowkey be preserved, untouched, as potential evidence. This
includes my drafted report to the Justicar, all files related to the incident,
security interviews, and my personal notes. I was never informed Lowkey came to
retrieve them, nor that anyone claimed them prior to this incident.”

She turned to Eleanor, then back to the Archon. “And I believe the ghoul Eleanor
knows everything. She should be held—without access to electronics, communications,
or external contact—until the trial. She is a potential witness. Her mind contains
evidence.”

“I should say that Lowkey, and any currently present associates should be
immediately detained and staked. She must stand trial for her crimes against
Elysium, the Praxis, and by extension, the Camarilla.”

And then, Ana rose—slowly, trembling, defiant—like prophecy dragged from the grave.

“However…”

She dusted herself off as best she could, in agony.

“Because Prince Drake was *so very FUCKING wrong* about who I am—about what I am—
her accusations of betrayal cut deeper than any blade. And despite what happened
*after* her accusations, all I really wanted in that moment… was to *die.* To prove
how much all of you, and this domain, mean to me.”
She steadied her voice.

“Juliet Parr will *render the truth from me*—truth from mind, like pulled pork from
bone. If you have anything to hide… she will know. But I am required to report
threats.”

She locked eyes with each of them.

“If you do not silence me forever… and you wish to avoid what I *should* do… then I
want acknowledgment of that great wrong: the betrayal you accused me of."

"I want Lowkey and her associates immediately staked. Her communications
immediately severed. Her influence over the Prince immediately stripped, whatever
it is, and placed into the hands of someone ACTUALLY loyal to the Camarilla. Her
immediately execution—for manipulation of the Prince, attempting to hold the
Camarilla and Praxis hostage with... whatever it is she was insinuating inside of
Elysium, lying to a Keeper in their official capacities, attempted and possibly
successful breach of Elysium related to weapons, and potentially endangering
everyone inside of Elysium, because of it. Which by my count was... fifteen
individuals, including security. Roughly nine kindred, at the time, and more soon
after the meeting started.”

“They had every chance to declare their weapons. They didn’t. That alone placed all
Kindred at risk—no matter their intent. I had to uncover the truth myself, using
the very insight that earned me my role as Keeper, has been praised by many within
the domain, proven to protect the domain from multiple threats verified, and the
very FUCKING reason I am an Juliet's Protege and Agent.”

Calm now. Cold.

“Do this. Announce her crimes to the domain. Show that New York is not weak, not
easily manipulated. Be the Lasombra Prince we believed in and stood behind when
this Praxis began. Inspire unity through fear of justice, not through who kisses
the most ass and finds the best dirt to dig up or use. Be the FUCKING Lasombra
Prince that I was proudly standing beside. YOUR fucking Seer. I was the FIRST of
everyone to officially support you and lift you up for your Praxis, in that Coterie
meeting, months ago, when everyone else hesitated for a second or two..."

"I never fucking hesitated. Because I believed in you.”

“Give me this. Give the domain this. Show ever mother fucker that thinks they can
hang shit over your head, take advantage of your generosity, and try to abuse your
trust that the Camarilla will NEVER tolerate that, ever again. Then we put it
behind us.”

“No hostilities. No trial. No war. If you still want to tell yourself you can not
trust me, or I do not trust you, fine. Be mad at the things I said, that I did not
believe in, to try to encourage you to end the life of someone that felt they had
nothing left to live for anymore. Whatever. I will bear the weight of my hurtful
words, after you were the first to speak slander, and not invoke these rights and
my duty with my Justicar—out of love. For you. For this Praxis. For our coterie.
For the domain. No matter what you want to tell yourselves. But don't you ever...
ever accuse me of betraying you. I never did. I never have. Not fucking once.”

She narrowed her gaze.

“You say I seek control. That I want to control you. Control this domain. Control
others. That is has all been some sort of grand design or trick."
She shakes her head in disgust.

"That is bullshit, and you know it. Twist things however you want to make your
perceptions justified. All I want is justice. Vindication. And to ACTUALLY protect
Kindred that deserve that protection. From what should—and should *not*—be
happening here, and the night prior. From foolish mistakes that could have been
avoided, like the compromising of Elysium at the hands of mistakes made by others
AFTER I gave them months of advanced warning from visions and insight. Those very
same things that yourself, other court members, and the Justicar herself know me
for.”

“I want to believe in you, forever. My words to Justicar Parr were VERY clear in
that draft about such. I planned on trusting you until the end of time, until
tonight. But there is still time to regain that trust for us both, and rid not just
yourself but all of us of the stain that caused this whole incident. Lowkey and her
influence over you."

She makes her last plea.

"There is still time to do the right thing. If that right thing is holding who is
ACTUALLY accountable for all of this, to account, then prove that by IMMEDIATELY
doing what we all clearly know needs to be done, no matter who you think that is.
Or, if the right thing is letting Justicar Parr do what she does best, which is
finding out the truth, do that. But do SOMETHING. Do not be like all those that
came before you, because I KNOW that is not who and what you are. You said so
yourself. You are not part of the Abyss, you ARE the Abyss. Prove it.”

And now, the path was laid bare.

She looks to the Archon. "I appreciate you being here. I understand your position
and the power that you hold. I respect your opinions and authority. However, I do
also understand that you are a specific Archon for a specific Justicar. It is
because of this, and my close connection with Justicar Parr, and that this is a
specific issue for Justicar Parr herself, as has been clearly stated, that you will
hopefully forgive me for awaiting and insisting her specific judgement, due to
myself being her direct Protege. The Justicars, from my belief, do not utilize each
other's Archons, unless that Archon is specifically appointed to act on their
behalf. And I do believe, due to my twenty-five year history as her Agent and
student, she will want to handle this herself, or at the very least, with her own
people... if it should come down to needing to take that route."

They really should kill her now—and bury the truth.

Because of her eyes. Her words. She was not lying. At all. At the very least, she
did not believe she was. Could they really take the chance?