I could feel Ziva pacing inside me, feeding off the fear and tension in the room, eager to sink her teeth into the truth—or someone's throat. Either worked.

My senses heightened, as if whispers from the Moon Goddess herself drifted into my ears. Each council member was on edge. They knew something was coming. They just didn’t know how sharp it would cut.

"Let’s play a little game," I said, my voice calm and sweet, almost too calm for what was about to happen. "It’s ...