Merlin looked in my direction. “She makes it sound so factual.”
“All I hear is the sound of someone hypocritical.” I addressed the court. “Lenore gave her sister and Merlin the chance to overcome Pure Magic Disease and they succeeded. As a result, they have gone on to do great services for their realms. To not give me the same chance would be unfair.”
“Godmother Supreme,” Mr. Shewd said. “How long did it take Merlin to master his abilities?”
“Pure Magic is always growing, Zachary,” Lenore answered dryly. “Merlin has probably developed a far greater range of ability with his invisibility magic since the last time I saw him.”
“Well, then how long did you work with him before you felt confident he would not turn dark?” asked another ambassador, whose nameplate read Elliot Lunus.
“Five years,” Lenore responded. Then her eyes darted to me, a glint of wickedness reflected within them. “Merlin,” she said, though she kept eye contact with me. “How many people did you kill or injure during those five years as a result of losing control of your magic and crossing the Malice Line?”
Merlin paused a moment. “None,” he admitted.
“And, Crisanta, how many years have you been using your magic?” Lenore asked.
“I’ve had it for about ten and a half years,” I replied. “My actual godmother, Emma Carrington, gifted me with a spark when I turned seven.”
“I didn’t ask when you received your magic, I asked how long you’ve been using it.” Her voice grew louder as she addressed the room. “Dormant magic is not a threat. It’s only when the carrier begins to actively use his or her abilities that the powers start to develop. This is especially true with Pure Magic. Harnessing it by choice triggers the disease like a wake-up call. So I ask again, Crisanta, how long have you been using your abilities?”
“About six months,” I admitted reluctantly. “I started to harness it actively in December.”
“And how many people have you killed or hurt in that time as a result of crossing the Malice Line with your powers?”
“I . . .” My face flushed.
“Lost track?” Lenore said patronizingly. “Allow me to remind you. Granted, it is not a complete account. I can only report on what has been witnessed in Book. But I saw you drain the life energy of several dozen antagonists on the night of the Vicennalia Aurora—sucking them dry to the point of collapse. You lost control of your magic and nearly killed one of your own instructors at school mere weeks ago. And let us not forget the magic hunter you murdered in cold blood at Lady Agnue’s that same evening.”
“Godmother Supreme,” Susannah interrupted. “There’s more to the story than you imply. Madame Alexanders was responsible for a plot to kidnap Crisanta. And that magic hunter tried to kill her as well.”
“Merlin,” Lenore said instead of responding to Susannah directly. “How many times have people tried to kill you over the years?”
“Too many to count,” he stated bluntly. “I’m a fun target.”
“And how many times did you specifically kill someone in retaliation using your magical abilities?”
“Well, technically none. I sneak up on people with my powers of invisibility all the time, but it’s just a tactic to get close to them. To avoid crossing the Malice Line, I do the actual offing with weapons or potions, not magic.”
“Exactly,” Lenore said. “The same goes for my sister. Merlin and Liza have never used their magic to directly harm others. And they’ve had their abilities for decades. Crisanta has crossed the Malice Line countless times and has only been using her magic for six months. That is cause for alarm.”
Lenore and I had a silent staring match before another ambassador, Mr. Luther Pintz, spoke up. “Perhaps now would be a good time to bring in a character witness.”
“Agreed,” Ambassador Steinglass said. She pressed a button on her desk. “Sir Donner, please send in the first witness.”
Seconds later, the doors opened and my headmistress was escorted in by a guard. Lady Agnue entered with her head held high, chin up, and shoulders back—just like she’d always instructed her students to do. A small shiver of nerves snuck up my spine as she approached. She said she would testify on my behalf. Now was the moment of truth. Would the woman I’d been at odds with for years come through for me, or had I placed my trust in the wrong person?
Lenore took the ring off her finger, causing it to transform into a wand in the same way my wandpin morphed when I commanded it. She waved the wand and in a flash of raspberry sparks, an elevated chair on a platform appeared across from me. Lady Agnue mounted the steps and sat in the chair. It was angled in such a way that she could look at both the council and me.
“Merlin,” Lenore stated. “Not that your presence hasn’t been riveting, but please step back now. It is not your show anymore.”
Merlin glanced at me and I gave him a nod to let him know it was okay. He acquiesced and joined my friends on the benches.
“All witnesses have already been sworn in by the Book of Bindings,” Mr. Lunus announced. “Lady Cornwallace Agnue, you have been the headmistress of Lady Agnue’s School for Princesses & Other Female Protagonists for fifteen years, have you not?”
“I have,” Lady Agnue responded.
“And Crisanta Knight has been a student of yours for over six of those years?”
“She is completing her seventh term now,” Lady Agnue replied.
“Fellow council,” Lunus addressed the jury. “Students of Lady Agnue’s and Lord Channing’s spend the majority of the year on campus, with the exception of a few weeks for winter break, spring break, and summer vacation. I argue that as a result, the headmasters and instructors of said schools not only know the students very well by the time they reach the end of their education, but the staff also has the clearest insight about what type of protagonist each student will become. With this in mind, Lady Agnue, what is your honest opinion of Crisanta Knight?”
Oh boy.
“Crisanta Knight is probably the student that has caused me the most grief in all my years of academia,” Lady Agnue responded carefully. “She is extremely defiant, bold at the expense of those in authority, and unabashedly sharp-tongued.”
I gulped.
“However, one does not describe roses by their thorns alone.” My headmistress met my eyes briefly. “While I might not be fond of Crisanta, and she has certainly made my life more difficult over the years, I would not be fulfilling my pact of honesty if I did not also note the goodness in her qualities. Crisanta’s defiance makes her strong enough to fight against obstacles, including formidable ones like Pure Magic. Her boldness allows her to shine in the face of adversity like that posed by antagonists. And her sharp-tongue is merely an extension of her intelligence and ability to speak her mind confidently, which someone who is presently in line for the throne of a kingdom requires. Overall, while she is a bit of a troublemaker, a bit mischievous, and a bit annoying, her character does not make her a bad person. And I do not believe that she has it in her to become one either, magic or not.”
“Cornwallace,” Lenore said, slightly agitated and sharp as if in warning. “You are sugarcoating. We both know that you have personally been at odds with Crisanta many times. You once told me that you wished you could personally send her to Alderon.”
“That is correct, Lena,” Lady Agnue replied, giving the Godmother Supreme a stern look. “But people sometimes have trouble seeing past their own agendas to appreciate the big picture.”
Lady Agnue took a deep breath.
Oh, here we go. Is she gonna do it?
“Esteemed ambassadors and Godmothers,” Lady Agnue began. “I have worked closely with the Godmother Supreme for many years and have known her to be a sound-minded, tactful head of this realm who has guarded it with great passion and hard work. However, I believe her personal dislike of Crisanta and her obsession with order over all else has hindered her ability as a leader in recent times. Unlike the greater populace,
the people gathered in this room know the extent of the dangers with the commons rebellion and the antagonist plot. The Godmother Supreme’s focus on prosecuting one teenage princess for the theoretical threat she poses, instead of strategizing to combat menaces that pose a real, present-day danger, is foolish. As the court decides on what to do with Miss Knight, I encourage them to take this, as well as their greater priorities, into account, as I have.”
Hot dang. I couldn’t have scripted anything better.
“Uh, are there any other questions for Lady Agnue?” a startled Ambassador Steinglass asked the court.
“I have one,” a petite brunette woman called Ambassador Nathan said, raising her hand. “Lady Agnue, are you afraid of Crisanta Knight?”
Lady Agnue looked puzzled. “I am sorry?”
“Are you afraid of Crisanta Knight?” Ambassador Nathan repeated. “You sit here, arguing about the supposed shortsightedness of our respected Godmother Supreme and asserting Crisanta Knight’s good qualities. But we are not here to decide whether or not the Godmother Supreme is handling her job appropriately or to decide whether or not Crisanta Knight is a good person. We are here to ascertain if she is too dangerous to roam free.
“All of the Fairy Godmothers who contracted Pure Magic Disease were good people. The approval process for becoming a Godmother is extremely strict and rigorous for the precise reason that this realm cannot trust just anybody with powerful magic. The chosen few have to be the best of the best and yet, despite their goodness, those GodParents—those crème of the crop examples of model character—were corrupted by Pure Magic and became too much of a threat to continue living freely in the realm. So I ask you a third time, Lady Agnue, are you afraid of Crisanta Knight?”
My headmistress gave me a look as she paused. This one was full of regret and sadness. Her face sagged as she voiced the truth. “Yes.”
“And you, Sir Merlin,” Ambassador Nathan called. “Are you, for all your showmanship arriving at Crisanta’s defense, afraid of her?”
Merlin’s expression was pained. He stood and opened his mouth to answer, but I held up my hand.
“The answer is yes,” I said bluntly. I rotated toward the assembly with complete conviction. “He is wary of what I can do, just like I know most people are. Speaking honestly, I’m afraid of me too. To not be would be naïve and immature, neither of which I am anymore.”
I took a breath and let resolve pour out in my words. “Power and strength to any degree should inspire a bit of fear in the person who holds them. That fear reminds us of what’s important, and it teaches us to be careful, humble, and proceed with respect for what we’ve been given. Without fear, we get cocky and complacent, and we are more prone to abusing our power or losing compassion for those without it. I know that as surely as I know that I would never use mine to hurt innocent people.”
“So you are fine with using your abilities to hurt those who aren’t innocent?” Ambassador Nathan asked.
This was the big question. The question about the morality of taking life that I had been evading for a long time now. I couldn’t duck it anymore.
“Not necessarily . . .” I replied. “In the examples the Godmother Supreme gave I was using my powers in self-defense. I would have died if my magic had not protected me. So do I believe killing people in general is wrong? Yes. But do I believe the magic hunter I killed deserved what he got and that it was the only way out of the situation? Also yes. You can judge me for that if you like, but you also have to ask yourself if you were in a similar life- or-death situation, would you have done any differently?”
“I wouldn’t have.” Blue abruptly stood from her bench and addressed the room. “Most of us wouldn’t have,” she added, gesturing to my allies.
“Ladies and gentleman, Blue Dieda,” Susannah said. “She is in your files as well. Blue, you’re not being asked to testify. Please sit down.”
“I will in a minute,” she responded curtly. “This Ambassador Nathan woman and the Godmother Supreme have redirected the conversation twice to get back to the point of the trial, and someone needs to do it again now. Crisa isn’t on trial for killing a magic hunter. If anyone actually cared about that, she would’ve been arrested right after the fact. She killed a bad guy. I’ve killed bad guys; most of the people on this bench have killed bad guys, and the realm is cool with that. In fact, Lord Channing’s literally requires students to kill a bad guy as a prerequisite for graduation. So stop pretending like destroying an antagonist is a special situation for Crisa. Like she said, it was an act of self-defense. Pure Magic or not, that’s what it was. So unless you want to change your heroes-kill-bad-guys values, the matter has no consequence today. It can’t be a contributing factor as to how you view Crisa and decide her fate. That’s a double standard.”
Blue sat back down on the bench dramatically. “Now I’m done.”
“I believe Miss Dieda is right,” a redheaded male ambassador called Hayward said. “Given the circumstances of why that hunter was killed and our own realm morals for how heroes are traditionally encouraged to deal with villains, I move that we strike the magic hunter incident from the final tabulation of Princess Knight’s fate.”
“I second the motion,” Susannah said. “All in favor, please raise their hands.”
There was hesitation at first, but soon various ambassadors and Godmothers across the room raised their hands.
“The motion has passed,” Susannah announced. “That leaves two witnesses on our list. Send the next one in. Lady Agnue, you may step down.”
My headmistress dismounted her perch and began to exit the room. As she headed out, another witness entered. Lady Agnue stepped to the side in surprise. The hairs on my arms stood on end.
It was Madame Alexanders! My former professor had her hands shackled and was being escorted to the witness stand by a guard on either side. She shot me a venomous look.
“You told me she was sent to Alderon,” I said to Lady Agnue, who still stood shocked in the doorway watching her former employee.
“That was the official report,” Lenore replied on my headmistress’s behalf as Madame Alexanders settled in the chair. “My team actually had her moved to a holding cell at our headquarters until this morning.”
“And you’re calling her as a witness? What, were the Pied Piper and Goldilocks busy?”
“Your professor is a key witness because she spent months studying you and becoming familiar with your Pure Magic,” Lenore said. “Outside of your friends, who are biased, she is one of the only eye-witnesses who can describe an instance when you lost control of your powers. Ambassador Steinglass, would you like to proceed with questioning?”
“Madame Grace Mae Alexanders,” Ambassador Steinglass began. “How long did you spend plotting to have Crisanta kidnapped?”
“Since winter break of this term,” Madame Alexanders replied.
“And why did your first attempt fail?”
“Crisanta’s Pure Magic.” She eyed me bitterly. Her face had lost all its color and her eyes all their sparkle. She looked thinner, meaner, and like she wished I would burst into flames. “Poppies are supposed to drain life energy from anyone who touches them. However, Crisa’s magic is powerful enough to overcome the effects, and most Poppy Potions as a result.”
“So what you’re saying is that she is exceedingly powerful,” Ambassador Steinglass reiterated.
“Did I stutter?” Madame Alexanders said dryly. “Yes. She is powerful. I would not be here right now if not for that. Godmothers and genies have never had the ability to generate life energy the way she does. What Crisanta Knight can do puts her in a position of power higher than any other known being in our realm. I do not know why you have me restrained when she is the one you should be worried about.”
“Maybe it’s because I don’t spend my free time psychotically manipulating students and working with villains.” I rolled my eyes. “Lenore, come on. This is beneath even you. You’re counting the testimony of a crazy, evi
l teacher?”
“Princess Knight,” Ambassador Lunus said. “All witnesses were brought in by the Godmother Supreme for a reason and have been approved by the Godmother high council members who are present, and our assembly of ambassadors. We would like to finish hearing what she has to say.”
I bit my lip in frustration but waved my hand for them to continue.
“Madame Alexanders,” Ambassador Steinglass went on. “Can you describe what you saw on the night of Saturday, May 16—specifically how Princess Knight’s Pure Magic manifested.”
Until this moment my former professor’s expression had been decorated with malice; now though, as she recalled the event, I saw fear surface. “It was terrible,” she said, eyes slightly glazed over. There was no animosity in her voice, just honesty.
“It seemed like my potion was working, but then her magic fought back and she was consumed by Magic Instinct. The girl I had taught for years was not there anymore. I did not know who the monster was in her place, but she was cold, swift, and merciless. She attacked and showed no restraint. The magic was gold at first, but then became streaked with gray and black. Her eyes fluctuated the same way—glowing gold then flashing between gray and black. She was unmoved by my pleas. And when she took the life from that hunter . . . The energy literally came out of him like a vapor and he fell to the floor like an empty husk. It was, without a doubt, the most vicious thing I have ever seen.”
“What happened next?” Ambassador Steinglass probed.
“Crisanta regained control of her magic and prevented her powers from killing me too.”
The ambassadors nodded and murmured to each other. Their whispers made me nervous. My professor’s testimony had been convincing and unsettling.
Into the Gray Page 21