Shadow

by Christi J. Whitney

  I glared at Quentin. ‘What’s going on?’

  Nicolas shook his head. ‘It’s not your time to speak, Sebastian Grey.’

  A Marksman raised his fist, ready to emphasize Nicolas’ words with a punch to my face, but Quentin’s sharp command prevented the blow. The bandoleer pushed back his chair and rose with a solemn air. Everyone fell silent as his gaze traveled around the circle.

  ‘We’ve called this kris because what happened tonight affects the entire clan – and not just us, but everyone in our kumpania.’

  I looked around the tent. Had there been another chimera attack while I was gone? Sweat prickled my scalp and forged a trail past my eye. I wanted to brush it away, but my hands were bound so tight that my fingers were numb.

  Nicolas nodded to the gray-haired man to his right. ‘Leo, as you are the appointed head of the court, I turn the proceedings over to you.’

  The old man stood with a wrinkled frown; his lips as stiff as the thin ponytail at the nape of his neck. ‘As krisnitori, it is my duty to remind you all that the purpose of this kris is to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. Anyone may step forward to give an account of either of the events that have occurred or to provide other information that is relevant to this trial.’

  Trial?

  ‘Nicolas,’ I called out. I saw a Marksmen’s fist in my peripheral. I ducked with a snarl. ‘I demand to know why I’m here.’

  Leo’s head snapped around with a speed belying his age. ‘You will speak only when directed to, gargoyle!’

  ‘I have the right to—’

  ‘You have no rights in this court,’ Andre said coldly from his end of the table.

  There was a shift of emotion in the crowd, followed by a round of murmurs.

  Quentin leaned over, shifting his gaze to the old man and then back to me. ‘Leo,’ he said in a voice like an oil slick. ‘For the benefit of the court … and the accused, of course … why don’t you state the accusation?’

  ‘Very well,’ said Leo with narrowed eyes. ‘Sebastian Grey, you are on trial for the murder of Karl Corsi.’

  It was like being punched in the stomach. The air whooshed from my lungs, and I slumped against the chains. The crowd clamored and yelled, but the blood pounding in my ears was so loud I barely heard them.

  Karl was dead? Why? How? I struggled to right myself, to focus. He’d been the first to show kindness to me, to help me. He’d been my friend.

  How could someone take his life?

  ‘No,’ said Josephine. I looked up through blurry eyes as she escaped from her brother’s grasp and approached the table. ‘That’s not possible. Sebastian was with me all day.’

  Quentin’s jaw set like steel, and he went rigid in his chair.

  Nicolas turned to his daughter, his face collected, steady. ‘We’ll cover the details in time, Josephine. Go back to your place.’

  She seemed caught between speaking in my defense and obeying her father’s instructions. I could feel the smothering authority of the council as much as she did. Josephine nodded stiffly and allowed Francis to guide her back.

  ‘Well?’ said Leo, his attention back to me. ‘What’s your plea?’

  ‘I didn’t kill him.’

  The crowd shouted around me as though they wanted to drive a diamond pitchfork into my heart.

  ‘Silence!’ thundered Leo. The noise dulled to a low mutter. ‘The court needs to know exactly what happened,’ he continued. ‘Who found the body?’

  ‘I did,’ said a voice from the far end.

  Alcie stepped from the crowd, her large earrings jangling against her neck and her too-bright make-up caked in her leathery face. She avoided my stare.

  Leo returned to his seat and propped his elbows on the table. ‘Tell the court how you made the discovery.’

  The old woman wrapped her sweater around her thin frame and shuddered. ‘Karl wasn’t at dinner tonight, so I made him a plate, like I do sometimes, and I went to his trailer. He didn’t answer when I knocked, but the door was unlocked.’ She paused, flicking her eyes in my direction, and she made a sign with her hands that I didn’t understand. ‘He was … lying there … on the floor, and his body was …’ She broke off, putting a hand to her mouth.

  The tense atmosphere of the circle crackled with negative energy.

  ‘Go on, Alcie,’ said Leo in a softer voice. ‘Tell us what you saw.’

  The old woman gathered herself. ‘His trailer was destroyed – furniture overturned; all his belongings strewn about, his medical supplies ripped up. And Karl … Karl’s body was …’ she faltered, shaking her head back and forth, and when she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. ‘He was torn apart.’

  The Gypsies erupted in chaos. I slumped against the pole, sick to my stomach. Leo banged on the table, bringing order back to the proceedings.

  ‘Is there anyone else who can attest to the condition of the body?’ Leo demanded.

  Stephan and Phillipe – who’d been hovering near the Romany family like a couple of guard dogs – came forward

  ‘I can,’ Phillipe said gruffly. ‘When Alcie reported what she’d seen, Nicolas sent Stephan and me to investigate. It was just like she said – debris everywhere, like there’d been a struggle. Karl’s body had sustained several deep, jagged wounds on the neck, and his chest and arms were slashed open.’

  The room reacted again, but even among all the noise, I distinctly heard Josephine’s horrified gasp. Leo banged on the table again.

  ‘And what do you think was the cause of this violent death?’ he asked.

  ‘He wasn’t killed with a weapon,’ said Stephan boldly. ‘His body was too ripped up, as if he’d been attacked by a pack of rabid dogs.’ The Marksman turned slowly, his eyes fixing on me like dagger points. ‘Or some other creature.’

  The outburst among the Gypsies rose to a frantic level. Quentin sat calmly, a pleased glint in his eyes.

  Nicolas leapt from his chair. ‘We will not jump to conclusions here! This doesn’t prove the boy is guilty of the crime!’

  Andre glared. ‘He’s not a boy, Nicolas; he’s a beast! Look at him! Who else could’ve done such a thing to Karl?’

  ‘But what would be the motive?’ questioned Brishen.

  It was the first time he’d spoken, and I looked his way. Claire, Zara, and Phoebe were in the crowd behind him, all staring at me. Francis kept close to his sister, his expression eerily blank. Josephine’s eyes bored into mine – pleading, questioning.

  Doubting?

  I strained against the chains, fighting to control my rising anger. I couldn’t freak out. Not here, of all places. I drew in a deep, calming breath. ‘There wasn’t a motive because I didn’t kill him. I could never do something like that.’

  A gloved fist smashed into my jaw, sending a shower of stars across my vision. The force was enough make my knees wobble.

  ‘You lie!’ yelled Phillipe. ‘I saw you take out that chimera behind Karl’s trailer.’

  ‘Yes, he did,’ Nicolas interjected. ‘Because he was protecting our camp. What does that have to do with this trial?’

  ‘It shows what that creature is capable of, Nicolas.’ The Marksman advanced with confident strides. ‘You saw him that night. You saw what he did.’

  The room had gone strangely still.

  ‘He defended us,’ said Francis suddenly.

  ‘Maybe he did,’ said Stephan with a sharp glance. ‘But that’s not the point. What this gargoyle did to the chimera; the wounds he inflicted … Karl’s body had the same marks. The cause of death was identical.’

  The Gypsies burst into heated arguments.

  ‘But I wasn’t in the camp today,’ I shouted over them.

  ‘Karl was dead long before Alcie found him,’ snapped Phillipe. ‘Whoever murdered him did it last night.’

  Last night.

  I’d been in my trailer alone.

  All night.

  Oh, God.

  I was being framed.

&nbs
p; ‘It wasn’t me!’ I cried out, struggling against my bonds. I looked desperately at the Gypsies I’d befriended during the last few weeks. ‘I didn’t kill Karl! You know me. You know I would never do anything like this!’ No one moved. ‘Nicolas,’ I pleaded, ‘I had no reason to kill Karl. He helped me. He was my friend.’

  The murmuring tapered off while I spoke, and every eye fixated on me. My nerves felt like they’d been strung across a gorge. Karl was dead, and I was being blamed for it. And Josephine hadn’t looked at me – not since Phillipe had compared the circus trainer’s brutal death to the chimera I’d killed with my bare hands.

  ‘I think I can shed some light on a possible motive for this crime,’ said Quentin smoothly. The Marksman’s chiseled face was a mask of professionalism.

  Leo nodded. ‘Please, share it with the court.’

  ‘It’s not my place to accuse Sebastian Grey of Karl’s murder.’ His gaze traveled around the circle. ‘But as leader of the Marksmen, I’ve sworn to protect this clan. It’s my responsibility to present any information that might serve to explain this tragedy.’

  ‘What information?’ Francis demanded in a venomous voice.

  Nicolas silenced his son with a hard look.

  ‘When I returned home tonight and heard the reports,’ Quentin continued, ‘I went to examine Karl’s trailer for myself. You’ve already heard that his home was torn apart. And that’s true. But the destruction wasn’t random.’ Quentin brought his piercing gaze back to the table. ‘Karl’s books were missing.’

  Leo frowned. ‘What would someone want with those?’

  Quentin looked at the bandoleer pointedly. ‘Karl Corsi had the most extensive collection of the Roma’s written histories and lore,’ Nicolas replied. ‘And, since our people write down so little of our ways, he was a valuable resource.’

  ‘And isn’t that why you had him join our clan?’ Quentin asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Nicolas admitted.

  Quentin rose and walked towards me, but his dark eyes remained focused on the bandoleer. ‘Karl also had books about the shadow world, didn’t he?’ The Marksman gestured to me. ‘He knew what these beasts were capable of.’

  ‘Karl and I have discussed the research he was doing on the Old Clans and the origins of the shadowen,’ said Nicolas, his eyes glittering dangerously. ‘But I can’t say I know the extent of his knowledge.’

  ‘That’s the problem,’ Quentin replied. ‘No one did. But it appears his research had been quite fruitful as of late. In fact, the Marksmen I assigned to watch your home last night overheard bits of a conversation between Karl and the gargoyle, just after nine o’clock.’ Quentin leaned against the back of his chair. ‘Isn’t this true, Henrik?’

  A short, thick-shouldered man stepped from the contingent of Marksmen surrounding me: one of the two guards I’d seen posted outside the Romany trailer. He nodded at Quentin. ‘Yeah, it’s true.’

  ‘And what did you hear?’ questioned Leo.

  ‘Karl was talking about some books he had about shadow creatures,’ Henrik answered with a smug look on his bearded face. ‘Something about knowing how to control the beasts. I didn’t hear more than that, because they moved away, but I can tell you one thing,’ Henrik’s cold eyes shifted to me, ‘the demon didn’t look too happy.’

  Quentin’s voice slid through the room like heated mercury. ‘No Roma would attack another of Gypsy blood without just cause. That’s our strictest law. But shadowen are not Roma, nor are they human. They have been our enemies since their creation. We’ve witnessed their bloodthirsty nature. And yet, we’ve allowed one into the heart of our camp. Now the one man with the most knowledge of shadowen lore – their abilities and powers, but most importantly, their weaknesses – that man is dead, and his personal effects are gone.’ Quentin turned on his heel and pointed at me. ‘What have you to say to that, gargoyle?’

  A growl burst from my throat. ‘I didn’t do it!’

  Quentin smiled at my reaction. Shouts for justice pinged across the tent like machine gun fire. It didn’t matter what I said. The crowd had made up their mind long before I’d been dragged in front of the kris.

  The men at the table bent their heads together in deep discussion among the chaos. The tension in the room was suffocating, and the crowd felt like an angry mob, ready to riot. I stared into the faces of the Gypsies – some had accepted me, others tolerated my presence, and some had expressed nothing but disgust from the beginning. Now, it seemed my list of friends had dwindled.

  My visual circuit of the room ended with the Romany family. Sabina and Francis barely moved. The resolute set of their shoulders was nearly identical. Fierce anger blazed in Francis’ eyes. Josephine clenched her hands in front of her, the knuckles white. Her tanned face was unusually strained, and her eyes were downcast, as if she couldn’t look at me anymore. And after what she’d witnessed from me earlier tonight, I couldn’t blame her.

  She’d seen me lose control.

  She knew exactly what I could do.

  At last, the leaders came apart. Leo took up a large black stone that had been sitting on the middle of the table. All eyes turned to him, and the room went very still. The krisnitori held the stone in the palm of his hand.

  ‘Sebastian Grey,’ he began slowly, ‘you’ve been charged with the murder of Karl Corsi. You will now listen to the verdict of this court.’

  Andre leaned over, placing his hand atop the stone. ‘I’ve seen the power of this creature in action, and I have no doubt that he’s capable of this crime. Therefore, I announce his guilt and call for justice.’

  A mumble went through the crowd, and I stared in shock at the man whose life I’d saved. If he was so quick to convict me, what could I hope from the others? A dark, terrible despair slithered through my chest.

  Brishen rose as he set his hand atop Andre’s. ‘Let’s not confuse the capacity to commit a crime with the execution of the crime.’ His solemn gaze roamed the tent. ‘When this gargoyle first arrived, I felt like many of you. I didn’t trust him. I even feared him. It’s how we’ve been taught to regard shadowen. But we’re not talking about grotesques or chimeras or the shadow world. We’re talking about Sebastian. And I don’t believe this boy, no matter what he is, would intentionally kill a Roma for his own gain. Therefore, I announce his innocence and call for acquittal.’

  It was the most I’d ever heard Brishen speak, and he defended me with the eloquence of an orator. Francis nodded in fierce agreement behind him, though the others continued to avoid making eye contact with me.

  Nicolas Romany took his turn next. I knew that as bandoleer Nicolas’ words held greater weight than anyone. He drew his shoulders back and placed his hand over the others, and he spoke out with a voice that was calm and authoritative.

  ‘It was my decision to bring Sebastian Grey into our clan, and I stand by that decision. Things are changing among the Outcasts. The feuds and divisions we sought to escape so many years ago have seeped into our clans. We must be prepared for whatever lurks on the horizon. This gargoyle was given to us for a reason, and I’m not willing to throw away something that may prove to be beneficial to the clan.’ His eyes settled on me. ‘Therefore, I announce his innocence and call for acquittal.’

  I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Maybe Nicolas still thought of me as a servile creature, but I was important to him.

  Leo placed his hand over Nicolas. His wrinkled face hardened. ‘I don’t know this creature as well as others. But that makes no difference. I have listened to the reports and I find the evidence and the witness accounts too compelling to dismiss. Since there are no other suspects in this case, I therefore announce his guilt and call for justice.’

  Two innocent verdicts. Two guilty.

  One judge remained.

  Quentin Marks.

  All eyes turned to the Marksman. A wave of anticipation rippled through the tent. The heat burning in my chest was nearly unbearable. So it came down to this. The man who hated
me most was in charge of my fate. He placed his hand over the others.

  ‘I’ve fought my share of shadow creatures,’ he said, ‘and I’m familiar with their methods of killing. This gargoyle was aware of Karl’s knowledge of the shadow world, and I believe there’s something he doesn’t want us to know about his kind. The question is, would he be willing to kill Karl to keep that information from us?’ The Gypsies in the circle whispered among themselves. Quentin let his question hang in the air for several moments before continuing. ‘I can’t prove that this creature committed the crime. But I can’t disprove it, either. Therefore, I’m withdrawing my verdict. I refuse to vote, one way or the other.’

  The other men at the table turned stunned eyes to Quentin. He sat back in his chair, his face devoid of all emotion, but I caught the corner of his mouth turn up, ever so slightly, as he met my gaze.

  ‘You have to render a verdict,’ said Leo.

  Quentin didn’t take his eyes from me. ‘No, I don’t.’

  ‘Well,’ said the krisnitori. ‘Then it seems the council is divided.’

  24. Veiled Revelations

  For one brief instant, no one breathed. Then the room exploded. The Gypsies’ fierce anger slapped me in the face. Everything I’d done, the efforts I’d made – crushed under the weight of their fury. Marksmen surrounded me, their weapons drawn. Leo banged on the table with the stone, trying to regain order.

  ‘You’ve heard the decision of the council,’ Leo shouted over the crowd.

  ‘Where’s justice for Karl?’ yelled a voice.

  Others took up the cry, demanding something be done with me. A hung jury wasn’t enough for them. I was the enemy now. I lowered my head, emotionally numb. Whatever protests I had left fizzled on my lips.

  Nicolas’ booming voice cut through the tumult. ‘Everyone knows the law. If a decision can’t be made by the kris, then it must be taken up in a higher court.’

  Heavy solemnity descended on the group, and several members made strange signs with their fingers. Nicolas flicked his eyes to Leo, and the old man nodded.