“She's all right,” Nathaniel said, but his voice was practically an admission of guilt. Eliza looked like she wanted to say something, but kept her mouth closed. “What were you doing in the library with her?”
“Just killing time,” Christa answered. “I ran into her there. Anyway, what's your plan? Because until the Jurors present a case, we can't do anything. You know that.”
“So I just sit here and wait?” Nathaniel asked. He looked haggard, and Christa didn't blame him. Desmond was in trouble, Eliza's planet was in jeopardy, and Sienna needed help. He was torn in three different directions, and none of them had easy solutions. “I hate this.”
“Let's deal with this first,” Christa said, touching Sienna's wrist. “Tell me the truth, Nathaniel. If you keep her here, are you experienced enough to deal with what she might need? The way she is now?”
Nathaniel let out a long breath. “Maybe. So long as she gets better and not worse. She slipped because of what Tara did, not of her own accord. So we might be alright. But without Desmond…you know, it's so…” his face twisted. “It's stupid. Desmond has never been anything but devoted to the magic or the cause. Whether or not he's with Mariah should not matter.”
Christa gave him a painful smile. “You and I both know that Desmond has walked a grey line for a very long time. And while it's worked in his favor, the Jurors have never been pleased with it. Everyone is going to have to be more careful from now on.”
“I would take her to Jeffro,” Eliza said softly, “but the most advanced medical facility was in the palace. So obviously, that's not an option right now. I was due to speak to the Jurors at this moment, by the way. So my case has been sidelined.”
“You were supposed to speak to the Jurors now?” Christa's head whirled. “But they bumped you?”
Eliza looked confused. “Yes.”
“They can't do that,” Christa was recalling ancient systems into existence in her mind. “Your case is more pressing. Granting asylum is a human rights issue, and in addition, royalty has been attacked.”
“But I am currently safe,” Eliza pointed out. “And there have been no more attacks on Jeffro. Whoever was behind it wanted me dead, and me alone.”
“It doesn't matter,” Christa spoke quickly. “You are queen, so it overtakes any of our issues. It's an old law, but one that might work in our favor. As witches, we serve others before ourselves. You have to go now.”
“Go where?” Eliza asked, confused.
“Take her to the Jurors, Nathaniel,” Christa said. “And invoke the law of deliverance. They have to hear her case before Desmond's. And if you can drag it out long enough, it might give us more time to help Desmond.”
Nathaniel turned frantically to his lover. “Can you draw it out?”
“Nathaniel, I am a queen,” Eliza answered. “I can stand in front of the Jurors and speak for hours on end if I have to. Days. But are you sure this will work?”
“Yes,” Christa answered. “But you need to go fast before they see them. I'll stay with Sienna, Nathaniel.”
“Are you sure?” Nathaniel answered cautiously. “I mean–”
“I'm not going to let anything happen to her,” Christa assured him. “Just as I never let anything happen to you in your youth. She is my Maestro's Tiro; she takes priority.”
Nathaniel looked torn, but eventually accepted the offer. “Thank you,” he answered. “I appreciate it. Call me if anything happens.”
“Distract them,” Christa said. “That's all you need to do. Desmond will figure this out, I promise you. And Nathaniel?”
“Hmm?” he asked.
“Let go of Eliza's hand,” Christa gave them both a look. “Considering the situation…”
“Right,” Nathaniel looked guilty.
Eliza rolled her eyes, “For the record, I respect the witches. But I think this rule the worst one.”
“There's a rule about apologizing to flowers we step on,” Christa pointed out, and Eliza gaped. “Go, before it's too late.”
The two of them left the room, and Christa sighed, turning to Sienna. “So, little one,” she said as she opened the book she brought with her. “Let's figure out exactly what kind of magic you've gotten into, hmm?”
Sienna didn't answer, and Christa bent over the text, skimming it for ideas. She had a feeling that she wasn't going to like what she found, but she knew she had to move forward. If Eliza was actually dead, and Desmond was to be prosecuted, it was very possible that Christa would become responsible for Sienna. And she needed to understand exactly what she was capable of before it was too late.
Chapter 18
“When you said you felt a jolt, was it like this?” Laura handed Devon the book that she had been pouring over when he had called her. They were sitting in the common room, and everyone around them was swirling with the news of Desmond and Mariah. Laura was trying to get him to ignore the buzz and focus. She knew that he was worried about Sienna, but at the moment, he wasn't getting anywhere close to her. She pointed to a circle drawn in the book, and indicated the description.
Devon's head ducked down, skimming it.
When the wall between life and death is breached, it is felt by Nature, which is theorized to collapse around the spell. This collapse is believed to open a door between the living and the dead. A ripple effect could possibly be seen as Nature recovers from the spell. How far the ripple travels could depend on how powerful the spell is. Those brought back when the ripple happens are thought to be short-term returns.
“Wow,” Devon looked up at her. “I didn't think it was even possible.”
“As you can see,” Laura replied. “Even the book isn't sure. But does that sound like what you felt?”
“Yeah,” Devon answered, biting his lip. “It certainty felt like a jolt; it could totally have been a collapse. And then if there is a ripple effect, that would make sense about the other bird.”
“I can believe that,” Laura said. “The bird was only a few feet away, right?”
“Yes,” Devon answered. “And you have to believe me, Laura. I do healing magic, too. There's no way she could have simply just healed it.”
“I believe you,” Laura answered, skimming down the book. “Look, here,” she pointed to another section, her eyes wide.
It's thought that only witches who walk the line between life and death – who know that door well – can perform this type of magic. Their magic exists in both the world of the living and the world of the dead as it returns to Nature.
“Holy…” Devon said. “That sounds like her, doesn't it?”
“It does,” Laura answered. “Although, who would have thought that would work in her favor?”
Devon leaned back in disbelief. “I wonder if I can do that.”
Laura gave him a painful smile. “I don't think so,” she said. “You don't know that line, Devon. At least, not yet. And I pray that you never walk that line; that it is swift and painless, not long and drawn out.”
Devon blinked, grateful for his caring Maestro. “So, if she can bring people back from the dead, are they immortal? Do they live until they die again? Does it say?”
“All of this is theory, Devon,” Laura replied. “There's a case of a witch about two-hundred years ago who brought back her Maestro from a knife attack, and a nurse who had died in the attack walked out of the morgue that day.”
Devon shivered at that thought. He had seen dead bodies, and it seemed to be the one thing that stunned him into silence. “What happened?” he asked, not wanting to read anymore.
Laura paused, reading the rest of the article. “The nurse lived for about a week, and then she just died. The Maestro was brought back from direct magic, so she lived, it seemed, until natural causes took her.”
“Why don't we know about this?” Devon asked. “Why wouldn't anyone have heard of it?”
“A couple of reasons,” Laura replied. “The pair was on suspension and likely to be cast out of the order for disorderly contact. But
in addition, this kind of magic, Devon, goes against Nature. It's unlikely that the Jurors would want to remember this kind of case. They'd be likely to bury it and ignore it.”
“But if it's real,” Devon said. “Then the people who have returned aren't going to be here for long. So, I guess we'll find out, shortly. We can't tell anyone about this.”
“What?” Laura answered, shocked. “Why not? This is a breakthrough.”
“And against Nature,” he answered. “She'll be damned for it. They'll judge her. She has enough problems already.”
“Oh, Devon,” she said. “You kind hearted sap.”
“But it's true, and you know it,” he replied. “If everyone knows she can do this, they'll judge her; they'll tell her she's not a real witch. But she is. She's more powerful than any of us know, and we should be in awe or learning from her. But they aren't going to be doing that, are they?”
“I don't know,” his Maestro answered truthfully.
“You should tell her Maestros,” Devon said. “They'll decide what to do. If it was me, wouldn't you want to decide whether that information goes public or not?”
“You're quite protective of her, hmm?” Laura asked with a smile.
Devon shrugged. “I like her. I really like her.”
She paused, and then decided to let it go. “Yes, if it was you, I would want someone to tell me,” she said. “And I'd decide whether the world can know or not. Her Maestros have quite a bit on their plates right now, though.”
“I know,” Devon leaned back. “What do you think will happen to Desmond and Mariah?”
“I don't know,” Laura answered truthfully. “He's quite senior, but that has never stopped them before. Whatever happens, though, is a lesson to all of us. To follow the rules. To be more careful.”
“I'm always careful,” Devon answered back, feeling invincible.
“So were they,” Laura said. “Let's see if you can say that in forty years.”
“Won't be here in forty years,” Devon quipped back, and Laura looked away. That much was true, and who was she to deny him happiness before then?
“Come on, kiddo,” she said at last, standing up. “I need to feed you, and then you need to do homework before we go.”
“Go?” Devon answered in surprise. “Where are we going?”
“Despite all this swirling around us, we still have a quest to head out on. Three days from now, and it will be a two-day journey to the outer rim. So make sure to get what you need from your teachers, and pack for about three months.”
“We can't go for three months,” Devon said, and Laura raised an eyebrow.
“Why not?”
“Because what if…” Devon couldn't bring himself to say it. “Something happens?”
“We first serve Nature,” Laura answered, and he knew he couldn't fight that. Everything they stood for was because of that phrase. If he denied it, he would deny everything else.
“Of course,” Devon said at last. “But I do want to see her before I leave.”
“You will,” Laura answered. “I promise. Let's go.”
She escorted him out of the common room, trying to keep the mood light. But down the hall was where the Jurors' room was, and she would kill to be a fly on the wall.
Desmond and Mariah were sitting in the waiting room, absolutely silent. They had nothing to say to each other because they had discussed this situation numerous times before. To Desmond, it felt like a numbers game. One day, they were bound to sit here.
The question was whether or not they were going to get out.
The door whooshed open, and Thomas came to the door. He did not look happy, his face blank and his eyes clouded.
“Maestro Desmond,” he said. “Maestro Mariah.”
“EXCUSE ME!”
Despite the calm demeanor of the witches, everyone jumped at Eliza's roar. She came pushing through the doors, her head held high and her eyes ablaze. Nathaniel was behind her, looking more like something she had dragged along than her escort witch.
“Your highness?” Thomas asked, confused. “Did you not get the message that we have delayed your–”
“Delayed my case?” Eliza said, her eyes on fire. “Do you know who I am?”
“The Queen of Jeffro?” Thomas answered. “Nathaniel, what is the meaning of this?”
“Queen Eliza is evoking the law of deliverance,” Nathaniel answered.
Thomas sucked in a breath. “How did you hear about that?”
“Never mind how he heard about it,” Eliza snapped. “You have a duty to hear my case first, and you know it.”
Thomas paused, calculating his response. He knew he had a losing case at the moment, but he had to choose how to play it.
“NOW!” Eliza roared, and he hesitated no longer.
“You are right, your highness,” he said at last. “Please, come in. We can make time for you now. Desmond and Mariah, we will see you directly after.”
“Of course,” Desmond answered. Eliza huffed as if she had been morally wronged, and then swept into the room. The doors closed behind them, and they found themselves in silence once more.
Desmond sank forward, relief washing over him. Another few moments could buy them freedom, if they used it right.
“How did you hear about the law of deliverance?” he asked Nathaniel. “I don't ever doubt your intelligence, Nathaniel, but ancient systems are not something even I have thought of since my school days.”
“Apparently, Christa has,” Nathaniel said. “She was the one who said we should try it. Eliza is going to draw out this case for a few hours, so we have some time.”
“Not to be a pessimist,” Mariah spoke up quietly for the first time in an hour, “but I don't see what time is going to buy us. You know they have undeniable evidence, Desmond. Especially if they now have more time to look back in the files.”
“Don't give up,” Desmond answered, putting a hand on her leg. “Don't. We'll figure this out, I promise.”
Mariah said nothing, and Desmond realized she had a tear rolling down her face.
“Mariah,” he said, his own heart breaking a little. Nathaniel stepped back as he took her hand. It was risky to exhibit such closeness, but Nathaniel figured it didn't make much of a difference right now. They wouldn't be able to deny the physical connection between them. It was whether they could justify it that would make all the difference. “I promised to take care of you, did I not? I was thirty years old, and I swore the rest of my life to you, didn't I?”
Nathaniel reacted in shock, but stayed silent. Pledging yourself to someone was the ultimate in commitment – intertwining magic and connecting their life forces. It was almost impossible to live without your pledge once it happened. It wasn't a romantic connection, but it was a lifelong one.
“Yes,” Mariah answered.
“Nothing has changed,” Desmond assured her. “Nothing.”
Nathaniel saw such a deep connection between them that he felt guilty being in the room. Desmond's strength seemed to help Mariah stand, and he let her take his arm. She was trying to be strong, but she gripped his arm tightly.
Nathaniel's eyes suddenly blazed. “Sienna's awake,” he said to Desmond, who nodded.
“I know. I felt it,” he said. For the first time in his life, Nathaniel saw his Maestro unsure of how to proceed.
“Let's go to her,” Nathaniel suggested. “No one can fault you for going to your sick Tiro.”
“Of course,” Desmond answered, leading Mariah into the hallway.
It was there that Laura caught them, a book in her hand. “I have to talk to you,” she said. “Both of you. Alone.”
“About what?” Nathaniel answered, confused. “We're–”
“This is important,” Laura said. “And it's urgent.”
“Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Mariah,” Desmond said.
Laura took a deep breath. “It's about Sienna,” she said. “Brace yourselves. I think your Tiro is more talented than y
ou think.”
“That we know,” Nathaniel answered. “What do you know?”
“That she can open a door between the living and the dead,” Laura said. “But not forever.”
Chapter 19
“This can't be happening,” Nathaniel said as Laura explained everything. They were sitting around Sienna's bed, listening in shock. “No, no. She can't be dead.”
“All I'm saying is that the Queen of Jeffro got here ridiculously fast,” Laura said. “Either she left before the explosion or–”
“Don't say it,” Nathaniel warned Laura. “Don't say it. Is this because you know I'm involved with her? This is your revenge?”
Silence fell over the room as Laura gasped in shock. “What?” she asked. “No. Why would you think that?”
“I think that because you didn't bring this to me until now,” Nathaniel said.
“I just found it,” Laura protested. “Christa, didn't we just find out together?”
“We found a few things,” Christa admitted. “Nathaniel, I don't think this is the time to be pointing fingers. It's the time to get to the bottom of things. Especially if you have limited time.”
“I would bring her back,” Sienna suddenly spoke up, her eyes darting around the room. Devon was on one side of her, and no one was stopping him from holding her hand. There were so many emotions flying around the room that no one knew which to deal with first. “I would.”
“It would kill you,” Nathaniel lowered his voice. “Especially now.”
“How long?” Dorian suddenly broke into the conversation. He had been sitting silently throughout the conversation, but now, he drew everyone's attention to him. “How long before the last one died again?”
“A few days – a week, I think,” Laura said, “according to the report.”
“So, in short, any moment now,” Dorian said with a soft smile.
“No,” Desmond said. “I refuse to believe that!”
Nathaniel had never seen Desmond so distraught. He didn't blame him; they were all between a rock and a hard place. But Desmond was always known for keeping a calm demeanor, no matter the situation.
“Desmond, what do we do?” Nathaniel asked him. He was looking for direction; for instruction; anything.
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