Oathtaker

by Patricia Reding

  “No, it’s not,” Skylar said.

  All eyes turned to him. “History has some, not many, but some, examples of this. It’s allowed for the ranking Select to take the life of another who tries to usurp her place.”

  “But she is not Select,” Piers said.

  “No, but an Oathtaker may act with the full authority and power of her charge. Moreover, an Oathtaker may act when the life of her charge is in imminent danger.”

  “Still,” Piers went on, “she murdered Lilith.”

  “She did not murder her,” Lucy said. “She pronounced and carried out the appropriate sentence—a sentence which, may I remind you, she was entirely within her rights to render, given her position as Oathtaker to the rightful ranking member.”

  “And how do you know it was appropriate?” Piers asked. “We haven’t even determined yet whether she is the rightful head of this Council. Isn’t that what this hearing is all about? Moreover, she may have misunderstood what Lilith was doing. Perhaps—” He visibly choked off his next words. Then, after a long pause, he said, “I’d like to hear the testimony of the witnesses that Miss—Miss—”

  “Richmond,” Mara filled in for him.

  “Yes, of course, Miss . . . Richmond.” He looked down his nose. “Would you be so kind as to call your first witness? I for one, do not intend to take your word alone for what has transpired. I take it your witnesses have been sworn in?” he added as an afterthought.

  “They have,” Dixon said.

  Piers waved his hand in a circle, a gesture intended to convey that they should get on with things.

  “Very well,” Mara said. She turned to Dixon. “Please call Velia.”

  He left the room for a moment to put Velia in the witness room. Once done, he returned.

  “Can you hear me, Velia?” Mara asked.

  The young woman’s eyes darted around the room. She saw no one, but she recognized Mara’s voice. She sat forward on the edge of her chair. “I can hear you.”

  “Kindly tell the Council what transpired when you were with Lilith.”

  “Well,” Velia said as she pulled in a deep breath and pulled her hair back, “Lilith traveled through the countryside with a band of thugs. There were hundreds—no, thousands of them. I later discovered they came from Chiran. They entered the town where I resided and they engaged in despicable behavior.”

  She closed her eyes as though reliving the scenes in her memory, then relayed how the soldiers entered her village and how she’d allowed them to capture her so that she could get more information about what was happening.

  “You willingly went along?” Harper asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “And then?” Lucy asked.

  “After I made it to their camp, I was forced to defend myself against the monsters. That’s when Lilith found me. She told me she had no Oathtaker and asked if I would accompany her.”

  “And you agreed?” Piers asked. “If what you say about what you witnessed is true, whyever would you have agreed to accompany her?”

  The witness sat up straighter and stared forward. “Because I knew she was up to no good. No Select would allow the things I saw to happen. And I knew she lied.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “Attendant magic.”

  “What did you expect to learn by accompanying her?” Harper asked.

  “I sought information to bring here, to this Council.”

  “Knowing that bearing false witness against a member of the Select carries a sentence of death?” Lucy inquired.

  “Exactly. The Good One didn’t call me to be Lilith’s Oathtaker and fortunately, she never asked me to take an oath for her benefit. I couldn’t have done so, given what I knew. She said she needed me to accompany her so that people wouldn’t question the unusual circumstances of her traveling without an Oathtaker.”

  “Velia, what did you learn about Lilith’s intentions?” Mara asked.

  “I learned from her conversations with Edmond, that she intended to kill them—Rowena’s girls.”

  “Edmond Chantray?” Lucy asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “That’s what she said? That she was going to kill them?” Piers asked.

  “Yes. Lilith said ‘I’m going to kill him,’ meaning Dixon, and then she said ‘I’m going to kill them all,’ meaning Dixon, Mara, and the twins.”

  “And there was no mistaking of whom she spoke?” Mildred inquired.

  “None whatsoever. What’s more, when I was with Dixon in the inner sanctuary, trying to distract Lilith, she clearly said that she was going to kill the girls.”

  “Is that true, Dixon?” Skylar asked.

  “It is.”

  “What else happened?” Mildred asked.

  “Well, she stole my Oathtaker’s blade the day before.”

  Several of the Council members gasped.

  “You let her take your blade?” Piers asked.

  “No, I did not let her take my blade. She drugged me, then stole it. She needed an Oathtaker’s blade to bring an end to the chain of rightful leadership through Rowena’s line when she killed the girls.”

  “She said that?” Lucy asked.

  “Yes. She said she’d only kept me alive because she needed my blade.”

  “And where is it now?” Eben asked.

  “Right here.” The witness pulled it forward. “I retrieved it when Lilith died.”

  “Tell us about Edmond’s part in all this,” Lucy said.

  Velia relayed how he’d told Lilith of Mara and Dixon’s whereabouts, and about the girls.

  “I understand you confronted him with your accusations,” Lucy said. “You did so in Dixon and Mara’s presence. Is that right?”

  “That is correct.”

  Piers directed his next question to Mara. “And Edmond denied it?”

  “That’s right.”

  He squinted his eyes. “How did you know he lied, Miss Richmond?”

  “I have some ability to discern truthtelling, but that was not how I knew he lied.” She explained the phenomenon that occurred when someone swore to protect the girls. “It was then we knew that Edmond was assisting Lilith. Ehyeh didn’t confirm his oath.”

  “Miss—what’s her name?” Piers asked, directing his question to Mara and gesturing toward Velia in the witness room.

  “Bettina. Velia Bettina.”

  “Right,” Piers said. “Miss Bettina, what happened with Edmond?”

  “When Mara and Dixon learned of his treachery, they prepared to leave sanctuary immediately to try to stop Lilith. Edmond rushed them. He pulled a weapon. It was clear he intended to hurt one or both of them, so I grabbed a knife from my belt and stopped him in his tracks. Then I bound him and ordered a guard over him until I returned.”

  “Where is he now?” Mildred asked.

  “He is here,” Mara said.

  The room quieted.

  “Are there more questions for Miss Bettina?” Hearing nothing, Mara asked Dixon to get the next witness. Meanwhile, she addressed the Council. “My next witness is Jerrett Creed.”

  When Dixon returned, she said, “Jerrett, please tell of your time with Lilith.”

  “Lilith and her murderous cohorts came through my town. I learned later she’d told the soldiers that someone was trying to pawn off an imposter as a seventh seventh and that she, Lilith, would kill all the infant girls she could find—unless or until someone brought forth the child she sought. Then she hunted out all the infant girls and had them killed.

  “I wanted more information to bring to this Council, so I disguised myself and joined her forces—in appearance only. When she left her camp to travel to the City of Light, none of the others wanted to accompany her. As I hoped to get more information against her anyway, I agreed to go along.”

  “What happened during your travels?” Lucy asked.

  “I thought Velia—who I knew was an Oathtaker—assisted Lilith, but I later discovered that she also sought informat
ion and evidence against her.”

  “What did you discover of Lilith’s plans?” Mildred asked.

  “Very little. Over time I learned only that she looked for Dixon and Mara, and a child, or children.”

  “How did you come by this information?” Eben asked.

  “Attendant magic.”

  “Of what form?”

  “I picked up fragments of Lilith’s conversation with Edmond through Donagh, my horse.”

  “Interesting talent,” Harper commented.

  As there was no question there, Jerrett said nothing.

  “Anything else to add?” Mildred questioned.

  “Only that Lilith did as no Select ought. Clearly, she acted with evil, wicked intent. She used terrible magic to burn people to death from the inside out and the things her men did were unspeakable.”

  “That will do, Jerrett, thank you,” Piers finally said after a long silent moment. “Your next witness?” he asked Mara.

  Dixon placed Nina in the witness room. She introduced herself, then told of how she’d joined Mara and Dixon, and how they all learned about Lilith’s venture after Mara and Dixon traveled by magic to Polesk.

  “Traveled by magic?” Piers inquired.

  Mara explained her attendant power, then turned to her witness. “What happened when Lilith was at The Clandest Inn?”

  Nina took in a deep breath. “I just remember hearing commotion in the outer room. Then I heard someone say ‘Lilith.’ I stood at the door to the room where I had the girls. I held a knife.” She shuddered. “But the first one to enter was, I learned too late, my sister, Erin.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “I stabbed her, thinking she was Lilith.”

  “And she died?” Mildred interrupted. “How awful!”

  “No, she lives, thank the Good One. Someone arrived to render healing in the nick of time. She’s still recovering, but she lives.”

  “What happened next?” Lucy asked.

  “Lilith insisted that I accompany her and that we take the girls with us. She told me we were going to sanctuary.”

  “And you agreed to go?” Mara asked.

  “What choice did I have? If I had not, she might have killed me on the spot.”

  “So your only concern was for your own safety,” Piers said.

  “No! Oh, no, I would die for those girls! I just knew that every minute I bought was one more in which Mara might discover what had happened so that she could rescue the girls.”

  “Then what?” Lucy asked.

  Nina told the Council what transpired after she and Lilith arrived at sanctuary, how Lilith forced her into the inner room and then demanded that everyone else leave, and how Mara later rescued her and the twins.

  “So you don’t really know what Lilith’s plans were,” Piers said. “She may have meant to dedicate the children as she said, to bestow a blessing upon them.”

  “Oh, no. That’s what she said when she took me from the inn, but when Dixon arrived, she told him she was going to take Rowena’s place. It was clear she intended to kill the girls.”

  “Anything more?” Lucy asked.

  Hearing nothing, Mara asked Dixon to prepare the next witness.

  “Wait!” Nina exclaimed.

  “Yes?” Piers asked, disdain in his voice. Clearly, he was not accustomed to taking orders from anyone.

  “I don’t know what this means, but I thought you should know that . . .” She paused. “I haven’t even discussed this with Mara, as yet.” She picked at her fingernail as she collected her thoughts.

  “Yes?” Piers urged.

  “Well . . . I was a slave in Chiran. I worked in Zarek’s palace. I didn’t know until Lilith came to the inn that day who she was, but I’d met her several times before.”

  “What’s this?” Lucy sat up straighter.

  “About five, maybe six years ago, she spent a good deal of time in Chiran. She accompanied Zarek wherever he went. But there, she went by a different name.”

  “What name was that?” Piers asked.

  “Semira.”

  Semira? Nighttime companion? Mara said to Dixon magically. She chose the name ‘nighttime companion?’

  I wonder if she was.

  “Nina,” Mara said, “what was Lilith-Semira doing in Chiran?”

  “Like I said, she accompanied Zarek everywhere. She acted as his consort, I guess you’d say. And at his gatherings, she played hostess.”

  “How long was she there?”

  “I’m not sure. I saw her regularly at events for—I don’t know. I guess about a year or so.”

  “Have you any idea why she left?”

  “No.” Nina shifted in her chair. “Well, that is, I can’t say for certain. But it was widely believed she was pregnant at the time.”

  “Pregnant!” Lucy exclaimed.

  “Yes, that’s right. Of course she rarely spoke to us slaves directly, but I did hear that rumor.”

  Lucy let out a slow breath.

  Mara watched her, then glanced at Dixon.

  The timing is right. That child is almost certainly the one Rowena took from Lilith—the one with Lucy now.

  Mara’s eyes opened wide. Great Ehyeh! The more things seemed resolved, the more questions she found raised. She turned back to Nina.

  “Did you meet Marshall? When Lilith was in Chiran, I mean?”

  “Oh, no. Lilith was alone with Zarek.”

  Mara looked at Dixon, a question in her eyes.

  It was one of Marshall’s great complaints about Lilith. Occasionally, she just disappeared . . . and sometimes for long periods. At times he seemed frustrated that his bond to her didn’t disclose her whereabouts to him, but as I think on it, I suppose it may have been severed when she first turned from Ehyeh and was no longer worthy of an Oathtaker’s protection.

  Hmmm. Makes sense. Mara thanked Nina, then asked Dixon to prepare their next witness. He did, then returned to her side.

  “It’s Marshall!” Mildred whispered.

  “Marshall, we thank you for coming today,” Mara said.

  “My pleasure. I appreciate the opportunity to restore my good name.”

  “What do you know about all that transpired with Lilith?” Piers inquired.

  “I know it was Lilith who sent assassins after Rowena.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Eben asked.

  “As sure as I can be. Rowena heard rumors of the danger she was in at the palace, so she and Dixon left. Lilith was furious. Months later, we—that is, Lilith and I—came across Dixon in Polesk. He told Lilith about Rowena’s death.

  “Now, I’d been with Lilith for years and always found her to be . . . difficult, but she showed absolutely no sign of surprise or sorrow at the news of her sister’s death.

  “Shortly afterward, she commissioned a group of soldiers from Chiran. I saw horrible things happen between her and those . . . dogs—and that was just within the first few minutes after their arrival.” He sat up straight and took in a deep breath. “That was when she released me.”

  “And you had committed no crime? Engaged in no behavior unbecoming?” Eben pursued.

  “None whatsoever.”

  “How did you happen to meet up with Mara and Dixon in the city here?” Piers asked.

  “I saw them at sanctuary just moments after Lilith’s death.”

  Mara turned to the Council members. “Have you any more questions for Marshall?”

  “None,” Piers answered.

  “Just one,” Eben said.

  “Go ahead,” she urged.

  “Marshall, would we be correct in understanding that you would like for us to restore your credentials?”

  The witness looked down. He said nothing for a long moment. “Yes, but I intend to take only one oath after this.”

  “And that would be?”

  Marshall looked straight ahead. “I intend to swear an oath to protect Rowena’s girls, the rightful ranking Select.”

  “Is there any more test
imony?” Piers inquired.

  “I have three more witnesses,” Mara said.

  “Please proceed.” He waved his hand.

  Dixon set Samuel up in the witness chamber.

  “Samuel, can you tell us what happened at the inn when Lilith arrived?” Mara asked.

  “Mara?” he responded as he sat forward in his chair, his gaze flitting about.

  “Yes.”

  “Is that you?”

  The Council members laughed lightly.

  “Yes, Samuel. I know you can’t see me, but can you hear me all right?”

  He nodded, but his eyes continued to dart about.

  “It’s all right, Samuel. Just answer the questions honestly.”

  “All right.”

  “Please tell us what happened at the inn when Lilith arrived.”

  “Yes,” he said as he slowly relaxed. “Ahhh . . . right. Ahhh, Lilith killed Jamison who guarded the outer door. When she got inside, she used some awful magic on me. I tried to use some of our magic crystals to stop her, but I couldn’t get to them in time.”

  “Magic crystals!” Lucy exclaimed.

  Mara grinned. “Another story for another time.” She turned her attention back to her witness. “Then what happened?”

  “She pushed Erin into the inner room.”

  Mara was momentarily startled as she realized that she’d never before heard Samuel say so much at any one time. “Did Lilith say anything?”

  “Yes. She said she’d kill Nina if she didn’t help. I wanted to lend aid, but . . .”

  “What happened when Dixon and I arrived?”

  “I was in a bad state.” He told how Mara healed him enough so that he could tell her where Lilith had gone. “Ezra arrived minutes later. He helped Erin and then me. Had he not, we might both be dead now.”

  “Thank you, Samuel.”

  Mara looked at the Council members one by one, inquiring with her raised brow whether they had any more questions. Confirming they did not, she asked Dixon to prepare the next witness.

  “My next witness is Ezra,” she said to the Council. “Thank you, Ezra, for attending today.”

  “Think nothing of it.” He brushed the beard below his chin with the back of his hand.

  “What can you tell us about Lilith’s visit to the inn?”

  “Not much. She— Well, I feel terrible I didn’t recognize her. But all our evidence indicated that she camped with her army miles from the city.” He hesitated. “She wasn’t dressed in her usual manner when she arrived and she kept her face from view.”