Elspeth sat a bit more upright in her throne and shook her head. “I will not sentence my daughter to death. I cannot.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Raven’s words sounded harsh but the playful tone let everyone know she was joking. The role she and Sarah played in the rescue was well known even though the attack was less than two days old. Sarah smiled across the room at Raven who was, of course, perched on the arm of the chair Bekah was sitting in. The fact that Raven bore no grudges, despite being accused of treason she hadn’t committed, just made Sarah all the more sure of how she felt.
Elspeth rolled her eyes as Bekah elbowed Raven in the ribs. “Next time tell me your plans before things get to that point. Anyway, Liz, have you found anything we can do legally?”
Liz perched her glasses a little further up her nose and read her notes. “Nothing more than we’ve already established. In cases where a member of the nobility is found guilty of treachery, only by a majority vote of the people bearing the family crest can a sentence of death by hanging be over ruled.”
There was tenseness in the air, palpable and heavy. Slowly the Duchess nodded and Sarah saw sadness in the beautiful woman’s eyes. “Very well,” her voice cracked as she spoke, “we must put this to a vote as quickly as possible. Since there are nine of us here, there cannot be a split decision.”
The silence was deafening. Elspeth cleared her throat and asked if anybody had any more evidence they wished to present. When nobody moved, she addressed them again. “Very well, those of you who wish to grant Amanda Chandlish leniency, please raise your hand.” Four hands shot in the air; Elspeth’s, Bekah’s, Liz’s and Raven’s.
Elspeth counted and then instructed those who wished to see the execution carried out as ordered by law to raise their hands. Four hands were raised solemnly; the four highest ranking members of Valentria’s armed forces, including Stephen’s.
Sarah wished she could turn invisible like Raven as the eyes of everyone in the room turned to her.
“You have the deciding vote, Lil’bit.” Raven said gently. “What’s it gonna be?”
Sarah didn’t want to vote. She couldn’t be the one to sentence someone to die even if Amanda had nearly killed Raven and Elspeth. Still, many others had lost their lives due to Amanda and Brian’s scheme to take over Valentria. Sarah’s hand rose mechanically, hovering just over her lap. She looked at Raven who gave no sign of what she wanted. Steeling herself, Sarah…
The door burst open and everyone turned at one to see who had dared intrude. A maid came rushing in.
“Your Grace,” The girl bowed and nearly fell over, wheezing heavily.
Stephen’s sword was half drawn but he let it slide back into its scabbard. “What is it? Don’t you know we’re not to be disturbed?”
Taking deep gasp, the girl stammered, “Yes but Richard DeGuire at the door demanding entrance.”
Without waiting for orders Bekah and Raven rushed out of the room, followed closely by the rest.
Standing in front of the large doors that led outside the castle, Elspeth ordered everyone to calm down. Bekah and Raven were nearly bouncing up and down, ready for something to entertain them. Stephen moved closer to the Duchess while the other Captains moved to stand in front of Liz, who shooed them away. Sarah and Daniel stood behind everyone, waiting to see what would happen.
With a final whispered prayer nobody would do anything stupid, Elspeth flung open the doors and marched down the stone steps to meet the Protectorate.
Sarah was nearly blinded by the glint of sunlight on metal. There had to be two dozen guards standing behind Richard but it was the man standing beside him that caught her attention. His face was wrapped in the same dark leather that completely covered his body except for a few wisp of stringy gray hair that fell to his shoulders. The material seemed to swallow the sunlight rather than reflect it, making the man appear cloaked in shadows.
In the space of a heart beat Raven had the point of her sword inches from the shadowed man’s neck. Twenty-four Protectorate guards drew their weapons, but Raven ignored them, her entire being focused on the dark figure. Sarah had never seen rage like that reflected in the tautness of Raven’s shoulders. She was going to kill this person as sure as the sun would rise tomorrow.
Bekah’s voice pierced the standoff. “Sis?”
Raven shook her head without taking her eyes or sword off the figure and growled. “Can’t you feel it? You know what he is.” Sarah saw a moment’s confusion in the way Bekah turned her head but quicker than thought another sword pressed itself against the man, resting over his heart.
The hair on the back of Sarah’s neck and arms stood up straight. Risking a glance she turned and saw Liz in a way she never had before. Yellow electricity was arcing from her finger tips as she moved to stand behind Bekah and Raven. Her eyes were full of power and fury.
“If any of your men interfere, Richard, I will kill them where they stand.” Liz’s voice held none of its customary warmth.
Elspeth looked as shocked as Sarah felt and asked what her daughters were doing. Stephen was now with the three sisters, his sword drawn and ready.
“He’s a shadow walker!” Raven snarled the name as if it tasted disgusting in her mouth. At the mention of the word Daniel tried to pull Sarah backwards but she brushed him off. Raven was in a killing mood and she wasn’t about to let what happened a few days ago happen again.
“She’s right.” Stephen confirmed to Elspeth as the Duchess looked to him. He, like the three sisters, never took his eyes off the man.
Elspeth’s usual detached coolness shattered. “HOW DARE YOU!” She shouted at Richard, who looked calmly amused by this turn of events. “You bring a thing like this into my country, onto my family’s estate.”
“That is incredibly insensitive, Your Grace. Horatio suffered terrible burns at the hands of Lady Branwyen. He is not a shadow walker.” Richard smiled and bowed his head slightly.
“Bullshit, we can feel him.” Bekah trembled now, though if it was from anger or fear Sarah couldn’t tell.
“You must be mistaken Lady Rebekah. The excitement of the past couple of days may have left you slightly addled. Please withdraw your weapons from my man unless you have proof.”
“Weapons down, we can’t fight them all.” Elspeth’s command went unheeded. “I said, ‘weapons down’.” This time Stephen and Bekah lowered their swords and Liz allowed her magic to fade. Only one person still had her weapon drawn. Elspeth spoke once more but Raven continued ignoring her. Sarah saw the slender muscles tense; knew that Raven was nearly beyond words now.
Reaching up Sarah grasped the pale shoulder. Once, back when they first moved in together, Sarah helped Raven attach a cable to the battery in the shop. Raven’s muscles reminded her of that, the low thrum of power vibrating through a tense coil. Knowing she was the only person who could stop Raven at this moment, Sarah whispered, “She’s right. Let it go for now, please.” Slowly, and without moving her head, Raven slid the sword into the scabbard on her back.
Richard laughed, “Now that’s settled, Your Grace, I must ask you to hand over Amanda Tully into my custody.”
This time Sarah thought it might be the Duchess who tried to kill someone. Elspeth was absolutely livid and demanded to know whose authority Richard was acting on.
Reaching into his pocket, Richard produced a piece of paper. Elspeth snatched it out of his hand and read it, becoming angrier by the second. She shoved it to Liz. “Is it legal?”
Liz perused the document twice, her lips moving as she studied each line carefully. Finally she handed it back to Richard, not even bothering to hide the disgust in her voice. “Yes ma’am, it seems that it was passed rather recently. It’s surprising that we weren’t informed of the vote; probably an oversight on the court’s part.”
“What’s it say, Liz?” Bekah’s hand still gripped the hilt of her sword.
Before Liz could utter a word, Richard explained. “It says a member of the nobility
accused of any crime will stand trial in the courts of Vestavia.”
“That’s bullshit!” Raven and Bekah moved together in front of Richard, forming a very dangerous wall of pissed of magic users.
Richard only smiled at the two girls, which Sarah considered quite dumb despite the fact he had a small platoon of soldiers behind him. “After the sham trial provided to Lady Branwyen, The Prime Minister decided that in order to prevent allowing nepotism to decide in courts of law, all trials of nobility will be held in Protectorate courts.”
“So your courts can let Amanda off the hook? How stupid do you think we are?” Sarah was surprised by her own sudden out burst. She thought she saw Raven bite her lip but couldn’t be sure.
“Ah, yes, Ms. Petty.” Richard bowed slightly, “I have been meaning to visit your shop. The tales of your excellent craftsmanship have reached even Vestavia and I do need a new sword.”
“If you step foot inside my store I’ll give you a sword alright. I promise that you won’t like where I stick it though.” Sarah hadn’t forgotten, and never would, the pain she experienced at the hands of the Protectorate. Now their leader was trying to hold a polite conversation with her.
Richard shook his head as Raven and Bekah offered to do it for her. “It’s a shame to see a beautiful daughter of Vestavia become so crass. I suspect that it’s their influence.” The man nodded to Bekah and Raven.
Sarah started to say something else but Elspeth’s voice interrupted, low and commanding. “A rose cannot decide where it will bloom Richard, as you well know. Felicity, Branwyen please go and bring back the accused. Let the Protectorate handle it however they see fit.”
Raven started to argue but after a brief, whispered conversation with Bekah, trudged up the steps.
Amanda Tully giggled when Liz and Raven entered the cramped cell. The prisoner’s hands were cuffed behind her, attached by a chain to hooks in the wall. She was dirty and worn looking from the incarceration but there was a maniacal glint in her eyes. “So they finally came to get me, huh?”
“What are you talking about?” Liz demanded as she unlocked the chain from the wall.
“Isn’t it law that all members of the nobility have to be tried in Vestavia?” Mandy crowed as Liz and Raven led the prisoner out. Liz silently wondered exactly how long they had been planning this attack.
Back outside the castle, Amanda blinked. The sun, though hazy in the late afternoon, was still far too bright for eyes accustomed to the darkness. She shuffled ungainly down the steps towards the waiting Protectorate. Richard hugged her then turned to Elspeth. “I’m certain that these shackles aren’t necessary.”
An eyebrow arched on Elspeth’s face. “I’m certain that I am the law in this land and she will remain in shackles until aboard your ship.”
“Very well, may I at least have the key?” Richard asked.
Liz made a show of stuffing something small and metal into her pocket. “Sorry,” she said with a wry smile, “I must have misplaced it.”
Raven’s heavy heart showed in her eyes and she gently held Mandy’s arm.
“Will you tell us now why you did it?” She needed an answer. Amanda spat in her face.
“Like you care. Like you care about anything but Bekah.” Amanda’s head recoiled to spit again but Sarah’s fist crushed her jaw. The traitor collapsed in a heap.
As everyone turned to stare at her, Sarah said, “That’s twice I’ve knocked you down. The next time you won’t get up.”
The Protectorate guards moved towards Sarah, but Stephen’s sword shoved itself under Richard’s throat and his voice boomed. “One more inch and he’ll die on these steps. Do you understand?”
Slowly the Protectorate guards sheathed their weapons. Then they escorted Amanda back to the airship and departed.
“Liz, can we talk for a second?”
Felicity looked up from her work to find Raven standing in the door.
“Sure, what’s on your mind?” Liz closed the case file she was looking over and motioned for Raven to have a seat on the bed. Ever since the attack their mother had put them all under house arrest. It was annoying but fun since they got to spend more time together than they normally would.
The redhead sat down and bit at her lower lip. “It’s about what Amanda said, you know.” Raven spoke haltingly, unsure how she should proceed.
Liz chuckled. It was a very rare thing to see Raven at a loss for words. “Which part?”
Feeling flustered because she couldn’t think of how to broach the subject, Raven hemmed and hawed.
Thankfully Liz knew what this was about and prodded her in the right direction. “You mean about you not caring for the rest of us.”
“Yeah, that.” Raven kept staring at her hands. “Do you think-- have you ever thought-- that I don’t love any of you?”
Felicity laughed, not rudely but with love. “Raven, you’ve always been my little sister. You sacrificed yourself for Valentria and this family, plus you saved Mom’s life. I know that you love us, all of us.”
Raven nodded, her lower lip trembling. “But have you ever been jealous of how close I am to Sis?”
Another laugh from Liz and Raven had to smile. The older sister sat down next to her sibling and wrapped a comforting arm around her back. “Jealous? No, but thankful if that makes any sense.”
“None what so ever, actually.” Raven rested her head on Felicity’s shoulder.
“Well, it’s no surprise you two are tight. Remember I was there the first day you met and it was obvious that you two formed an instant bond. It was why Mom let you stay with us.”
Raven remained silent as Liz continued, giving her little sister an affectionate squeeze, “And I’m very glad she did. But I’ve never been jealous of how close you two are. It’s just that I’ve never had someone like that and I don’t think very many people have. You two are closer than sisters, closer than best friends. Do you remember what happened the first night after you showed up?”
Raven pointed out that she was too young to remember much of anything back then so Liz told her. “You both cried so long that Mom was forced to carry you into Bekah’s room. Then the two of you went right to sleep. Even after putting your beds in the same room we’d find you snuggled under the blankets side by side.”
“You were thankful we were so gosh darned adorable, right?” Raven primped her hair, preening.
Liz smirked, “Sort of. You see, every so often you’ll give someone else a peek into that little world you share. It’s brief but it shows how close two people can be. I’m thankful to you and her for that.”
With happy tears in her eyes, Raven hugged Felicity tightly, “Thank you so much, sis.”
“I have a question for you too, about Sarah.” This was something that Liz had noticed and needed to confirm.
Raven cocked her head to the side. She was a tad perplexed how Sarah figured into anything they just discussed. “About Lil’bit? What do you want to know?”
“Are you in love with her?”
WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE Page 29
