Portal: A Nina Decker Novel Part 9

"But we'd both pay that price over again."

I didn't know what to believe anymore. All my life A'Lona Wolfstriker had been the heartless faerie who had entrapped my father and left him fae struck and me without a mother. I didn't want to believe here but deep inside I knew she was telling me the truth.

"Why did they decide after all this time to come after me and da? What happened here? What changed?" I asked.

"A number of things. Since the time the treaty has been signed someone at this court has been planning and plotting to break the peace. But there's more."

I braced myself.

"Simeon the wizard consulted the Great Codex. It's an ancient tome written in a strange language but it tells the future of the fae. Just a few months ago he told the court he had deciphered a new pa.s.sage. It says that war will come again. "

"What does that have to do with me?"

"The second part of the prophecy states that a changeling child born of the royal house will decide the fate of all."

Obviously, the fae wanted to make sure I chose their side.

Chapter 13.

I stayed in my room after my mother left. I just wanted to sleep and she left me alone. But I didn't get any rest. I spent the night tossing in my sumptuous bed. If it hadn't been for my father's safety I never would have come to Nightfall. My entire world had been turned upside down.

Sleep came in small doses. When morning came I trudged off in search of some form of breakfast. I took a grateful sip from my container of coffee as I shuffled down the hall.

I discovered food was served in great hall only on special occasions. I and my ladies in waiting were expected to dine in the small dining room located in our wing. It was small only in comparison to the great hall. The room was bigger than my entire house back in Vancouver.

That morning I found R'Agan and N'Tasha eating what looked like oatmeal with rose petals. They glanced at me once then returned to their meals. Dani entered soon after.

"How you holding up?" she asked.

"I'll survive," I said. "What's good to eat?"

Dani surveyed our offerings.

"Well unless you want to sample the flower power diet, we have bread, ale, cold roasted meats, oysters."

My face scrunched and my stomach did a few flips.

"Or you can go with none of the above," Dani said as she whipped out a pair of toaster pastries.

"Perfect." I tore into one of the pastries. It was full of cold red jelly. There were worst things I could have for breakfast but I didn't care. I washed it down with some cold coffee.

After R'Agan and N'Tasha left the room Dani whispered, "Severin's trial is today in the great hall."

"What's going to happen?"

Dani said, "It's hard to describe. You'll have to see it then it will make sense."

"Will it be fair?" I asked.

"As fair a trial as he can expect to receive in Nightfall. Also I have a message from your mother."

I tensed a little. "What does she want?"

"She wants you to stay away. There's nothing you can do and it will only cause you more harm."

I nibbled on the toaster pastry some more. I stung me to think about my last talk with Severin. Sitting in his cell, he'd told me that he'd used me. He told me that he hadn't really cared about me. I wanted to kill him for that. But a piece of my heart kept crying that it wasn't true. Maybe Severin was just trying to drive me away so I wouldn't get hurt. I dearly hoped that was true.

"Are you going to be there?" Dani asked.

"I'm not sure," I said. But I knew I would. No matter what Severin had said to me, I couldn't have him there alone without any friends. He had protected me in the past. He had come with me to find my father. Whatever else he had done, whatever his motivations, I still owed him at least a show of support.

Around noon the court a.s.sembled in the great hall. Once again new furniture was brought in to suit the occasion. Lord Wolfstriker now sat on the dais alone. Directly before him was a cage and inside was Severin. They had given him a tunic to wear so he wasn't naked. He kept his head down and didn't speak or look in my direction. Next to the cage was a large brazier that contained an eerie white flame.

The hall was packed. Chairs were set up in rows in the hall. And the surrounding gallery was full of fae, brownies, trolls and others. I found a seat reserved for me near the front. I looked around and saw my mother seated next to the queen. The queen stared at me with icy contempt. My mother looked pained to see me there. I sensed she wanted to talk some more but I was still reeling from our last conversation.

I checked the hall for other familiar faces. Chancellor Dashrael was in the front along with me. None of my ladies in waiting put in an appearance. I spied Linus Coldiron a few rows back as well as the Greatstones. A bell sounded and everyone found their seats. That was when J'Tara strode to the dais looking smart and icy cold in her uniform.

"Sire and a.s.sembled guests we are here to witness the trial and judgment of Severin Saint Morgan, werewolf, who is charged with the crime of leading a hostile action against this realm in violation of our peace treaty."

She motioned to the brazier. "This is the Flame of Veritas. In the presence of truth it burns white." She addressed the fire, "My name is J'Tara. I am captain of the royal guard."

The flame continued to burn white.

"But speak any lie no matter how small and it will turn green. I am a Merlesian tortoise with a polka dot sh.e.l.l and a neck that stretches nearly a mile in length."

The brazier's flame changed to a bright and garish green before it s.h.i.+fted back to a white flame.

The trial consisted of witnesses coming forward and telling their stories next to the flame. The first was a farmer who was initially the one to notice the werewolf attack.

"There were about twelve of them in all," he said. "Most were the smaller variety but they were led by three large ones, alphas they call them."

The fire next to him kept burning white.

Suddenly Severin spoke up "Lord Wolfstriker, may I question the witness?"

A murmur went up through the crowd.

"That is your right," answered the king.

I wondered what Severin was doing.

"Could you describe the wolves you saw?" he asked the farmer. "Just the alphas, the leaders."

"They were wolves," said the farmer.

That got a chuckle from the crowd. Severin laughed along. Then suddenly s.h.i.+fted into his wolf form inside the cage. The crowd gasped. Severin snarled within his cage and turned around several times. He was showing off his wolf hide. He was like a cla.s.sic timber wolf, a mix of white, gray and black fur.

He changed back to human form just as quickly and stood in the cage naked and fearless.

"There," he said. "Did any of the three wolf leaders look like that?"

The farmer pursed his lips. It looked like he was about to say "yes." But he cast a sideways glance at the flame of truth.

"No," he said. "That beast wasn't one of them."

That caused shouts from the audience. Lord Wolfstriker silenced them by raising his hand.

"Thank you," Severin went on. "Could you describe the three wolves you did see?"

"One was snowy white," said the farmer.

"Shana," Severin said softly. It was more to himself. I just barely overheard.

"The other was grey with a dark patch over his face."

"Tristan," muttered Severin.

"The other was pure black."

Severin said a name but I couldn't hear it. I couldn't read his lips either. But he stood stone silent. He ignored the jeers from the crowd.

I wanted to shout back or do something. Then the crowd went silent. Linus Coldiron strode towards the cage. He'd taken off his jacket and he thrust it through the bars towards Severin. "Son," he said. That brought Severin back. He took the coat. Coldiron nodded at the farmer. "He's got no more questions. You're done."

The farmer muttered a thank you and hurried back to his place.

The next witness was J'Tara. She told the court how she had heard about the attack and had rallied her guards. She came upon a copse of trees.

"It was then I saw Severin Saint Morgan. I saw him both in his human form and in his wolf form. When I came upon him he was in human shape. He saw me, transformed into a wolf and escaped before I could pursue him. He had been leaning over two dead bodies by the trees. They were the bodies of Shana Saint Morgan and Tristan Coldiron."

The flame next to her burned a consistent white.

She looked to the cage. "Any questions?"

Severin asked, "You found those two dead? You didn't kill them?"

J'Tara answered, "No. I have never taken credit for slaying those wolves. I slew several others during that battle. But they were all followers. None were alphas."

"Then who did kill them?" Severin asked.

J'Tara just shrugged. "It's not relevant to your case but no one from Nightfall has ever taken credit for the killings of Tristan Coldiron or your mate. It was probably some concerned fae who did their duty and is too humble to seek reward. That would be the most likely answer."

Severin said nothing more. J'Tara stepped away from the dais.

"If that is all, then I am ready to p.r.o.nounce judgment," said Lord Wolfstriker.

I got up. "Wait!"

The crowd roared at me as I stood. I heard taunts of "Wolf lover!"

I locked eyes with Severin. He shook his head but I stepped forward regardless to stare up at my grandfather. As before his face betrayed no emotion whatsoever.

J'Tara said, "Do you intend to give testimony, princess? That would be speculation on your part. You weren't here when the events in question took place."

"Is there such a thing as a character witness in this court?" I asked.

"There is," said Lord Wolfstriker. "What do you want to say about this man?"

"I know there is a lot of fear and hatred here," I said. "But killing Severin Saint Morgan won't put a stop to any of it. If there is someone out there plotting another war-"

The court erupted when I said that. My grandfather put a hand up and silence returned.

"If some party out there wants to break the peace, Severin is not one of them. You heard your own witness say he wasn't in the first wave. If that attack had been his idea he would have led it. I haven't known him that long, I admit but that much is obvious. Is there anyone here who would deny that?"

I heard a murmur through the audience but no one objected. "This man is no threat to this kingdom. I know this. He could have harmed me many times over. He didn't have to come here. He knew what the penalty would be. He came here to help me. He is no threat to any of you."

J'Tara stepped forward. "Very impa.s.sioned, princess. Though I doubt it's relevant to the facts at hand. Might I ask you a blunt question?"

I swallowed hard. "Ask it."

"Do you trust this man, Severin Saint Morgan?" she asked me.

My insides went cold. I didn't want Severin to be killed. But I thought about his mate and his time in Nightfall. There were so many things he'd never told me. Doubt gnawed at my heart but I couldn't say that out loud.

"Yes," I said. My voice didn't quaver. I looked J'Tara in the eye and didn't blink. In any courthouse on Earth I would have been convincing.

Beside me the white flame turned bright green.

My head sank as did my heart.

Lord Wolfstriker again shouted for peace. He then p.r.o.nounced the sentence.

It was death.

Chapter 14.

My grandfather announced, "The terms of the treaty are clear. Severin St. Morgan's punishment is to be silver bound and caged four days. In that time any may champion him and earn his freedom through a contest of arms. If his champion can defeat our captain of the guard then he shall be freed. If no champion comes forward by the fourth day or if his champion loses, then the prisoner shall be executed."