Page 84 of Vengefully Matched

Priscilla winced at that word. She was accused, it was true, but she was innocent. She schooled her face to be impassive and waited her turn.

Kevin raised his hand.

“This is not a classroom, Mr. Cross. Speak.” Judge Antonov looked cross.

“I brought them all water, and I think that there was something weird going on.”

“What makes you say that?” Thistlewinch’s eyes narrowed.

“Well, Priscilla kept looking at Agatha.”

“Looking?” Judge Thistlewinch parsed the word, as though Kevin had just suggested Priscilla had engaged in stabbing someone, or stealing baby animals from their mothers.

“Like long, furtive glances,” Kevin added hastily.

She had been looking at Agatha. But that was about all her complicated, tangled-up affections, not about plotting abduction.

“Very well,” said Thistlewinch, his now-impassive face not giving anything away.

Fucking Kevin. She should have known he was bad news, the little snitch. Meddling where he had no idea what he was talking about and getting her into all sorts of trouble here.

“Priscilla Hart, do you agree to give us your account of the events?”

“Yes, your Honors.” She nodded. It was best to be as brief and as factual as possible. To let her innocence do the arguing. “Thank you. It is as Otho said. I brewed the potion. Agatha removed the patch. I reworked the new patch and spelled it to return the Loculus to the Council, to follow only my command. My next step would have been to command it to the behest of this tribune, but it malfunctioned.”

“It malfunctioned?”

“Correct. I whispered to it all the words to return and wait to do my bidding, and instead, it jerked through the air, cracked Agatha in the head, and then materialized around her in a flash of red smoke. It whooshed out of the room, and it took me a few moments to process what had happened. I did not tell it to attack Agatha.”

The judges turned without another word, Judge Antonov snapping to create a bubble of silence as they deliberated, mouths moving so little that it was impossible to determine what they were saying.

“Priscilla, we know you’re innocent,” said Otho grandly.

“Well, I don’t think we necessarily know that.” Kevin eyed her, jaw set.

“I believe you’re innocent,” said Nancy, shooting Kevin a glare.

“Let’s just see what the judges say.” Kevin’s expression was smug. In normal circumstances, Pricilla would have verbally eviscerated him, but it was bad form to mouth off violently in a courtroom while being accused of a crime.

The minutes dragged on, and Priscilla tamped down her fear for Agatha. The longer they delayed here, the longer it would be before she could hunt down the real culprit and, more importantly, find Agatha.

She knew what she had to do, but goddess, it was going to hurt like hell.

With a crack, the bubble of silence receded. The three regarded her soberly, and Judge Clay spoke first.

“Priscilla Hart, unless you can provide further substantive alibi in this incident, I’m afraid we will have to take you into custody until a thorough investigation can be completed.”

Priscilla swallowed. She could not lose the time; who knew what sort of a maniac had kidnapped Agatha? Even a powerful witch could be outnumbered or outspelled by great evil magic, and she couldn’t live with herself if she allowed that to happen.

“Per witchery laws, I would like to provide my own alibi in the traditionally accepted manner.” She gritted her teeth. It would hurt, but she didn’t see any other option here.

Judge Clay’s eyebrows shot up, and Judge Antonov clutched her chest.

“Are you certain?” Judge Thistlewinch asked.

“I am, yes.” Goddess, she was, despite the consequences.

“Very well, please be seated. As you know, this will not be a comfortable process, and we wouldn’t want you to fall should you lose consciousness.”