AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Because he’s treating this whole trial as nothing more than an inconvenience at best, and a sheer waste of his time at worst. He doesn’t believe anything more than a mild rebuke will come from it.
And with good reason.
Yes, but him sitting opposite me looking all smug and superior just got to me, and I needed to unsettle him. She mentally sniffed. Sorry, but not sorry, you know?
I certainly did. Why on earth do you think the sorcerer will go after my father rather than me? I’m the one that stopped him.
I think you’ll be more the dessert after the main course that is your family.
Well, that would have to be the first time I’ve been described as dessert, I said, torn between amusement and trepidation.
Oh, I don’t know, she said casually. I’m pretty sure Aiden would consider you dessert. Not to mention entrée and main course.
I mentally slapped her, and her laughter ran through my mind, fierce and bright. Unfortunately, I think Cat’s death gave the sorcerer a taste for your family’s power. He may want revenge, but I think you’re right in saying the timing is coincidental. If he does know you’re here, then I don’t think you’ll be his highest priority.
Because he tasted my magic last time and knows I’m not the strongest witch. Or, at least, I wasn’t back then. If that is true, then the woman in the park must be related to us somehow.
Yes, but possibly on your father’s side rather than your mother’s.
I raised my eyebrows. Was that part of the vision or just a guess?
The latter. Cat was more your father’s child in output and in looks rather than your mother’s.
Doesn’t mean he won’t go after her.
No.
I drew in a breath and glanced up as the adjudicator’s gavel bashing finally bought a halt to all the babbling.
“Ms. Kent, you will restrain any further such outbursts. They are not relevant to this case—”
“Actually,” Anthony said, standing once again. “They are, because it was indeed the death of Ms. Grace’s older sister that prompted the marriage to Clayton Marlowe.”
The adjudicator hesitated, glanced at her fellow councilors, and then nodded. “I’ll allow it to remain on record, then. Mr. Moderno, have you any further questions for this witness?”
“Just one, Your Honor.” His gaze returned to Belle. “You said that you’re unable to totally erase or rearrange someone’s thoughts, did you not?”
“I did.”
“And yet on that night, you not only froze Mr. Marlowe in place, but gave him a debilitating illness for which he could find no cure. Care to explain how a fifteen-year-old managed that?”
Ah fuck, Belle said. He could only be bringing this up for one reason.
He can’t know about the wild magic enhancing the force of your spell, I said, more positively than I felt.
Why not? Belle said. Both Clayton and your father were well aware wild magic kept the spell alive long after it should have logically faded.
Yes, but they’d have kept that to themselves. Clayton because he didn’t want his impotence to become known, and my father because he didn’t want the rest of the council knowing that his useless daughter maybe wasn’t.
Doesn’t mean he won’t mention it here.
Until he gets confirmation from the test tomorrow, he’ll keep it to himself. I think he’s laying the groundwork just in case.
I can’t see how it helps him, though. He remains guilty of unlawfully marrying off his underage daughter.
He’s not worried about the case, I said. Remember what Anthony said about the seven councilors being the rising stars? He no doubt intends to approach them later about a marriage alliance.
God, he’s a bastard.
