Keir Read online

  “I wish the court to recognize my daughter, Kisella.” Rialto could not keep the pride from his voice as he paraded her around the edge of the court to ensure her acknowledgement by all its members.

  Kisella kept her head bowed, a sideways glance at Keir and a tiny shake of her head as she passed the only communication she offered her brother. Breathless at this revelation, he gazed at his mother in disbelief, but she showed no surprise at the announcement.

  “I doubt there are any here who have not seen your daughter in this court before, Rialto,” the Matriarch said, her tone irritated.

  “It has never been required as proof before, my lady,” he replied. “I merely wish to show that I am unlikely to father a demon when I have such a beautiful daughter, thus proving the infidelity of my former wife with otherworldly creatures.”

  “It is no proof. One child born without blemish does not disprove you of fathering Keir,” Serena persisted.

  “It at least makes it seem unlikely.” There was a murmuring in the court that signaled agreement with his sentiments. “In the absence of witnesses, no other proof is available.”

  Serena blushed at the insinuation, dropping her eyes to the ground. Kisella gave her a sympathetic look before she resumed her seat, clearly embarrassed by her father’s behavior.

  “The court will remember that I divorced my former wife and disinherited the creature she claimed to be my child,” continued the prosecutor. “I remarried for the sake of the Family, and Kisella is my rightful heir. I have absolved myself of all responsibility for the Blue Demon, which belongs solely to its mother. Only a monster could beget a monster.”

  “The only monster here is you, Rialto,” Serena cried, spurred to anger. “To have treated your own son in such a way, taken in the dark of night and tortured! I found him abandoned in a gutter, barely alive. It was three months before he recovered from the wounds and loss of blood.” She addressed the Matriarch directly, one hand clutched to her heart. “I kept him safe. I kept him hidden. When he disappeared I spent years trying to find him, listening to rumors in the market place and gossiping old women. I watched him chased from the streets by a mob with stones because he was trying to find food. You–” She turned back on Rialto, jabbing a finger toward him in accusation. “–have hounded him, tormented him and made his life hell, all because he was born different. But it will be you who burns in Hell for your sins, Rialto, not him!”

  Outraged whispering from the elite rose to shouts and catcalls at her rant. Rialto’s face burned white with anger, and his guards hurried forward to seize Serena.

  “So you would defend him?” he challenged her.

  “To my last breath.”

  “You would protect him? From any that sought to harm him?”

  “With all my heart and soul!” Serena threw at him.

  “You would shield him from me? From all in Adalucien?” He stalked up to her. “You would defy the city for the sake of this creature?”

  “I would.”

  “Do you hear that?” Rialto turned back to the court, raising his voice. “She would aid this demon even against the good citizens of Adalucien. Against all of you!” He flung out a hand toward the elite, and the majority yelled protests at such defiance.

  “Silence!”

  Everyone fell quiet as the Matriarch rose to her feet, arms raised and her face stern. Keir gripped the sides of his throne so hard it hurt, torn between the desire to scream a denial of his mother’s guilt or attack his father for the unjust accusations.

  Kisella’s gaze met his, and a voice in his head spoke: “Keep still and do nothing.”

  “I have to save her!” he cried back. “They will kill her.”

  “Trust me,” urged the voice. “Be patient and do nothing yet, my brother.”

  Her thoughts smoothed over his, promised him, assured him of her intentions. Despite his misgivings, he forced himself to calm and consider the situation more coolly. Even if he chose to ignore Kisella, what could he really do against the whole court, with armed guards within easy call? He had no choice but to trust her. For now.

  The Matriarch established order once more and eased herself back into her seat. “I will have no more of this,” she commanded. “This is a court of law and justice, not the dueling grounds. The defender should now speak, if the two of you have finished?”

  Rialto deferred to her with a gracious nod, throwing a black look at Serena as he took his own seat. She stood, shaking, her composure shattered as tears ran unchecked down her drawn face. Without Kisella’s insistence, Keir could not have continued to sit and submit to the interrogation of his mother. Kisella stepped forward, coming as close as Rialto had to the weeping prisoner, but there was compassion in her face as she spoke in soft, clear tones. “Even my father has admitted that there were no witnesses to the conception of either child and, therefore, no definite proof. There are, additionally, no clear statements from witnesses concerning any act of dark magic performed by Keirlan de Corizi.”

  An uneasy muttering began to rise from the members of the court, accompanied by many shaking heads. Keir sensed the tension increasing. Her views were not popular in a court already convinced of his evil and not disposed to view him differently, even without substantiated evidence.

  Kisella turned to face her audience. “Oh, there are many fanciful tales of his powerful black magic, of this supposed curse,” she agreed, “but has anyone here actually seen it happen? Have any of you solid proof of one spell cast against someone, of anything more authenticated than rumor? I ask you for one sworn statement from a figure of standing, one piece of genuine evidence. Can you give me that, my lords and ladies?”

  She waited as there was a rapid discussion among them, before one man rose as a representative for the majority. “What of the damage done to the palace, and the attack on the village?”

  Kisella stalked to the accuser. His dark eyes showed mild surprise as she confronted him and with one last grimace, he slipped back into his seat. “Ah, yes, there are many sworn testimonies to the attack,” she allowed, “and the destruction caused to the North Wall of the palace is undeniable. But I believe all were very clear on the person responsible–the so-called Red Witch, taken into custody by Commander Rialto. Is that not so?”

  Rialto glared at his daughter, but said nothing.

  The Matriarch answered in his place. “This is true. The only black magic in this case was attributed to the Red Witch.”

  The court muttered quiet agreement and the young advocate spoke with more confidence. “Then, you must accept that Keirlan de Corizi has no magical powers.”

  “No.” Rialto rose and limped to join her on the floor of the court. “His powers have been contained by the mystic symbols placed upon him by my guards when he was a child. These have controlled his evil to the benefit of our society. However, they did not prevent him from summoning the witch to plague us.”

  “As we have demonstrated, there is no proof Keirlan ever had powers requiring containment. Likewise, there is no proof he had anything to do with the woman’s arrival.”

  “Then what is your explanation for the appearance of the Red Witch? What were her reasons for rescuing him?”

  “I see no need for any,” she retorted. “If the Red Witch is the culprit, seek her out and bring her before this court!”

  His face flushed scarlet as murmurs of approval for Kisella’s speech resounded in the court.

  “The court would seem to agree with the defender, Rialto,” the Matriarch said with a smile. “I believe she has made a valid point, and I suggest that the charges against Serena de la Corizi be withdrawn.”

  “No!” He aimed an accusatory finger at Serena. “She knows where they are. She is shielding them from justice!”

  “A fact you have as yet failed to prove,” the Matriarch said. “Am I to understand that this case had been brought before us in order to force this lady to speak? That is not the purpose of a court of law.”

  “By keeping s
ilent, she convicts herself of hiding known sorcerers!”

  “The burden of proof lies with the prosecution, Rialto, and you seem to have none. You have acted precipitously as always, my son. Surely it would have been wiser to set a watch on the lady, observing her movements. As a mother, I am sure she would have wished to see her son again and so betrayed his hiding place, providing you with the necessary proof. Your impatience has made you foolish, Rialto.”

  “She would not reveal his location without good cause,” he insisted bitterly.

  The Matriarch glared at him. “The threat of execution? You make a mockery of our justice by abusing your position, Commander.” She sighed. “I have a way to settle this.” She leaned forward. “Serena, do you know where your son hides?”

  “On my life, and that of my son’s,” she said, “I swear I do not know where he is.”

  The Matriarch sat back, apparently satisfied by her statement. “As a lady of the Family, I can accept your word.” She raised her voice. “I would ask that this court absolve the accused of any crime.”

  There was a general, if somewhat grudging, chorus of concord from the assembly and several hands were raised.

  The clerk took careful count before facing the Matriarch. “The majority rules in favor of the defense.”

  Keir leant back in his seat, relief washing though him. His sister had proven herself true to her word, and his mother would be free.

  The Matriarch gestured to the general assembly, summoning the court official. “Clerk of the Court,” she ordered.

  He stepped forward and banged his staff. “Assembly is now closed. The prisoner may step free.”

  Keir was out of his seat, without any conscious knowledge of movement, and starting toward the plinth before he remembered himself and the danger he would put them both in. He forced himself back, made himself sit and watch, only watch, as his mother was led from the court by an honor guard of four soldiers. A number of curious members of the court joined the procession, but Kisella remained next to the plinth, her face unreadable.

  Keir hesitated. With no further cases to hear that day, many of the Assembly were preparing to leave. He could go with the crowd or wait for a quieter moment but risk the possibility that someone may take note of him, perhaps even ask his name. The court was emptying faster than he expected, no doubt eager to spread the tale of Rialto’s defeat.

  Decided, he pushed himself to his feet…and collided with a man directly in front of him. He tried to catch himself, tried to regain his balance, but the impact left him sprawled on the floor.

  Shock mixed with pain jolted through him, and he yanked his cloak around him, trying to cover himself as he had always done. As he had always been forced to do. He could not be seen, not here! Not now. Panic coursed through his veins and he kept his head down, his gaze fixed on the floor

  “My apologies, sir. I did not see you there.” The man stretched out his hand. “Let me assist you.”

  “No.” Keir swatted at the man, but he would not be deterred. “I am fine. Please. Let me be.” He tried to gain his feet, tried to move away from the over-solicitous courtier, but stumbled instead into someone else, knocking his hood back in the process.

  There was a moment of silence as the court stood paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the Blue Demon in their midst. Then the room broke into a cacophony of screams and curses. Hands clutched at him, bodies hemmed him in. Hateful faces surrounded him. His breath came hard and fast, shallow, as terror crushed his chest. There was no way out. Sheer numbers held him prisoner. He had one final glimpse of Kisella’s terrified face before the men mobbing him swamped her from view.

  I cannot let them take me!

  A sudden moment of clarity burst through his panic. He wrenched himself free, shedding the cloak that was slowing him down where many hands had seized it. A single punch knocked aside the man barring his path, and he twisted through the clutches of those nearest. Others drew back, clearly unwilling to risk life and limb against a demon that fought back. A gap opened in the crowd, and he darted forward, a sense of triumph and exhilaration washing away the fear. He was almost free.

  Mailed hands seized his arm and he spun. He lashed out, and the guard fell back, but two more took his place and drove into him, bearing him to the ground. Pain jarred through his back. He strained against them as they pinned his arms, held his legs, but even those weeks of training were no use against professional soldiers in heavy armor. Their weight crushed any chance of escape, and all hope with it. Despair lashed through him. He arched his back, trying to lever himself off the floor even though there was no chance. He was trapped.

  The lords and ladies gathered around like a clutch of startled chickens. Keir uttered a harsh sound of frustration, still struggling valiantly on the cold marble floor. Deep in his chest, his heart hammered in panic. How could he have been so stupid?

  A gap opened in the crowd and his father strode through, a look of grim elation on his face. “Well, well,” he said, baring his teeth in a ferocious grin. “It seems she did lead me to you after all.”

  Keir glared up at him but said nothing, once again helpless before his father.

  “Get him up,” the commander ordered.

  They yanked Keir to his feet with his arms twisted behind his back. His mother stood in the doorway with Kisella, her expression anguished.

  “You see?” Rialto announced, his voice carrying over the tumult. “What else but magic could have spirited this creature into our midst, into the very heart of our stronghold.” He grasped the front of Keir’s shirt, leaned in close. “Did she summon you here, demon? She has confessed in this court that she would aid you. Now your presence condemns you both.”

  Anger supplanted fear and he scowled at his father, a curse on his lips he had no chance to deliver. Rialto’s fist struck his face, and his smug smile chased Keir into the dark.

  * * * *

  A flattened ovoid with walls of black pitted metal formed a vast chamber edged by shadows. A solitary humanoid sat cross-legged in the near darkness, swathed in gray cloth with his face covered by a silver mask. In his gloved hands he cupped a large, clear crystal, perfectly symmetrical, its facets reflecting the minimal light from above.

  The gem hummed with a mounting intensity until its harmonics were shattered. “Who is this?” R’hellek’s voice came from deep within the crystal.

  He leaned closer to the crystal. “My name is irrelevant. I speak as an emissary for the Siah-dhu. I believe we share a mutual desire.”

  There was a long silence before the crystal spoke again. “What do you want?” R’hellek asked warily.

  “I have been looking for someone for a very long time. Someone whose name you have mentioned.” An ache of longing possessed him. “Someone who troubles you.”

  “What is your intention?”

  “Her possession.”

  Again there was a lengthy pause, as if R’hellek contemplated the suggestion. “It would mean her removal?” he asked curtly

  “As far as you are concerned, she would cease to be of…relevance.”

  “And your price?”

  “I merely require your assistance in bringing her to me. Her presence here is all I ask. I have waited an eternity for her.” He drew a slow, deep breath that hissed through the mouthpiece of his mask. “Tell me where she is.”

  “I don’t know.” For the first time, the crystal betrayed the man’s anger, revealing his displeasure at such an admission. “But there may be a way to bring her to a meeting place.”

  “I will come to you, then. We shall speak again.”

  The crystal fell silent and the Emissary closed one hand over it, concealing the gem as he sat immobile and alone in the shadows.

  Chapter 7

  Quin sat in the center of the gateway room with her legs crossed at the ankles and her arms resting on her knees. Far beneath her, the psi power source that enabled her to make the gateways seethed and spiraled in the depths of the planet, awaiting her ca
ll. She drew a tendril upward and into herself, let its heat flood her veins, and focused.

  In her mind she still held the vague images she had captured from the turmoil in Keir’s head before his departure. The gateway between them muted their mental link, leaving nothing but a faint trace that was already fading. Even though he kept himself shielded tighter than any telepath she had ever known, she was always conscious of his presence in her thoughts, like the touch of a warm breeze. His absence there left a dull ache.

  She pressed her fingers to her temples, massaging the growing pain in her head. Although she had a sense of the path he had taken, she doubted her ability to find him. Her apprehension made it hard to concentrate, the one thing she needed to do.

  Why had he left like that? Did he trust her so little, even now? Hurt warred with her concern for his safety.

  Damn it, Keir.

  Quin had an entire universe to sift through to find Ryan–she didn’t have time to chase after someone else as well. She sighed and let her hands drop into her lap. At least it wouldn’t be so damn difficult to track this one down. He had gone back to Adalucien, of that she was sure. Whether he had a plan in mind, or had left filled with nothing but the blind panic that had woken her...well, that she couldn’t know.

  The sound of movement came from the corridor outside and she pushed herself to her feet, turning to see Sky, Taler and Mercury, carrying heavy equipment in gray metal casings. Dressed in traditional Adalucien garb, the medieval cloaks and leggings were a stark contrast to their usual appearance and only highlighted their alien nature.

  “All set?” Sky asked, handing her a knife as well as a belt with myriad tiny compartments.

  Quin wore a figure-hugging, one-piece suit in faded black over which she had thrown the customary Adalucien cloak and a shapeless commoner’s tunic that reached to her knees. She slipped the belt round her waist and tugged it tight. “I think so.”

  Sky grinned and Mercury handed her three small disc-shaped devices, each the size of her thumbnail.