their “guests”-surprisingly polite, all things considered. Gates flashedall over the palace as more and more faeries began to arrive, the sound of clarions becoming monotonous as the Seelie Court gathered for the trial.
Prodding at the leg of giant frog that roasted over his campfire, Jus stared at the flames and asked, “How’s Polk?”
“He, ah, h-he-” Escalla’s bottom lip quivered. She swallowedand went on. “He didn’t make it. He died, Jus.”
The Justicar stood, actually mad-
“There wasn’t anything we could do. That drow got him rightthrough the heart.” The girl rubbed at her eyes. “The kid’s with him. He’sbruised all to hell and a bit cut up, but otherwise he’s fine. They made a goodteam, you know?”
Upset, angry that he was upset, and annoyed at being angry about being upset, Jus stopped pacing and swiped at his eyes.
“They did well. They really did.” Jus cleared his throat-acold seemed to be making him sound a little hoarse. “Can your people fix it?”
Escalla sighed and gave a nod. “Probably. Dad put a priest onit. Said we’ll probably have him back from the dead by tomorrow morning… ifall goes well.”
“Good.”
From the palace, horns blew an insistent little fanfare, summoning the court of faerie law. Jus signaled some nearby refugees that they were welcome to the campfire and the food, then gathered up his gear.
Jus’ calm eyes turned to look long and thoughtfully atEscalla.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Escalla took charge of her staff, scroll tube,and the portable hole as Jus swept Cinders into place around his shoulders. The girl let Jus lift her up and set her on his shoulder. He rested his face against her flank for a moment, and the girl gave his big, stubble covered head a hug.
“All right, J-man. Let’s do it!”
The central ballroom of Clan Nightshades palace had again filled with faerie aristocracy. Chairs were arranged into a vast ring about the floor, and chandeliers blazed brightly above. Banners from ancient conflicts hung in splendor beside paintings so perfect that they had lives all their own. As hundreds of gorgeously costumed faeries flew in through the doors to take their seats, Jus and Escalla walked slowly inside with Henry trailing awe-struck in their wake.
All speech stopped. All eyes instantly turned to stare at the rebel Escalla and the huge figure of the Justicar.
At one end of the ballroom, a throne had been arranged. A wing of crimson-armored guards knelt beside a lean, cool figure who sat upon the throne. The Justicar walked across the open ballroom and delivered a long, grave bow to the Erlking, Oberon. Escalla joined him, giving a cool nod. Henry bobbed like a child’s toy, bowing again and again until Escalla dragged him away to thesidelines where the boy could do no harm.
Hundreds of faeries-both exiles and the Seelie Court-hadgathered. Into the hush, Lord Faen strode forward, his two-foot height proud and haughty as he thudded his staff of office against the floor.
“All hear! This court extraordinary is now in session!” Theold faerie signed to warriors beside the windows and doors.
Red-armored royal guards slammed the windows and the doors, then rolled magic seals across them. Power flashed, and the rooms were shut tight against intrusion or escape.
Lord Faen turned, ignoring the operation. Before him in the front rows of the audience sat Lord Ushan of Sable, his flame red robes now black in mourning. The Lady Nightshade, pale, beautiful, and severe, sat beside Lord Nightshade and their youngest daughter Tielle. Young duelists, clan heads and courtiers, all made a solid wall of faerie might that awaited the evening drama. Lord Faen finished his circle of the floor then walked back toward the throne.
“It pleases his Highness the Consort-Royal to declare thiscourt in session. Let no spell be cast without permission, on pain of retribution. Let no blows be struck. Let all who have business before this court state their cases and be satisfied.” The faerie lord made a single bow towardthe Erlking. “My Lord Oberon, Clan Nightshade embraces the spirit of the SeelieCourt and petitions your judgment.”
Lord Ushan gave an angry start, only to be held in place by a hand idly raised by Oberon himself. Thin and attenuated like an exotic mantis, the Erlking was clearly different from the faeries around him. Oberon looked coolly at Lord Faen and then Lord Nightshade. When he spoke, the Erlking’s voicewas surprisingly cool and soft.
“What does Nightshade desire of us?”
Charn, Lord Nightshade stood and said, “Your Highness,Nightshade asks that this court determine the guilt and identity of the murderer of the Cavalier Tarquil Sable.”
With a roar, Lord Ushan sprang to his feet.
Lord Faen turned a glacial gaze upon Lord Ushan and replied, “The wording was exactly correct. You are out of order. This court sits todetermine the murderer of the Cavalier Tarquil Sable-and also to assess sundryother crimes.” Lord Faen turned to Oberon. “Highness?”
The Erlking raised one fingertip and said, “Begin.”
With his wings stiff and his antennae erect, Lord Faen began a slow path past Lord Ushan, Lady Nightshade, and the glaring, sneering Tielle.
“My lords and ladies, upon the death of Cavalier Tarquil,evidence showed that a faerie was the most obvious candidate for murderer. An outside specialist was therefore commissioned by the crown to pursue evidence and collect facts. This commission has been duly carried out.” Faen pointed withthe butt of his staff. “The Justicar will present the facts that he hasgathered. Attend him.”
Again Ushan gave a cry of dismay. “This under-creature is acompanion to Nightshade’s daughter!”
“He has served us with extraordinary courage and diligence-upto and including confronting the demon queen Lolth on our behalf.” Lord Faenturned his back upon Ushan. “Unlike faerie lords, the Justicar holds truth aboveall honor. He has no objection to submitting to truth spells. Cast one now and be satisfied.”
With a snap of his robes, Lord Ushan did exactly that. With a truth spell in place, he sourly sat down.
The Justicar walked slowly forward-three times taller thenthe faeries, his heavy boots and hell hound skin seeming stark and pitiless. The human rested one hand on his sword and addressed the throne.
“The body of the Cavalier Tarquil was found with a poisonedgoblet at his side. Apparent cause of death was from imbibing poison.” TheJusticar turned to pace slowly across the room. “My own subsequent examinationof the corpse revealed anomalies. An injected poison had been administered within the victim’s hairline. The puncture wound had been missed by previousinvestigation. However, the wound had not bled at all.”
A thin faerie lady with delicate turquoise skin raised a fan quietly to the Justicar and asked, “Justicar, this is significant? Why would awound not bleed?”
“Blood had already pooled at the victim’s front, my lady,where the Cavalier had been lying face down.” The Justicar bowed calmly over thelittle woman. “This is a sign that the body had been at least three hours deadby the time the puncture wound was made.”
“Ah.” The blue lady twirled her fan in puzzlement. “Doublepoison? Someone making sure of their mark?”
“Perhaps, my lady.” The Justicar kept his voice deep andcivil. “In any case, the Lady Escalla entered the room at one point during theevening while the body was present. She wore a slowglass necklace-immune to illusion. We have retrieved this slowglass and can now show this court the events of that night.”
Carried carefully by royal guards, the slowglass gem-newlycleaned and polished-was borne into the room. Lord Faen bowed toward the throne.
“Lenses can project images from the slowglass onto the wall,my king. Light caught in the slowglass will leak outward only once. A time spell allows us to accelerate or stop time for the slowglass, but please pay close attention to the images. We cannot replay an event once the light has fled.”
A harsh laugh came from the audience where Tielle, Escalla’ssister, lounged scornfully back in her seat. “Your slowglass could show nothingbut actors in a play! There is no guarantee that what we see is what happened that
