Jamie watched as a small smile crossed Marcus’ face at the question – so fleeting he wondered if he had imagined it. The Earth High Master’s voice was disbelieving – perhaps this one was a lost cause – immune to his particular brand of charm.
Jamie smiled nonetheless and asked innocently, “Why would I think there would be any danger? It’s forbidden for anyone to open a Gate and none have been opened for over a hundred and fifty years – the idea of danger never even crossed my mind.”
“And yet you were there?”
“Yes, High Master Zhuang – I was there. But only because I didn’t like the idea of Allyra wandering around alone. The dangers in my mind were the more mundane type – a twisted ankle, a snakebite. You know – the type that any hiker in the African bush might be confronted with.”
The Earth High Master’s expression remained unconvinced, but he indicated to Marcus that he had no further questions. Marcus in turn motioned for Jamie to retake his seat. He dropped down next to Eva and gave her a smile – easy and unconcerned, but inside his heart threatened to burst right through his chest.
“Eva.” Marcus called out. “You knew Allyra – can you say if you agree with James on whether she was in fact ignorant of everything associated with the Gifted.”
Eva stood and smiled widely at Marcus – a playful, coquettish smile that Jamie hadn’t ever seen on her before. He got the impression that Eva’s relationship with Marcus ran deeper than just High Master and student. And judging by Pete’s drawn expression, he didn’t like it at all. Jamie wondered again whether he’d ever really known Eva or Pete at all.
When Eva started speaking her voice was thoughtful. Far from agreeing instantly with Jamie’s words, Eva was giving the question real consideration. “Allyra is one of those people that you wonder if you’ll ever truly know. Anything I learnt about her was because she allowed it.”
It was an excellent description of Allyra. Jamie loved Allyra and knew her as well as anyone alive, but she’d always been cool and detached and at times, in those quiet and reflective moments, he’d wondered if there would always be a part of her that he’d never really know.
Jamie was jolted from his thoughts as Eva spoke again, her voice firm as she spoke directly to Marcus. “Whatever Allyra might’ve kept from me, I don’t believe knowledge of the Gifted was one of them. I agree with Jamie – she didn’t know. I’m not sure how best to explain it, but the things she kept back were more personal, emotional. She didn’t have any physical secrets.”
Jamie closed his eyes and let out a small, silent sigh of relief. Whatever reasons Eva had for pushing her way into Allyra’s life, she’d helped her today. Eva sat back down and gave Jamie’s hand a brief squeeze.
Marcus was asking Pete if he had anything to add, but Pete simply shook his head silently.
*
Over the next hour, Marcus called upon various experts and the Council questioned them on a variety of subjects.
The mechanics of opening a Gate.
The people who might be capable of it.
If Allyra posed any danger to the Gifted.
All of them interesting topics, but Jamie couldn’t quite summon the energy to concentrate. The last 24 hours were catching up with him – his head ached from where the Cleaner had hit him. The various cuts and bruises he’d suffered on the desperate sprint up to Allyra were all making themselves felt.
His mind wandered…
Marcus was wrapping things up by the time Jamie forced his mind back into the present, back into the Great Hall.
“Thank you everyone – I think we’ve heard enough. Allow me to sum up the questions facing this Council. First – do we believe that Allyra Warden was in fact unaware of what she was doing? Meaning – did she really not know about the Gifted and did she not try to hide her Gift from the Council?
Second – what is to be her punishment? Even if she was unaware – a Gate was nonetheless opened and she has crossed the Veil into the Between. These are all things that are forbidden by the Gifted Charter due to the danger they pose for the Gifted and therefore cannot go unpunished.”
“Excuse me for interrupting High Master.” It was High Master Perez with her quiet, lyrical voice. Marcus looked displeased at the interruption but motioned for her to continue.
“High Master – I understand that if we find her guilty of your first question, the punishment you speak of in the second will be easy to arrive at. But I’d like to understand what our options are if we find her innocent of the first? I believe this to be particularly relevant, as we’ve heard nothing that suggests that she crossed the Veil knowingly. We haven’t spoken of the dangers she might be facing in the Between, but we all know what the history books tell us – The Revenants or even just the inherent dangers of the Between. All of which must be more terrifying for someone who knows nothing of this world.”
“I think you’re missing the point or at least jumping the gun.” Marcus replied, clearly annoyed at having his summation interrupted.
“High Master – I would also like to better understand the scenario High Master Perez has laid out.” It was the Air High Master, who had sat through most of the proceedings with his eyes closed – apparently asleep. But now, as he spoke, with a calm and even voice, everyone in the hall seemed to sit up just a little bit straighter.
“Of course High Master Radebe – please continue.” Marcus replied smoothly, but there was no mistaking the anger in his eyes. Enough that Eva flinched next to him as the heat of Marcus’ gaze
