Chapter 67 — The Trial, Part IV

Ria placed a hand on her chest to calm her fiercely beating heart. This was the moment for which she had spent the last several days pouring through histories, proclamations, and recordings of judgement.

She didn’t know the spell that Keira had used, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t prepared her own solution to project her voice. Closing her eyes and taking modest breaths, she circulated her energy, using body-strengthening to enhance her diaphragm and throat.

“Hi. My name is Ria. I’m from Shadewood,” she said, starting with the basics and giving what she hoped was a friendly enough smile.

“Then go back to Shadewood, you witch!” a male voice shouted. “Your kind aren’t welcome here!”

The shout was met with murmured agreement and jeering.

Ria’s smile slipped into a grimace, but she persevered. “I am thankful for the warm hospitality I have received from the people of Vorshan’s Hills after my home and family in Revant were taken from me and have sought to repay your kindness by doing my part to help protect Vorshan’s Hills.”

“Hard of hearing, ain’t ye?!”

“Maybe she’s just slow in the head!”

Coarse laughter followed the hecklers’ jabs.

Lord Vorshan wasn’t giving any indication that he would be coming to her aid, and the elders were all watching her carefully, watching to see how she would handle the situation. Ria had suspected when Lord Vorshan had offered her the chance to speak, that it would be as much a test as an opportunity—and not just an opportunity to help Amilee, but to improve her standing with the people of Vorshan’s Hills and prove herself worthy of the Grand Academy scholarship, prove that she could represent Vorshan’s Hills among the nobles together with Keira as Keira had talked about in her speech. But for him to leave her to face down a hostile crowd like this alone…!

Her eyes caught Amilee’s. The girl was looking down at her with wary defiance and a barely contained sneer. Zoe’s expression wasn’t much friendlier.

Swallowing down some spit to moisten her quickly drying throat, Ria launched into her prepared introduction and arguments, “I apologize that my clothing from traversing the wilds has led to wild rumors, but I assure you that like Young Lady Keira who spoke previously, I am a simple apprentice mage, just a normal girl from what used to be a farming village in Revant—a village like Vorshan’s Hills that also worshiped Hemse and celebrated the plantings and harvests. Though, Shadewood was too small to have a priest or chapel.”

“Lies!” a voice cried out. “Deceiver!”

Doing her best to not get put off from her practice, Ria ignored the person and continued, “Unfortunately, my naïve zeal to prove myself by solving the mystery of the missing pets and alerting the guardsmen to the location of a shapeshifter—my meddling—has resulted in unintended consequences for a friend of Young Lady Keira who has been kind to me, consequences that I am uncomfortable bearing responsibility for. And not because I seek favor with House Vorshan, but because I find it hard to believe that any friend of Young Lady Keira could be such a terrible person as to merit a punishment of death, even for the crimes as described by the witnesses this morning. It is for this reason that I stand before you to speak on behalf of Amilee Clearwell.”

“Don’t do me any more favors, witch,” Amilee growled as portions of the surrounding crowd laughed cynically and taunted Ria.

Of course, a witch would defend a necromancer! and such was called out. The specific wording differed for each taunt, but each carried a similar sentiment.

Ria grimaced again. Without a way to convince them, she could only press on. “While death is often sought as the punishment for unlicensed use of necromancy, I assert that is not required by the law prohibiting such practice. When researching past cases, the death penalty was primarily used in cases where the necromantic magic was used against people or their dead relatives in a way that harmed the lives and souls of members of the community in which the mage was tried for the crimes committed.”

“While Amilee’s crimes were reprehensible...” Ria paused and took a deep breath to mentally prepare for the disfavor that would surely result from her argument. “...no person alive or dead was injured by her use of restricted magics, and under the law, the harms from her crimes amount to little more than simple property damage.”

A stunned silence greeted Ria, until broken by a lone voice, shaky with emotion.

“H-how could you s-say something so terrible! My S-stripes isn’t a thing! Would you say the same if Ranger was the one who had his soul taken?!”

The other pet owners quickly voiced their own objections, giving Ria angry and betrayed glares.

Lisa had quickly found the weak point in Ria’s argument, and Ria was thankful Ranger wasn’t there to hear it. Unfortunately for Lisa, this wasn’t a point Ria could back down on if she was to convince the elders and the villagers.

“Would you ask that Amilee die, Lisa? Is that the price you would have her pay in exchange for the life of your pet cat?” Ria coldly countered.

It was mean, and Ria hated herself for being so cruel to the girl and the others who had lost a loved family member, but this was the best argument to save Amilee. As a noble, it was an argument that Keira couldn’t make without seeming uncaring and high-handed. The price of being thought of as heartless was a small thing for Ria to pay in comparison to the ruin she had brought to Amilee, and Ria had resolutely volunteered to pay it.

When Lisa looked away, unable to reply, Ria turned to Elder Emmer. “If a hungry man stole your cow and ate his fill, would you demand he be put to death? Or should he be made to compensate you for the cow?”

The elder made a wry expression and shook his head in bemusement. “Young witch, that’s not how this works. Unlicensed necromancers are put to death because they’ve proven that they can’t be trusted with the knowledge they’ve obtained and to remind those considering the same path the punishment for seeking that knowledge.”

Some in the crowd began to boo her, and behind the elder, the woman’s twisted grin had grown even more maniacal than before. Ria really wished that she could remember where she’d met the woman to have a better idea of why the woman despised her so much.

Master Rigure stood and motioned for the crowd to quiet down. “Ria, in your research, what were the other punishments given for unlicensed use of Spirit Magic? Can you also briefly summarize the circumstances of the crimes for which they were punished?”

Relief washed over Ria at the rescue, but she did worry whether Master Rigure’s intervention meant she had failed to meet Lord Vorshan’s expectations when he entrusted this task to her. “Ah, yes, Master Rigure. Most commonly, the necromancer was branded with a magical brand and exiled. In those cases, no one had been seriously injured and the dead were all freed from the bindings.

“One case, a child was lured into a dark pact and caught animating animal skeletons. After stronger bindings were placed on the familiar, the boy was branded and placed under supervision until he achieved his license.

“Another was a case where a mage sought to revive his dead wife, but the spell went terribly wrong. After the wife’s soul was freed, her family demanded that the mage be publicly whipped and ordered to pay restitution to them and the temple that performed the exorcism. He was branded but not forced to leave the town.

“The most recent case was a girl that had been bullied by her peers and, after making a dark pact with an imp, learned and cast a wasting curse on several of the girls that bullied her. When the curse was discovered, the familiar was killed, and after the girl was discovered to have an affinity for Spirit Magic, she was taken in by the church of Ellnys and required to repay the debt of her education and licensing through service to the church.”

There was one other common punishment for unlicensed Spirit Mages that didn’t involve death, but Ria was hesitant to mention it unless the elders were determined to see Amilee put to death. It solved the issue of trust but was something she wouldn’t wish on another. That such a fate could have awaited Ria if not for Lord Vorshan’s pardon...

The merchant elder stood, and Master Rigure sat back down. Ria owed Master Rigure a debt of gratitude. Thanks to his timely intervention and question, the crowd had given her a chance to speak, and the murmurings seemed to have changed in tone somewhat during her presentation.

Elder Alstin considered her with his kindly face and asked, “Ria of Shadewood, since you have shown much knowledge on the subject, what do you think would be a fair punishment in the case before us?”

Though Ria hadn’t expected to be asked so directly, she had prepared a recommendation to give unsolicited. A recommendation she had revised after meeting with Amilee in the jail beneath the barracks. It had to be severe enough to act as a deterrent for others and to satisfy the anger that had been stirring in the village the past weeks.

Ria met the elderly man’s bushy-brow-framed eyes with a sober expression. “After verification of her familiar’s binding: branding, one lashing on the back for each pet killed, restitution to those harmed, and supervision whenever she leaves her house. If a master or school cannot be arranged to take her on, she should be sent to a temple willing to handle her period of education and penance.”

“If she were allowed to live and remain in Vorshan’s Hills—having a known necromancer living in our village—how do you think that would affect our ability to trade and do business with the other villages? Would the outland farmers even come here to sell their goods?” Elder Alstin challenged her. “Winter is coming. What if such leniency leads to starvation for the people here?”

Would that really happen? Ria was stunned enough at not having even considered such consequences that she missed her chance to respond, and Priest Dohan stood.

“Come now, Alstin. Lord Vorshan owns enough farmland to prevent the village from starving even were that to be the case,” Priest Dohan chided and added, “Besides, Emmer isn’t doing the merchants any favors by giving credence to the absurd rumors of a witch residing in our village.”

“You fool! She’s standing right there in front of you!” the woman behind Elder Emmer sneered out, and hearing her voice, Ria realized who she was.

“Irene... even for you, that’s too much,” Captain Bastach warned. “Though I admit to initially believing that Ria was a witch, if Priest Dohan says she isn’t, then I need accept that she isn’t.”

“That’s because you, Priest Dohan, Elder Rigure, and Lord Vorshan have been charmed by her magic!” Irene rebutted and pointed at Leon. “Guardsman Errol’s son has already testified that the witch charmed the baker’s son! And I saw her cast a fire-snake charm in front of that boy’s family with my own eyes!”

Gasps sounded out among the crowd.

“Accusing Priest Dohan and myself isn’t enough? ...to accuse Lord Vorshan?” Captain Bastach breathed out in disbelief. “Has your delusion claimed your common sense? And at a trial blessed and witnessed by Hemse!”

“Indeed! Which is why we can finally get some answers!” Irene crowed. “Those charmed can’t be held responsible for what they say while under charm, but the one who performed the charm can!”

A worrying feeling began to twist its way up from the pit of Ria’s stomach. Irene seemed way too pleased.

Pointing at Ria, Irene declared, “Now that we have the witch before the council of elders, she can be questioned, and the gods will bring judgement upon her if she dares tell lies!”

“Ria is not the one on trial,” Lord Vorshan interjected. “I have been understanding in this, but it is time we returned to the matters at hand. Other matters can be handled after the trial.”

“My lord, I respectfully disagree,” Elder Emmer objected. “The witch’s influence over the proceedings and Amilee Clearwell would be relevant to the punishment to be decided by the council. And it is not unprecedented for the council to put to trial additional involved parties because of facts uncovered during the trial of another.

“In particular, the way the questioning was suspiciously deflected away from the foreign witch most of the morning lends credence to Irene’s accusations, and I for one would like some answers. It’s a matter those I represent are quite concerned about. I demand a vote.”

Horran, the hunter elder, stood. “I as well. If the girl really is a witch sent by the barbarians to weaken us from within, then we are all at risk.”

Elder Alstin carefully pushed himself up from his chair and also stood. “If the girl did manage to charm or otherwise influence Lord Vorshan, then her mentioned pardons and temporary licenses would also be in question. I, too, vote that she be questioned and tried in this matter.”

Events were happening with a speed that left Ria unable to do much more than look from elder to elder in shock at what was unfolding. That three of the five elders thought she was a witch and had charmed Lord Vorshan...

“I oppose this. To think a young novice mage could have any chance of successfully charming Priest Dohan, Lord Vorshan, or myself is absurd,” Master Rigure scoffed.

Priest Dohan nodded. “I also am in opposition. As a priest in good standing, Hemse’s protection would make such highly difficult for all but the most powerful of shamans or Mind Mages, and both Master Rigure and Lord Vorshan are accomplished mages with the strong will required to have risen to notable skill in their respective specialties.”

Bewildered by the rapid change in her situation, Ria turned her eyes to Lord Vorshan, as did every person present. Lord Vorshan had mentioned there was danger for her in speaking on behalf of Amilee. Was this what he meant? That she could be put on trial? Have her pardon and license revoked?

With a sigh, Lord Vorshan motioned his acquiescence to the council’s will. “If you are that determined, I won’t block the council of elders in this matter. But I remind all present that this is a trial under Hemse’s watchful eyes, and all here should conduct themselves with that in mind.”

“Then I shall start,” Elder Alstin announced. “Ria of Shadewood, what were the pardons and licenses that you sought and received from Lord Vorshan?”

When turning back to answer Elder Alstin, Ria’s caught sight of Amilee’s wry smile and laughing eyes. She put it out of mind to focus on the elder’s questions instead. “It was Jarrel who sought them for me. Lord Vorshan gave me a pardon for performing the familiar-binding ritual and a license to practice shamanic magic.”

“Unlicensed Spirit Magic. The same crime as Amilee Clearwell who stands guilty before us?”

“...yes.” The unfairness of it was one of the reasons that Ria felt she had to help Amilee. Murmurs of surprise rolled through the crowd, and Ria quickly added, “But I performed the ritual in Revant, not Crysellia. And, as the terms of the pardon, I was forbidden from performing the ritual in Crysellia until I earn a license from an academy.”

The old man just nodded amiably. “Of course. Was your familiar binding verified as you suggested for Amilee?”

Ugh. “No.”

“I see.” The old man stroked his chin, apparently thinking deeply. “I’m also wondering how Lord Vorshan approved a shamanic license without seeing your magic...”

“I did show him my magic!” Ria asserted. “A frost ward and-”

Ria stopped herself. If they found out she did the “snake charm” in front of Lord Vorshan...

“And?” Elder Alstin prompted her.

Argh! The kind-old-man face was a lie!

The metal of Hemse’s medallion felt cold against her chest. She had to tell the truth here.

“I demonstrated the Serpentine Fire exercise.”

The crowd exploded in calls for her to be seized or killed or worse... Captain Bastach and his men were looking around worriedly, but no one was rushing the ropes just yet.

“It’s just a practice exercise...” Ria tried to say but no one was listening. She looked to Master Rigure for help, to see him hold up a different wand from before.

A loud bang sounded, silencing the crowd as many ducked and covered their ears.

Elder Alstin gave the enchanter a nod. “Thank you, Rigure.”

“I must admit that I found Irene’s claims far-fetched and only went along as a favor to Elder Emmer, but this is a surprising turn,” Elder Harron spoke, his brow furrowing.

A dry cackling laugh and venomous voice cut through the sudden tension. “Looks like you’re going down with me, witch.”

“Amilee!” both Zoe and her mother exclaimed in shock, aghast at the girl.

“Don’t ‘Amilee’ me!” Amilee snarled. “She’s the one that set all this up. Charmed Lord Vorshan. Stole the sponsorship. Sent the guardsmen after my familiar so I could take the blame and she could take my place!”

Ria’s hand went to the amulet. Would Hemse really protect her or were the gods intending to take everything away from her again? Standing there, surrounded, she certainly didn’t feel protected.

“Girl, who else was in the room at the time?” Elder Alstin asked Ria, drawing attention back to him.

“...Jarrel, Captain Bastach, and four guardsmen,” Ria hesitantly answered. She knew why he wanted to know, but what else could she do at this point.

“And who were the guardsmen?”

Ria thought back to the now familiar names and faces she had seen that night. “...Guardsman Harvin. Guardsmen Linder and Headley. I’m sorry, but I don’t know the fourth one.” The only reason she knew Linder and Headley was because she had made a point to chat with them at the west gate after training with Tina.

“Is he here?” Elder Alstin asked, motioning at the guardsmen stationed around the rope line and the platform where Amilee and her family stood.

Ria looked around, recognizing many of them but, in the end, shook her head.

“Meslin was the fourth,” Captain Bastach volunteered.

“Elder Alstin,” Ria worriedly spoke up. “The Serpentine Fire exercise is just a normal energy control exercise for fire energy. It’s not a charm spell!”

“I might not be a mage, but I’m old enough to know that sometimes the simpler magics are the most versatile, and the practice exercises are the most versatile of all.” The old man turned to Master Rigure. “Rigure, can it be used as a charm spell?”

“At Ria’s skill level and knowledge? Doubtful,” Master Rigure immediately answered then added, “I haven’t met her familiar, so I can’t speak to its knowledge.”

“Ranger’s just a farm dog...,” Ria helplessly interjected.

“So, it can be used as a charm spell?” Elder Alstin pressed Rigure.

“I have heard of a wild-talent fire mage that was supposed to have done so, yes,” Master Rigure confirmed, and Ria’s heart sank.

Had Master Rigure turned against her? Had he really been on her side? What if he picked that focus tool for Leon because…

Ria turned to glance at Priest Dohan. He looked worried, but he gave her a slight nod and momentary reassuring smile. But even if she still had Priest Dohan supporting her, he was only one person.

When she looked back at Elder Alstin, he was patiently studying her reactions.

“Ria, have you ever charmed anyone?”

“I haven’t…” she started to say then glanced over at Leon and saw the dismay in her friend’s eyes. “…charmed anyone with magic.”

She regretted her choice of words the moment Elder Alstin’s eyebrow rose, but to say she hadn’t charmed Leon would be a lie, even if it was intended with a different meaning.

“If you didn’t use magic, how did you charm the boy?”

Ugh.

“I… was wearing something less than proper, and… I acted like the older girls do when they want a boy’s… interest.” Grandma Fana had tried to warn her, but she hadn’t listened, and now, in front of the whole village… “Do I really have to say it? It’s embarrassing.”

She snuck another glance at Leon, his face and ears were just as red as she imagined hers were. She cringed a bit when Grandpa Orlan caught her looking and gave an encouraging thumbs-up. Grandma Fana’s expression was stern as usual—if a shade exasperated and worried.

“At least, I won’t die a loose-legged hussy,” Amilee mocked, and Amilee’s family was too scandalized to even rebuke the girl this time.

“I did no such thing!” Ria huffed, but voices in the crowd called her unconscionable things even so. Why was she going through such humiliation for this vindictive girl?!

Beyond annoyed, Ria turned her back on Amilee and returned her attention to Elder Alstin, whose expression was still a disarming mask of neighborly patience.

“You didn’t use any potions, perfumes, or items to assist your endeavor to charm young Leon?”

“Just a scented soap, because I wanted to make good impressions that morning and was planning to shop for clothes,” Ria answered with a bit of exasperation. “An ordinary soap, smelling of mint and flowers that my mom and I bought at the general store. It was the last sliver that I had left from my journey through the wilds.”

“Your mother was also a witch?”

“No. She was a seamstress, and my father was a tanner and cobbler.”

“Then, how did you learn magic?”

Ria was tired of answering stupid questions and proceeded to tell them about finding the grimoire in her friend’s basement and how she worked through the practice exercises in the book and used magic items and places of power to learn the energy transformations, how she saved Ranger from the wolves and, later, saved him from the bandits, how she made him her familiar, and finally how they crossed the wilds to reach Vorshan’s Hills.

When she finished, the elder thanked her for putting up with an old man’s curiosity and eased himself back into his seat. The crowd had calmed down substantially during her long narration of events and the expressions from those she could see gave her hope that she’d won back the support of many of her neighbors or, at least, lessened their suspicions about her.

Elder Harron went next, and he asked her what she knew about the local barbarian tribes. Other than small things she had come across when researching about punishments for necromancers and general things Jarrel had mentioned to watch out for during the trip, all she knew was what Jarrel had explained to her and Leon on the way to the Adventurers Guild that day Irene tried to have her stoned. Detailing the extent of her knowledge didn’t take long.

He moved on to asking her about a man named ‘Striking-Eagle’ and a woman shaman who went by the name ‘Lightning-Sky-Eyes’. Naturally, Ria had no idea who they were.

Elder Emmer stood after Elder Harron seemed satisfied with her answers and sat down. He asked her questions about her relationship with Amilee. When they met. Whether she had influenced Amilee in any of her actions.

He asked whether Ria had experience with paint pigments, and clearly found their shared shopping at Kylie’s Alchemy shop and both buying energy-replenishment potions at the same time to be suspicious.

After asking for details about her conversation with Amilee at the cell under the barracks, Elder Emmer turned to Amilee and asked if what Ria had testified to was true. Ria suspected that Amilee would have said something troublesome if not for Zoe’s warning squeeze on her sister’s arm keeping Amilee to a judicious, “Her version of the truth.”

When the elder seemed done with the line of questions, instead of sitting down, he motioned behind him. “I delegate my authority to Irene, daughter of Dalyn, to ask questions on my behalf until I reclaim my authority.”

Ria’s eyes widened in surprise. She would have to answer Irene’s crazy questions directly?

“You may have charmed my son, but I will not succumb to your tricks so easily!” the woman spat out, and Ria instinctually backed away a step.

Because her son saw the fire magic at Leon’s place??

“Answer my questions truthfully, witch! Bastach didn’t bring up the murders at the northern farms. You know why, don’t you?” Irene demanded.

Those were the murders Jarrel was investigating for Captain Bastach, weren’t they? “No, why would I?”

“You came from the north, didn’t you?” Irene challenged, eyes burning with a crazed gleam.

It wasn’t a secret; Ria had just told the tale, hadn’t she? “I did. From Shadewood.”

“Then, if Amilee and her shapeshifter familiar didn’t kill the families in the north, maybe it was you?” Irene accused.

Wha-? Ria was stunned at the turn of events and chided herself for her naivety in not expecting such from Irene.

“Can you even prove that you weren’t there?” Irene pressed, her face twisting with emotion. “That you didn’t murder them?”

Could she prove she wasn’t there? Suddenly worried, Ria hurriedly thought back over where she and Jarrel had passed by on their way to town. Was there anything to prove she didn’t pass by their farms? The murmuring spreading through the crowd… even though she had worked so hard to win them back, they were turning against her again! She needed to come up with an answer—anything!

“Can you even deny that you are capable of killing them?” Irene demanded.

“I don’t even know them. How would I know that?!” Ria objected.

“You don’t need to answer that for us to know the answer, fiend!” Irene cut her off. “Walther saw you draw upon the powers of the hells and fight evenly with C-ranked Forsin at the Adventurers Guild!”

Ria stared in disbelief at the ridiculous assertion, but that gave time for Walther to describe the fiery ritual she drew at the guild.

Gasps of “Demonspawn!” and “Dark pact!” rippled through the crowd.

Ria sought the support of Leon and Keira’s faces and was met with ashen looks of worry. Was it all for naught, everything she had done to build a new life here in Vorshan’s Hills? Even Grandma Fana and Grandpa Orlan's faces were drawn, brows heavy with concern.

Something drew her gaze to the shaded platform for the nobles, and the blond-haired man that had come to the proceedings alongside Lord Vorshan had his gaze fixed on her, watching her every action with his golden eyes. Were they always that color?

Were Master Rigure and Priest Dohan swayed by Irene's lies?! Ria didn't dare seek their eyes for fear of what she would find. The weight of the crowd's dark murmuring pressed down on her, and she couldn't help covering her ears to block out the terrible things they were saying as Irene continued to demand answers and the sound of her heart pounding began to drown out everything around her. Was this the end? Had Hemse abandoned her? Tricked her?

A sudden shriek from Irene brought Ria’s attention back to the terrible woman. A fearsome beast’s severed head lay at the shrew’s feet.

“That there is the murderer that killed your relatives,” a longed-for and familiar voice echoed out against the stunned and silenced crowd.

Ria looked around for the source of the voice, and upon spotting the tall figure in his leather armor and weapons, her feet took hesitant steps forward until she could be sure it was really him and not her mind seeing what she desperately wanted to see. “Jarrel!” she finally called when the figure ducked under the rope, much to the guardsmen's dismay. He had saved her again!

Her hesitant steps became brisk and then a hurried dash, as she couldn’t help running over to throw herself at him, tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but she pulled up short when she saw and smelled the bloody bandages. “You’re wounded!”

Not waiting for his response, she drew forth as much of her energy as she could accurately control, shaped it into the design of her fast-healing ward and activated the magic, feeding the design more and more energy until the spell could no longer find locations to heal.

Exhausted and relieved, she slumped to her knees only to be scooped up by Jarrel and cradled against his bandaged chest. She didn’t fight it. The bandages were getting blood on her dress, but she was too drained to fuss, and after how scared she had just been, the strong protective arms and chest were a needed comfort against the judging eyes of the village that surely hated her now.

“Sorry, I worried you, Ria,” Jarrel offered as he carried her back over to Leon and Keira and Grandma Fana and Grandpa Orlan, who were each showing various signs of concern and relief, and set her back on her feet before ruffling her hair with wry amusement. “Not that I’m complaining, but there was no need to overexert yourself when Priest Dohan was right here, you know?”

Ah-!

“It was a magnificent display of healing magic, young Ria,” Priest Dohan praised her and winked, adding in a quieter voice, “Don’t let the hecklers or Irene get to you. You did better than you think answering the elders’ questions. Alstin and Harron are both excellent judges of character, and lies don’t pass their experienced eyes easily.”

Ria felt a surge of relief that the portly priest hadn't been swayed in the least by Irene and let a weak smile slip onto her face as she met his eyes. Whether or not she had done well… she didn’t share his opinion. But a quick glance in the direction of the other elders didn’t show the condemning faces she half-expected to see.

“Seems it was a difficult task,” Grandpa Orlan greeted his son, firmly clasping Jarrel’s shoulder with a meaty hand.

“The beast was tough enough to give Tina trouble and caught me by surprise,” Jarrel admitted and made a grimace. “Might be thanks to little Ria's healing scroll that I made it back…”

Ria's not-yet-calm heart caught in her chest at the admission. Giving him the scroll had been the right choice!

“Between you and Ria, I'm going to die early from worry at this rate,” Grandma Fana complained. “Can't you leave such things to the lord's men?”

“Jarrel, I see you’ve returned from the task I assigned,” Lord Vorshan called out, taking advantage of the distraction to regain control of the proceedings. “I assume you have news to report?”

“I do,” Jarrel stated and moved to stand before the balcony. “Not only has the culprit of the northern murders been hunted down, but the four missing boys have been rescued from the cave where they had been trapped, surviving on cave fish. All four have been safely returned to their families, though one will need time to recover from a broken leg. As with the case of the northern murders, no barbarians or witches were involved.”

Gasps of surprise rippled out as the crowd realized what Jarrel was saying.

When the crowd quieted down enough, Lord Vorshan continued questioning Jarrel, drawing out more details of what he had learned about the two incidents.

“That was blessed timing, Ria, as if the gods came to your aid,” Keira whispered to her, and Ria had to agree, briefly touching the medallion from Hemse. Her friend discreetly motioned, wand in hand. “Hold still, I’ll use my magic to clean your dress while everyone is distracted.”

“Thanks, Keira.” Ria clenched her jaw and bit her lower lip in frustration. All that work done to come up with a defense for Amilee had been made moot in just a few moments, as Irene’s efforts had turned the whole proceeding against Ria.

No, not moot, Ria realized. It had helped set the scene for Jarrel's dramatic entry, and the turn in the crowd's mood was amazing to witness. The ease with which Lord Vorshan used Jarrel's expertise and knowledge to methodically address the crowd's concerns one by one was a masterful display of the lord's skill as a leader and showed that she had much to learn about public speaking—particularly if she wanted to rally others to her mission of vengeance once she became strong enough.

When Lord Vorshan returned the proceedings to the elders, Irene tried to insist that she wasn’t done with her questions, but the elders’ appetite for further drama seemed to have waned, and after some additional questioning of Jarrel and Walther, the elders voted to not find her guilty of charming Lord Vorshan. Elder Emmer was the only vote finding guilt. Priest Dohan had been right.

Ria was frustrated with herself for giving in to fear so easily and for failing to defend herself from such flimsy accusations. She had been warned that there would be risk, but she was too focused on Amilee and hadn't properly prepared to defend herself. The result was almost a disaster.

After Jarrel, there were others that stepped forward to speak, and Lord Vorshan and the council of elders calmly dealt with their concerns. Many had questions about Ria and the barbarian threat in general, but to Ria’s surprise more than a few voiced opinions about Amilee’s sentencing—that it not be too harsh considering the limited extent of her crime. Whether her arguments had swayed them, Ria didn’t know, but she wanted to think they did, even if only to give meaning to what she had just gone through.

Forsin and Stanik also took the opportunity to speak about the fire ritual incident and the sparring duels at the guild. Ria was grateful and gave both a deep curtsy as a show of thanks.

When the lines of villagers desiring to be heard on matters related to the trial were exhausted, Lord Vorshan declared that the trial would begin the sentencing phase.