"I would be most grateful if such were the case. Now, while her overall goals have not shifted, her immediate ones have."

  "Oh?"

  "Helen Galt."

  Carlo scanned the crowd. "Lucy and I agree she is a concern."

  Drusus turned toward Carlo. "What happened to Lucy is not Helen's way, Carlo."

  "And yet…" Carlo bit back the frustration in his voice. "Why would you defend her?"

  "You don't know her history."

  "I don't care to."

  Drusus placed his hand on Carlo's shoulder. "I know how upset you are, and you've a right to be. Just…gather all the facts first. See where they take you. I'll warrant her brother is more at fault than she is."

  "Have you seen her here?"

  "I haven't seen anyone but you. I was hoping to see Octavia before this circus, but she is not yet here. I am going to find Vergilius now, ask when we can expect her, see if they'll let me near her at least. You?"

  "I will look to the floor, see what we can use to our advantage as we present evidence."

  Drusus took a deep breath. "God help us weather all this, and what comes next." Drusus jumped off the balcony and glided down to the floor.

  Below, Carlo watched people settle in, some guests of the great house, some staying not far away, every one of them no doubt belonging to some magical family in some peerage somewhere. In front of the dock were the other four members of the magical council of families, Vergilius' compatriots. Carlo knew their names and affiliations, which meant little to him. Drusus called Vergilius away.

  Two tables were located in front of the larger table where the council would sit, one on the left and one on the right. Carlo guessed one of those tables would be for himself and Drusus. His mental checklist before tomorrow: check on the truth potion and make sure it was under lock and key. Return to his wife. Be aware of Drusus while they were here, both as an enemy and an ally. Ask about Octavia.

  Someone cleared their throat. Helen Galt stood behind him, still in bonnet and traveling cloak. "Signor Borgia?"

  "Miss Galt." Do you mind if I strangle you where you stand? "You have caught me unawares."

  "My apologies, Mr. Borgia." Helen fidgeted and reached down to stop her portmanteau from swinging.

  "Not at all. I did not know you would be here." Carlo stepped forward. "I was merely surprised to see you."

  "My entire family is here. My brother would not have it any other way, regrettably." She took in a deep breath. "Regardless of the circumstances of our meeting, I understand congratulations are in order?"

  Carlo stuttered. "Congratulations?"

  Helen's lips pursed. "Ye…es. Your daughter? Lucy has delivered your daughter?"

  "You are woefully misinformed," said Carlo, stiffly. "My wife miscarried two days ago. Our daughter died." You should know this. You caused this.

  Helen's eyes grew wide. "That cannot be."

  "And yet it was." Carlo stepped closer to her, his voice low. "Lucy trusted you, and you did this to her."

  Helen stepped away. "It is not what you think."

  Carlo moved toward her. "She told me you had some small talent at potions, and I thought nothing of it. Your brother was the danger, I thought. You have murdered my child. Almost murdered my wife."

  "No." Helen placed her hands in front of her. "I would never have killed—"

  "You did!" Carlo's voice rose.

  "No!" Helen shouted.

  Carlo grabbed her wrist. "Do not think this will pass unnoticed."

  Helen pulled her wrist away, rubbed it. "Oh gods. Where is Lucy?"

  "Safe from you."

  "Please," said Helen. "Believe me. I did not kill your child. I wanted to help your wife. She did not want your daughter Bound. She asked me to—"

  "Helen," said a voice from the stairs. Atreus Galt stood behind them. He had changed since the duel, stooped, with less hair, the effects of Carlo's poison.

  Helen wheeled to face her brother. "You knew. How did you know?"

  Carlo gritted his teeth. "Galt."

  Galt's voice was casual. "I would appreciate it if you stopped assaulting my sister.”

  Helen shook. "You took my child, and now you take theirs?"

  Galt raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you are taking about, Helen. You are upset. Leave us."

  Helen hurried past the two men, not looking at either of them, descending the stairs.

  "I would ask you to behave like a gentleman, Borgia, but I see you have no idea how to do so."

  What Drusus had said…could Helen have made the cocoa for another purpose? Why did she expect Lucy to have had the baby? Drusus said all Binders were born on the same day. Had Helen reconstructed the Borgia poison for a different use? Carlo's face reddened. "I see how things must have been now."

  "I don't know what you mean."

  "I'm certain you don't."

  "Perhaps you believe you can distract this inquiry from the matter at hand with some other drama? I wouldn't harm Lucy. I did want to marry her, you know. Your concern should be the defense of Octavia."

  "I shouldn't have given you that antidote."

  "No," Galt blinked. "I wouldn't have done it in your place." He started down the stairs.

  Carlo watched him go, trembling with rage.

  The next morning found the entire magical world, it seemed to Carlo, eager for a performance. The Galt brothers seated themselves at the table to the left of Drusus and Carlo. Carlo glared at Galt, who avoided Carlo's eyes. Carlo located Lucy among the rows of magicians, upright but pale between Vergilius and Lenore, who was solicitous, whispering in Lucy's ear. The four council members entered the room as the crowd whispered.

  "Signor Borgia will be pleased to know," said Galt, his voice camouflaged by the crowd's noise, "I have sent Helen back to Galt House. She has confessed to me what happened, and I am mortified. I will take the appropriate action to discipline her, and we will somehow make your loss right."

  Carlo smiled his grandfather's dangerous smile. "You expect me to believe she—?"

  "Helen's past makes her most troubled in this regard. You would not know what she has endured, but if you ask your wife, she will tell you. You have my word, regardless of the outcome of this inquiry, this crime against your family will be seen to."

  Madame Fouchet rapped an orb on a square of marble. The noise of the crowd subsided as she continued to rap insistently. "We will have silence. Examination is ever open to the public, although members of the public who act in an untoward way will not be tolerated. A grave accusation is before us, whether with malice aforethought Octavia Klaereon murdered her father. This accusation is not brought lightly. At stake is Octavia Klaereon's ability to remain head of her family, as well as whether the Klaereon magic is safely controlled among us."

  "To be clear," said Ngidi, standing, "what is not at stake is the ownership of Solomon's Scroll." Ngidi pointed at Galt. "I question whether we should examine Octavia Klaereon at all. Is this an unseemly attempt at revenge, Lord Galt?"

  Galt stood up at his table. "We fully understand Solomon's Scroll is not in contestation. The idea our family's motivation is revenge is absurd."

  "It is true you seek revenge," said the Hsieng matriarch. "Regardless, it does not change the nature or seriousness of your charge, and so we have agreed to this examination. As Madame Fouchet says, the question is whether the Klaereon magic is safely contained. Was the entity known as Ra the cause of the death of the former head of the Klaereon family, or was Ra a tool? If Ra was the cause of death, are the Klaereons adequately controlling the source of their magic? If Ra is an instrument, is the reputation for Klaereon madness one which puts the rest at danger? No other issues must be entertained at this time."

  "I can assure the council we are only focused on the task at hand," said Galt.

  "The accusers will present witnesses who can corroborate the charge against Octavia Klaereon. The defenders will produce witnesses of dispute."

  Carlo stood. "If there are no objections, esteemed council, I would like to administer a truth potion to all of the witnesses. Be aware it will make them mirthful. Shortly after testimony, I will administer an antidote which will give them a headache, but will make them more responsible for their actions and capable once again of not being truthful." The magicians watching laughed a little. They were indeed in for a show, thought Carlo. "Do you have any objection, Lord Galt?"

  "None. I welcome the chance to prove my witnesses speak the truth."

  Carlo walked around to the front of the table, one hand in his pocket. "We in the Borgia family would like to point out since Octavia Klaereon has been imprisoned for a matter of months, she has not had the ability to exercise her rights to control her family's magic as a head of family should. If she is exonerated of the murder charge, but is shown to not have fulfilled her council-charged responsibility as head of the Klaereon family, the Borgia family will stand for her while she cleans her house." Again, the watching magicians laughed. The somber council was not amused.

  "I object to Signor Borgia's proposal," said Galt.

  "I am not surprised," said Drusus.

  "On what grounds?" asked Madame Fouchet.

  "The Borgia family has yet to be re-established among us. His identity has not been verified. How does he invoke this right? Do we know he is truly who he says he is?"

  Carlo bared his teeth. "I would have thought my poison at our duel would have been my reference."

  "It is amazingly convenient you came from nowhere, a foreigner the Klaereons met on their travels. You may have bamboozled them, but you will find the rest of us harder. Why haven't we heard from your family before now? Why did you let your affiliation with the families fade? What do you have to hide?"

  Carlo opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted as Baron Bauer stood. "The same sort of things your family has to hide, Lord Galt. The Borgia family has always operated among the shadows, even when they were more elevated in family status. I can vouchsafe Signor Borgia's identity. My own family has had dealings with his grandfather Paolo Borgia."

  Surprised gasps and exclamations from the crowd. So some of them knew who his grandfather was. He should have figured that. If he had known, he might have invoked the specter of his grandfather to have kept his new family safe.

  "Having established preliminaries," said Madame Fouchet, "Let us begin. Show Lady Klaereon into the room."

  The audience began craning their necks so they could catch a glimpse of the notorious accused. Octavia was no longer what they expected, the color of a cadaver emanating dread. Lady LeClere, waif-like and very young, led Octavia to the dock. Octavia was thin and worn, but unlike when Carlo had visited her, she wore no blindfold, and her hands were unfettered by Lady LeClere's globe. Drusus stood as Octavia came in the room. They locked eyes for a second, and Octavia looked away, toward the council.

  "Lady Klaereon, you are under an admonition not to use your powers. To do so would invite immediate sanction and consequence from this council." Madame Fouchet paused. "Do you understand what is expected of you during this examination?"

  "I do," said Octavia.

  "Then, we will commence." Madame Fouchet read the charges against Octavia with austerity. "…Accused of patricide, willfully premeditated. We will hear the accuser's opening statement."

  Galt organized his papers and stood. "Caius Klaereon was a father who took a stern hand with his children, not unlike my own father. I know that he wanted what was best for his family, Octavia especially. I have witnesses who say Octavia has acted upon her wish to kill her father, and she used demon magic to do it. It is true the Galts and the Klaereons have always been at odds with each other. It does not change the fact I am concerned in gaining justice for Caius Klaereon. Klaereon magic is particularly wild and unpredictable. If the family cannot control the demons they command, any of us could become Caius Klaereon, our lives taken at any time."

  Madame Fouchet turned her attention toward Carlo. "Signor Borgia, are you ready?"

  Carlo moved back behind the table. "I am, Madame Chair. In this inquiry, above all others, we must understand that magicians meddle in forces and their actions are not always their own. Mr. Galt is wrong in his assertion that Binder magic is particularly wild. Any of our magics can go astray. I neither wish the council to condemn or approve the particular type of magic the Klaereons use, but understand the forces of magic themselves can be the culprit. In this case, Octavia is not at fault. She was possessed by Ra."

  Galt's witnesses were exactly as Carlo expected. One of Galt's servants, Sam Condon, recounted the night at The George when Drusus had suggested Octavia wanted to kill her father before she was possessed by Ra. Several patrons from that night told the same story. Even Martin Harwich reluctantly recited Galt's version of the story. There was no doubt it had occurred.

  Carlo leaned over to Drusus. "You don't remember doing this?"

  "I am ashamed of myself," said Drusus.

  "We will entertain a short interlude before hearing the testimony of what occurred on the day of Caius Klaereon's death." Madame Fouchet pounded the orb. "We will begin again promptly in one hour."

  "You should talk to your wife," said Carlo. "I will talk to mine and join you shortly."

  Drusus crossed in front of the council table diagonally. Galt intercepted him, and Carlo couldn't hear their words, although he could hear the heat in them.

  Vergilius and Lenore had abandoned Lucy, who slumped in her chair.

  "How are you?" said Carlo.

  "As you see," said Lucy. "I must force myself to stay."

  "Are you certain?"

  "This next part is pivotal. I will not abandon Octavia." Lucy looked over Carlo's shoulder. "They are leading Octavia away, and Drusus hasn't had a chance to talk to her."

  Carlo glanced back in time to see Drusus punch Atreus Galt. Titus scrambled to assist his brother, but could not pull Drusus back.

  Carlo hurried to the scuffle.

  "You should talk to your wife," said Carlo. "I will talk to mine, and join you shortly."

  "Yes," said Drusus as Carlo moved away. Drusus saw no one else in the room but her. He nearly stumbled over Atreus Galt as Galt stepped in his way.

  "What you said at The George" said Galt, "is helping us bring a murderer to justice."

  "Get out of my way," said Drusus. Lady LeClere was talking to Octavia, helping her down from the dock.

  "I empathize," said Galt. "I understand how difficult your situation is. The truth can't be easy for you."

  "You need to step out of my way," said Drusus, trying to hold onto civility.

  "Why?" Galt's sarcasm tainted his words. "What could you possibly say to your lady wife? Nothing can absolve you from being the instrument of her downfall. Your own mouth condemns her. What could she possibly want to hear you say?"

  "Galt, you have twisted a half truth to further your own ends. There will be a comeuppance."

  "How?"

  "You know how!"

  "I encountered Signor Borgia harassing my sister. Is that what you refer to? I can assure you, the poisoning was of Helen's machinations. I am blameless."

  "Helen?"

  "You think you know her so well. You invent some story about her and your brother, and you know nothing of the reality of it."

  "Helen would never—"

  "—betray Lucy? Like you would never betray Octavia?"

  Angry pressure behind Drusus' eyes needed a release, and Drusus punched Galt. His body began to shift, to change in his anger. He wanted that release, to vent his frustration on someone or something, but he had to stay in control. Drusus gritted his teeth. He was aware of hands pulling at him, trying to get him away from Galt. His ears roared, and he swung again.

  "Drusus!" Carlo shouted at him. "Stop it!"

  His clothes tightened. His body shifted. No! For god's sake, control yourself! Drusus shackled his temper, panting with the effort, keeping the transformation from occurring.

  Galt pointed at him accusingly, holding his nose. "I demand satisfaction!"

  Ngidi and Bauer had joined the crowd, which had gathered around them. "Dueling," pronounced Bauer, "is illegal among family members."

  "I wish I'd known that," Carlo muttered.

  "All the more so," said Ngidi, "when there is provocation."

  Drusus straightened. Octavia was gone. Drusus growled in frustration, and headed toward the room where she was kept. Baron Bauer stepped in his way. "I don't think so, Claudian. Not after what we just witnessed."

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  In the study of Skye Castle, Octavia paced. "Why can I not see Drusus?"

  Lady LeClere fidgeted. "He struck Lord Galt."

  "Lord Galt deserves to be struck," said Octavia. "I would strike Lord Galt if they would let me."

  "Lord Claudian is too affected by these proceedings to be allowed to see you. These are exactly the reasons he was not allowed to see you before, because there was some fear regarding his deportment."

  Octavia breathed deeply, calming herself. "Can I not see my sister? Or Signor Borgia?"

  "Lord Claudian tells me your sister is unwell."

  Octavia had noticed. "All the more reason I should see her," said Octavia. What could be so terrible that it would cause a blood magician to appear so haggard? And yet, Lucy was still here.

  Carlo entered the room. The lines in his face had deepened, shadows smudged under his eyes. His long illness? Octavia wondered. There was blood on his jacket.

  "What has happened?" asked Octavia.

  Carlo closed his eyes and smirked. "Hello, Octavia. My apologies for not seeing you right away. We have little time left, so…"

  "Is that your blood?"

  "Galt's nose. Drusus hit him."

  "God's teeth, Carlo, what was he thinking?"

  "He'd had enough, like all of us. I've managed to not have him thrown out, so we can hear his truth. Are you ready for this next?"

  Octavia's shoulders slumped. "As ready as I can be."

  "You'll drink the truth potion, and you'll tell events as you remember them. I believe it will be sufficient. Galt only has half-truths and supposition. The truth will clarify what Drusus said at The George."

 

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