“Had I spoken out, my life would be forfeit.”
“Coward,” Toric sneered from his seat.
“Let him speak,” Keegan ordered as Brian turned to him.
“A coward and a liar, and a traitor to the true faith. He shed blood, drank it, offered it as is demanded by Odran, and now he whimpers like a child.”
“You do not deny the accusations, the words spoken here?”
“I deny nothing, and I defy the weak laws, the thin faith of the Fey to stop the rise of the god. And with his rise, we crush your bones to dust. With his rise.”
He stood now, aimed his gaze at Breen. “He will drink you dry, abomination, and give us your husk to burn in his name.
“In his name!” Toric shouted, and as his bindings fell, as Lordan, the spy from the valley, collapsed, he shot power at Breen.
Even as Keegan surged from the chair, she pushed her hand out, met power with power. As the furnace of power in her ignited, she lifted her other hand high, rose.
She heard herself speak, but the words, the knowledge, the light burning in her came from so deep.
“You would test me here, in this place, at this time? You, murderer of children, slayer of the innocents, defiler of true faith, traitor to the Fey, to Talamh and all the worlds?”
As the air stirred around her, she stepped forward, pushing, pushing against what he threw at her, watching, watching the fear grow in his eyes.
“I am granddaughter of Mairghread, daughter of Eian. I am child of the Fey. I am of the Wise, of the Sidhe, of man, and of the gods. Hear my words and know truth. See me. See me and tremble at what will come for you and your dark god.”
Her power whirled. It spun around him, locked him inside a cage of light.
Moving toward him, moving closer, she angled her head, left, right, as he cowered inside the bars.
“I see your death, your blood on the stones, your eyes staring without life in the dark. Be glad, Toric, murderer of children, you don’t face my judgment this day, but that of the taoiseach, that of the rule of law. But know, the time may come when you will.”
She brought down her lifted arm, and he fell to the ground.
It emptied out of her as quickly as it had filled. The room spun, and she waited to just slide down like water from a jar.
An arm came around her, took her weight. Tarryn’s voice murmured in her ear.
“You’ll not faint and be spoiling such a moment as this.”
“Okay.”
“I want you to walk back on your own now, look straight in front of you, head high. And sit.”
She did as she was told, though the murmurs and confusion in the room got through finally. She sat, and even with his hand shaking, Marco took hers.
“Put the accused back where they belong, would you, Mahon, Brian.”
Mahon started to lift the one who’d collapsed, then knelt. “This one’s dead, Taoiseach, and cold with it.”
Keegan held up a hand as the room threatened to fall into chaos.
“That’s how you broke your bindings,” he said to Toric. “You found the weakest, drained him, left him only enough to walk in here. Strengthened yourself, and took the rest of his light and life to attack. And now, we are all of us witnesses. We have all of us heard your own words damning you. You have each of you been accused, had testimony given against you. You have each of you broken sacred trusts, sacred laws. And you will each of you pay for this. You are, one and all, banished to the Dark World. You will, one and all, be taken there immediately, and sealed there for all time.”
“He will free us!” Toric shouted, but fear cracked through the words. “He will free his faithful.”
“I think he will not,” Keegan said easily. “I think he will see what you are, cowards and weaklings. But should I be wrong, you should hope that I meet you on the field, and not Breen Siobhan O’Ceallaigh.
“Banishment, for all time,” he repeated, and brought down the staff. “This is the Judgment. Take them out, and to the dolmen in the woods. I will open and seal the portal myself.”
He brought down the staff again, then rose. “So it is done.”
“I really want some air,” Breen managed.
“Okay, honey, let’s just sit here until the place clears out a little.”
“Best leave now.” Tarryn walked up, took one of Breen’s hands. “Others will want to speak to you. So come with me now, and I’ll take you out this way.”
She led them out a side door, down a corridor, around a turn, and into the library.
“You’ll have quiet here, and some wine. Open the doors there, Marco darling, so she can have some air as well.”