Witchlock (28 page)

The son of a bitch druid had a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
 

Thunder rolled, then Loki spoke. “Granted. One minute.”
 

Evalle swung to Tzader as he turned to her and Storm joined them in the huddle. Tzader started, “I’m sorry—”
 

Evalle stopped him. “I know you and Macha tried to keep me out of this, but I am not going into protective custody.”
 

“I’ll take you somewhere safe,” Storm interjected.
 

“You can’t.”
 

“You have no idea how many resources I have and I’ll tap every one of them.”
 

Tzader lifted an eyebrow at that, but wanted to let Evalle say what she had in mind before time was up.
 

She told Storm, “You’re right, I don’t know who you know, but it doesn’t matter. The minute I refuse to give them a solution, they’ll tell Sen to take me away. And not even Macha can stop that.” Evalle looked to Tzader. “Can she?”
 

“Unfortunately, no. We need a plan for now that insures you leave here, then we’ll fix this mess later.” He shifted his attention to Storm. “We’ll all make sure she isn’t screwed on this deal.”
 

Storm clearly didn’t like it, but nodded. “What’s next?”
 

Evalle said, “I accept the position of liaison to keep peace for now.”
 

Loki called, “Time’s up.”
 

They broke the huddle and Evalle faced the dais with her shoulders squared. “I accept the position of liaison between the Beladors and the Medb.”
 

“Well then,” Cathbad announced. “I say we put you to work.”
 

Tzader had been waiting for Cathbad to get down to the real reason for this Tribunal.
 

The goddess Justitia spoke up, lifting her ornately carved scales of justice. A gold blindfold kept her wavy brown hair off of what was an ordinary face for a goddess. Her simple gray gown wrapped around her feet and gave her the appearance of a living statue. She spoke with a rich vibrato that left no question as to her authority.
 

“The Medb have brought an accusation of murder against the Beladors.”
 

Tzader stiffened at her opening foray, but silence worked better with this bunch.
 

Justitia stated, “During the last rotation of Earth, the Medb were ordered to deliver clear evidence of this or face sanctions. The Beladors will be given the same time to deliver their counter argument and proof of this being a false claim, if that is the case, or deliver the guilty party.”
 

Tzader’s palms never sweated, but the Medb would be fools to take that risk of sanctions without clear evidence. Cathbad and Queen Maeve did not sound like fools.
 

Tzader asked, “I request a chance to review the evidence.”
 

“Granted,” Justitia replied. “Sen, liaison of VIPER, deliver the evidence.”
 

Sen stepped forward and lifted a hand, which he then lowered and pointed at the ground, adding to the drama.
 

A body took shape in the form of a man with his clothes half torn off. Gray skin covered the corpse’s face and arms that had been ravaged from an attack or while in a battle, which could mean the death had occurred during self-defense.
 

There was no denying one piece of evidence.
 

Evalle’s spelled blade had been buried in the man’s forhead.
 

Cathbad launched into addressing the jury of deities. “Our warlocks have put their lives in danger for weeks to protect humans under the new rule of Queen Maeve. They’ve killed demons and caused no harm to others. But this poor warlock who had very little training only wanted a place to live and belong. He was no threat to someone as powerful as a Belador. His body was found in Stone Mountain Park the night she–”  Cathbad pointed at Evalle and Storm’s fury surged.
 

Thankfully, Evalle put a hand out, silently asking Storm to overlook a druid pointing a finger that could be considered a weapon. Immortal or not, Cathbad wouldn’t survive an attack on her in a Tribunal.
 

The druid continued, “–claimed to have killed a demon on top of that mountain, but no evidence of such was found.”
 

Evalle kept staring at the body. “I didn’t kill a warlock, Tzader.”
 

“I believe you.”
 

Cathbad shouted, “Do you deny that is your dagger?”
 

Evalle lifted a stunned gaze to the gallery. “It is my dagger, but I killed a
Réisc Dubh
demon that night. The demon had a human glamour and was hunting humans when I first saw him.  When I approached him and identified myself, he dropped his glamour and attacked me and I defended myself.”  
 

Cathbad asked, “What is your testimony, Sen?”
 

“I was called to the top of Stone Mountain two nights ago, specifically to the cable landing platform.” Sen spoke as if he had been nothing more than a bystander to a terrible crime. The son of a bitch continued, “Evalle claimed she killed a demon. Her shirt was torn and bloody, but there was no sign of a demon inside the cable car she said contained a body.”  He shrugged.
 

That set off Cathbad. “Torn clothes and blood can be manufactured.”
 

Tzader’s trepidation rose at the scene unfolding. This was too fucking perfect. Sen played the role of the innocent VIPER liaison sent to clean up a mess and was now feeding Cathbad lines with the skill of a straight man in a dark comedy act.
 

Justitia called out, “How plead you, Evalle Kincaid?”
 

“I did not kill a warlock, goddess.”
 

The goddess cocked her chin in the druid’s direction. “What do you offer as conclusive evidence, Cathbad?”
 

“The dagger, goddess. No one has been able to remove the blade. I request the Skinwalker try to withdraw the dagger.”
 

Oh. Shit. Tzader looked at Storm who was clearly torn over what to do. Evalle gave Storm a watery smile. “Go ahead. Do what they ask.”
 

Storm sent the promise of death in the look that he swept around the room.
 

Loki, of course, found that amusing.
 

Storm dropped onto one knee and put his other knee on the corpse’s chest to hold it down. He gripped the dagger handle with both hands and lifted. Muscles strained and bulged in his arms. Veins stood out on his neck.
 

The head moved up with each new yank.
 

After pulling for a full minute, Storm released the grip and dropped his head.
 

Cathbad was on a roll and said, “This Skinwalker was brought into VIPER because he is an exceptional majik tracker. I request that he give testimony of the energetic residue left on the body and reveal if it belongs
to anyone in this meeting.”
 

Storm’s head snapped up and he jerked around, looking at Evalle.
 

She kept her hands at her sides, but Tzader could see the tremble in her fingers. She told Storm, “Do as they say.”
 

Storm’s gaze landed on Tzader with accusation burning. Storm had come here at Tzader’s request and now he was forced to give testimony against Evalle, because Tzader and everyone else in here knew that dagger wasn’t coming out unless she released the spell and removed the blade.
 

Loki asked, “Is there a problem?”
 

Tzader told Storm, “We’ll handle whatever comes of all this.” Then to appease Loki, Tzader explained, “This is Storm’s first Tribunal appearance and I failed to inform him of how things work.”
 

Storm sent one more gut-wrenching look at Evalle then turned and lowered his head, sniffing.
 

When he paused, hesitating to state what he’d discovered, Loki shouted, “You will immediately reveal what you have found or be banished from this world. No one defies a Tribunal.”
 

Evalle whispered, “Please, Storm.”
 

Storm stood and said, “There is a residue and it belongs to Evalle Kincaid.”
 

Fuck. Tzader might be the one banished if he killed that druid.
 

“There you go, goddess,” Cathbad called out, sounding as if he’d just rested his case.
 

Storm asked, “Where was the body found?”
 

Cathbad frowned at the question. “At the base of Stone Mountain. This warlock made a call for help and when one of our elite
Scáth
Force
warlocks arrived, this one was dead and that dagger had been embedded so that it could not be removed.”
 

“That is all,” Loki said in Storm’s direction.
 

Storm walked back to Tzader and Evalle with fury spilling from his pores
.
 

She whispered, “It’s okay,” before Storm turned to stand as close to her as he could.
 

 He whispered, “No it’s not and I won’t let them take you.”
 

Tzader’s sensitive hearing picked up Storm’s soft words. He had to get those two out of here without upsetting the Tribunal. He’d risk pissing off deities if it was his own neck on the line, but not when Evalle’s future was at risk and Storm stood ready to take on the universe to protect her.
 

Cathbad said, “Evalle is known to carry a dagger that holds a spell she controls. I request that Evalle now try to remove the blade.”
 

Justitia called out, “Granted. If the dagger is being held in place by a spell, you will release the spell and remove your dagger, Evalle. Understood?”
 

“Yes, goddess.”
 

Evalle wiped her hands on her pants as she stepped up to the corpse. She bent over the body, placing one hand on the grip, then whispered something and the blade pulled free without any resistance.
 

Not a surprised face anywhere in this meeting.
 

Standing up, Evalle said, “I’ve removed it, goddess, but on my honor as a Belador and on my life, I swear I did not kill a Medb warlock on top of Stone Mountain.”
 

“Then explain that body,” Cathbad yelled.
 

Tzader had had enough. He stepped forward. “We will. I request appropriate time to do so.”
 

Sen spoke up. “I suggest the Alterant be put into VIPER custody in the meantime.”
 

Tzader shouted, “
No!
” He turned to Sen. “Who are you to have any say in these proceedings? You’re only a delivery person. Stick to your job.”
 

For a moment, Tzader thought there might be some risk from the saying “if looks could kill,” because murderous intent filled Sen’s eyes.
 

Justitia announced, “All argument regarding this evidence and claim is to be delivered to this Tribunal only.”
 

That was her reprimand of both Tzader and Sen.
 

Tzader quickly said, “I intend no disrespect toward the Tribunal, but as Maistir I have a responsibility to
every
Belador alive when I represent Macha. I require Evalle’s aid in determining exactly what happened for her dagger to end up in this body.”
 

Cathbad muttered, “We know what happened.”  
 

Tzader argued, “What we have is inconclusive evidence. Yes, that is Evalle’s dagger and, yes, she would have had to be the one to order the dagger to stay put, but there is no evidence to prove that warlock was not in the form of a demon when she faced him.”
 

Cathbad snarled, “There you go again, blaming the Medb for creating demons.”
 

“That’s not exactly news considering the history of the Medb, but we’re here for one concern and the Tribunal does not want to listen to constant complaining about an
old
issue.”  Tzader caught the nods of the deities, letting him know he’d earned a few points. “Let’s focus on this issue only and resolve it satisfactorily for both sides.”
 

“You’re just delaying the inevitable and wasting Tribunal time,”
Cathbad countered, picking up a few points of his own, dammit.
 

Tzader asked, “If you’re so certain that Evalle killed your warlock, explain why she hasn’t lit up red in this Tribunal every time she claimed not to have killed him?”
 

Silence answered Tzader’s charge so he added, “Evalle has been proven truthful in this Tribunal. For that reason alone, she has a right to bring proof that she did indeed kill what she believed was a demon. If that warlock was in demon form when she killed him, the Medb have no legitimate complaint, but should they take an interest, this Tribunal would certainly have the prerogative to question
why
a Medb warlock was disguised as a demon. Since Evalle must prove her innocence, I request that she be granted leave of absence from her duties as the Medb-Belador liaison until the question of her innocence is settled.”  Cathbad’s jaw clenched at that. “I also ask for an additional day to gather evidence, so that I can fulfill my duties while I determine the truth behind this killing. Without that additional time, the lack of my availability to VIPER may create more imposition for the Tribunal.”
 

The deities huddled and Cathbad scratched his chin.
 

Did I throw you a curve ball, druid?
 

Loki turned back around. “Agreed. You have forty-eight hours to deliver your counter argument with evidence.”
 

Tzader blew out a breath. The argument about her not turning red should have been enough to clear her name, but at least she’d be going home with Storm.