Chapter 28

The Burning Stake

Marinae woke up in several kinds of darkness. She was curled up in a fetal position, wild-eyed, trembling, and whimpering.

"What's wrong.", Rambis asked nervously.

"I didn't drink enough last night.", Marinae replied, but wondering if she'd drunk too much.

Marinae cast a spell and looked around the room, but all that she could see were her own magic things. She cast another spell and widened her vision to include thoughts and feelings. Just outside the door she saw images of Eliza in a field of wildflowers. She turned her head about the room, scanning it for any thoughts, but felt nothing more than the odd dreams of her slumbering friends next door. Marinae staggered to the door and opened it.

"L-lynn. It happened again.", Marinae stuttered. "And it didn't set off my ward!"

Lynn stood up quickly. Her katanas were in her hands and ready. "What was it?", Lynn asked.

"I saw no magic, and couldn't read any thoughts.", the sorceress replied.

Lynn closed her eyes and listened carefully to every sound. Then she opened them again. "I don't sense anything.", she whispered. "What was your nightmare?"

"I was bound…a horrible voice above me...my chains were drawn upward, hanging me a great distance above the floor, then separated, holding me spread out...the voice spoke again...it was the King! Azalin!", Marinae gasped as she remembered his face again. "Before I awoke...I knew I'd told them everything. Everything they wanted..."

Lynn looked aghast. "About what?", she whispered.

Marinae met her gaze, but Lynn's eyes flicked away as soon as she did.

"Everything. The stones...", Marinae said, filled with fear.

"Oh no.", Lynn gasped, shaking her head. "We need to wake the others."

Lynn went to knock on Eliza's and Weamar's doors while Marinae sat on the edge of her bed. The young half-elf felt as bad as she looked, pale and jittery as a groggy Eliza and tired Weamar joined Lynn in her room. Marinae retold her dream and when she was done Eliza hugged her friend in sympathy.

"What do they mean?", Lynn asked.

"I don't know if they're predictive dreams or just something being imposed upon me.", Marinae explained. "Just because I can't detect thoughts or magic traces doesn't mean they aren't there." The frightened sorceress looked up. "A powerful enough mage can shield a work even as they perform it."

"Kendra.", Eliza hissed.

Marinae nodded. Lynn looked down.

"And she wants the...", Marinae began, then she glanced around the room nervously, "...the stones."

Weamar thought very hard about Tricco. He wondered if the werewolves had been looking for his gem there. Maybe Kendra had more than one motive for bringing Talrak back from the dead. But as Weamar thought about that, he dismissed the idea as being too far-fetched.

"I hoped that I could trust her.", Lynn said sadly.

"Never trust a Drow.", Marinae hissed at her.

Lynn felt ashamed. Eliza went to Lynn and held her. "Everyone makes mistakes, love.", Lynn's soul mate said softly. "You did what you thought was right."

Lynn nodded and headed back to her room back to her room while Eliza fetched David for his turn on watch. Eliza found Lynn in their room and held her close once again, hoping to soothe her guilty conscience, but seeing Marinae hurting made Lynn feel deeply ashamed. She knew that she had to protect Marinae from Kendra. But deep inside Lynn still felt that Kendra could be trusted. That made her feel worse. She knew that it was wrong to feel that way and that it was going to get her friends hurt or worse.

Marinae sat quietly in her room. All her memories of Castle Avernus and the Darkonian army, of the Falkovnian war and Drakov, and of returning the Hands of Balican and the tomb had become distant faded images in her mind. Now she remembered a voice whispering the story in her ear and her believing it as if it were real. She rolled over and tried to get some sleep, hoping that she wasn't going crazy.


Morning dawned and it looked like another hot summer day in Richemulot was on its way. It was still a couple hours before the trial would begin so the group gathered for breakfast. Marinae had rested fitfully but without nightmares for the first time since she'd left Darkon. Still, she couldn't even touch a bit of food, letting Rambis have hers. Rambis was still skittish about sausages, but messily devoured another bowl of stew. Lynn was dressed sharply for a change, in a long black dress that fit tightly around her chest but flared out into a long skirt. Her hair was pinned back and she looked like a proper woman for a change. Eliza watched Lynn admiringly but her features were traced with worry. She knew that beneath the beautiful dress Lynn was armed and armored and the priestess hoped that such precautions wouldn't be necessary.

David glanced at Tshaya several times as he ate. He'd watched how she and Weamar acted towards each other and knew that there was nothing going on between them. That made him wonder why she was traveling with the ranger.

"What's your interest here?", David asked Tshaya curiously as Weamar listened with interest.

"Fate. Fortune.", Tshaya said flippantly. "I am to help Petrov somehow."

"I thought he 'wronged your people'.", David replied.

"Yes. But fate is fate.", Tshaya explained. "Maybe I am to help him by slitting his throat."

Eliza looked up sharply. Marinae was utterly certain she was never like Tshaya at age sixteen.

David looked at the girl with a hard gaze. "Have you ever killed a man?", he asked pointedly.

The table went silent as Tshaya replied with a simple, "No."

"Then you've never felt how their flesh resists for a moment before yielding to the blade.", David began as he drove his point home. "You've never felt the tension in their muscles as they struggle for life. You've never seen glazed look that passes over their eyes when death finally takes them."

Marinae shuddered and the others were speechless at David's tone.

"Have you ever seen a man cut the eyes out of a woman's face?", Tshaya spat back. "Or did you ever stand there watching, approving of every cut."

Now it was David's turn to be speechless. His eye twitched slightly but he said nothing.

Marinae looked at Tshaya. "Petrov?", she asked curiously.

"Yes.", Tshaya hissed.

"No!", Eliza gasped.

"Yes.", Tshaya hissed louder at the priestess.

"That's not possible.", Eliza protested. "Petrov would never do something like that! It's not in him."

"A number of things seem to be in him that didn't used to be.", Weamar said grimly.

Marinae noticed that the other patrons of the inn had fallen silent, and David noticed that people at two nearby tables were now listening in on their conversation.

"Perhaps a lowering of voices is in order.", Marinae advised.

"He has others kill for him to keep his hands clean.", Tshaya said, lowering her voice.

Eliza trembled. "It can't be the same man I knew.", she said, feeling vulnerable and confused.

"People change.", David whispered.

"You are not Vistani.", Tshaya replied to Eliza. "You are not evil in his eyes."

"How did he treat full elves?", Marinae asked Eliza.

 Eliza remembered how Petrov treated Marinae. She didn't answer, fighting back tears. "I'm going to make this right.", she said with conviction.

Marinae remembered back to what she knew about Petrov. What she was hearing about him didn't match with what she remembered. "Possession?", she asked.

"I mentioned the possibility to…", Weamar said and then coughed, rather than say 'Aselid'. "…before I met Tshaya. He didn't seem to think it likely."

Marinae nodded to Weamar, hoping she understood who he meant.

"What I hear from other sources about the razing of Gladehaven support Tshaya's account.", Weamar explained. Then he abruptly changed the subject. "You know Marius has been 'demoted'?"

"What?!", Marinae gasped.

"Oh no.", Lynn gasped.

Eliza shook her head.

 "There is something deeply evil within the church at the moment, I fear.", Weamar said, keeping his voice down. "Reason is not likely to be an effective weapon."

"I still have to try.", Eliza replied, more to herself than to the others.

"I understand and respect that.", Weamar said with a nod. "Unfortunately I can't go there with you. I'll likely be arrested. Likewise anyone else who happens to hide precious rocks."

"Come with us, Weamar.", Lynn pleaded. "We're stronger together."

Weamar shook his head. David noted that while the people at one table had gone back to their meals, the people at another had left.

"We should go.", David said, hoping that he was just being paranoid but knowing that they couldn't take any chances. "Now."

"Where?", Lynn asked.

"Just not here when the guards return." Weamar replied as he caught David's drift.

"Then lets go to the courthouse.", Lynn replied.

As the group walked outside they noticed that there were a number of people gathered outside the courthouse. Lynn walked towards them with Eliza close behind. With each step Eliza quieted her nervous thoughts, preparing for what was to come. Weamar and Tshaya separated from Lynn, but headed in the direction of the crowd. David and Marinae also split off and shadowed Eliza and Lynn.

When he reached the central square of Mortingy Weamar heard many people buzzing about the trial to come and the possible punishments that might be given to the wizard accused of summoning demons. Weamar shivered as he caught a glimpse of the burning stake. Standing in the center of town was a single wooden pillar, twenty feet high and scorched by flames. The ground at its base was blackened and there was still a small pile of ash around it, a grim reminder of the harsh justice meted out by Joseba Rittan. On the far side of the square was the courthouse, a large square building with brick walls and a high pointed roof. Two members of the White Knights stood at either side of the front door, checking over those who entered.

There were a number of White Knights gathered about, maybe a dozen in the crowd, making sure that everything was orderly. The White Knights looked brilliant in their shining polished armor and white cloaks. They look as if nothing evil could stand before them and live.

Eliza whispered "I love you" quickly to Lynn as they approached the courthouse doors.

"I'll do anything for you, anything at all.", Lynn replied with a smile and sent a warm feeling back through the ring.

The others watched closely as the White Knights at the door gave Lynn and Eliza a quick once over. The women didn't look at all dangerous and so the Knights allowed them inside without a search.

Marinae fought down a desire to just run away as far as she could go. Then she fought down another impulse to find Rittan and set him afire. Then she fought down yet another impulse to find Petrov and electrify his world. Finally she settled for going into the courthouse after Lynn and Eliza. David let her go and melted into the crowd, letting his years as an insurgent in Falkovnia lead his movements.

The two Knights at the front doors stopped Marinae. "No weapons in the courthouse.", one said and pointed to her staff.

"Is there a safe lock-up for it? It is a family heirloom.", Marinae asked innocently.

"You can keep it somewhere else, but you can't bring it in here.", the guard replied.

Marinae sighed theatrically, and limped visibly back down the stairs, looking pained and using the staff to support her. She heard one of the guards say to the other, "She wasn't limping on the way up." and the other laugh just a little.

Marinae stopped limping and kept walking. She grumbled and walked back to the inn to put her staff in her room. But she knew that trouble was probably going to break out inside the courthouse, and she wasn't going to go down without a fight if they convicted Aselid. So she made sure her throwing knives were well hidden and easily reached. Then she hid her least favorite knife in her boot and went back.

Weamar circled the courthouse, getting a feel for the layout of the building and the surrounding area. He finished his circuit of courtroom, noting the alleyway in back and the jail next door and ended up near the crowd at the front door.

"Are you going to watch your friends from here?", Tshaya asked Weamar in an angry tone when he returned.

"You go in.", Weamar replied. "See if you can sit with Eliza and Lynn."

"I can get you in too.", Tshaya replied. "Hide your sword."

"I'll wait, I think I'll be more effective out here.", Weamar said, worried that he may have seen the last of Eliza and Lynn as free women.

"And what was all that you told me about trust and friendship?", Tshaya said sharply. "Lies?"

"No, truth, if I didn't trust you I'd keep you with me.", Weamar explained, but he couldn't help but feeling that he should be in the courtroom at his friends' sides. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.", he added.

"Words of wisdom if ever there were any.", Marinae said as she came up behind the two.

"Friends, enemies, they are both inside.", Tshaya replied. "You're scared."

"Scared I won't be able to do anything in there, yes.", Weamar confessed. "Petrov knows my face. I'm more effective if he doesn't see me coming."

Marinae shared an amused look with Weamar. "He knows all of us.", she said. "Except perhaps for David."

"You wanted to go in. You'll know when I decide to come in too.", Weamar said to Tshaya, still uncertain of what he would do.

Tshaya frowned. The she threw back her head and went to the door. Marinae caught up to her. As the two women approached one of the guards gave Tshaya a once over look while the other stopped Marinae and told her that he would have to search her. Marinae sighed and slowly drew her boot dagger and sheath, then handed it to the guard.

"Keep it. I forgot this one.", Marinae said, hoping her plan would work. "You know how it is, you have one and get used to the weight."

The guard took the knife and said, "I still have to search you."

"Fine.", Marinae grumbled. Inside she panicked, and quickly went through the spells that she knew, trying to figure out how to get herself out of the jam that she was in.

"Why? She has no other weapons.", Tshaya suggested, using her magic so slyly that not even Marinae realized what she was doing.

The guard glanced at Tshaya and gave Marinae a quick pat down. Marinae noticed that he put his hands over two of her knives and should have felt them underneath her clothing, but he said nothing.

"She's clean.", the guard said. "You two can go on in."


It was late morning but it was starting to heat up already. The windows of the courthouse were open, but were high enough so that no one could easily climb inside or out. David and Weamar both managed to position themselves near the windows so that they could hear the proceedings from where they were outside.

Pouring over a number of papers assembled before him on the prosecutor's table sat Ronaldo, the man second only to Vasile Topov in the Order of Seekers. The young man looked calm and confident as he prepared for the biggest trial of his life. Beside him on the table was a leather bound tome with a pentagram on the cover, the book that Lynn, Eliza, and Marinae had last seen in the buried chapel. At the other table was a man Marinae had seen once before, Frelnikov, a man with a great legal mind who had helped Aselid before in matters of law.

Eliza's heart caught in her throat as she laid eyes on her mentor, Marius, who was sitting behind Aselid's lawyer.

"Eliza. How have you been?", Marius asked her warmly.

Eliza resisted the urge to draw attention with a public display of affection. "Marius. I've missed you.", she said, trying to express as much emotion as she could with her voice and eyes.

"Try as I might, I could not stay away.", the anchorite explained, wishing that he could give Eliza a hug. "I'm not supposed to be here. And Ronaldo isn't happy about that at all."

Eliza glanced at the prosecutor. "I don't think there's anything good in this world that makes that man happy.", she said a little scathingly. "But it doesn't matter. Everything's going to be okay, now."

Marius smiled and gave Eliza a wink. "I'm old and I'm tired of hiding my feelings in private.", he said. "The time has come to stand together for what we truly believe in."

Frelnikov turned around and glanced at the group, especially Marinae.

"Lynn? Eliza? Marinae.", Frelnikov said, pointing to each of them in turn and they each nodded in acknowledgment.

"The law is a bit backwards here.", the defense attorney whispered. "They won't let me see the prosecution's case. And there's no jury, but that's probably a good thing here. Marius has agreed to testify on Aselid's behalf. I wanted to know if the three of you would like to testify as well."

Lynn nodded.

"I will." Marinae said solemnly.

"I will speak for him as well." Eliza said.

Tshaya leaned in. "I wish to testify against Petrov. For his crimes.", she whispered.

Frelnikov gave her a curious look. "And you are?", he asked.

"Tshaya Mitrovich of Misha Rvachov's kumpania.", Tshaya answered. "Petrov had my entire family killed."

Marinae and Eliza looked sideways at Tshaya, hearing that part of the story for the first time.

Frelnikov considered her words carefully. "Even if what you say is true, it would be hard to convince anyone of that. Petrov is quite popular here.", he said. "It might hurt our case to make such an accusation."

Tshaya frowned and uttered a Vistani curse word. "Then you let him get away with murder.", she hissed.

Frelnikov shook it off like a true professional. "There may come a point in the trial where we need your testimony.", he said. Implying that things would need to get desperate to put Tshaya on the stand, and that they just might get that bad.

From a door at the front of the courtroom a dozen White Knights filed out and took their places at either side of the judge. The last Knight who entered was Petrov. What little emotion his face used to hold when Eliza had last seen him was gone. His face looked as though it had been etched in stone. He led the accused out into the courtroom.

Marinae saw something that she thought that she would never see, Aselid in chains. Petrov lead the white-haired old wizard to the defendant's chair and sat him down. Aselid looked out across the courtroom and saw the group sitting behind his lawyer's desk. He smiled at them as if their presence meant that everything would be all right. Eliza searched Petrov's face for any hint of her old friend. Her eyes met his for a moment, and though he recognized her, she saw not a hint of acknowledgment in his eyes.

"All rise for the honorable Joseba Rittan.", Petrov announced to the crowd.

Everyone in the crowd rose, including Marinae, who mustered her Courtly manners and stood for the man she had come to despise before ever meeting him.