Page 40 of A Keeper of Time

Evanore was still holding the door open and appeared frozen, unable to do much more than stand where she was and stare.

“Ye should invite them into the sitting room.” Edna’s suggestion was met by a glare as Evanore shook herself free from the apparent paralysis she was feeling as she faced the Council.

“Aye, please come in.” She closed the door behind them and led them into the sitting room.

“Evanore, this young lady says ye’ve kidnapped Edna Campbell. Is that true?” Melusina sat on the settee and gazed up expectantly awaiting the response.

“Well, I…” Evanore stood by the hearth avoiding eye contact.

“She did,” Edna interrupted when Evanore seemed unable to answer them.

“Shhh!” Daire’s pinched expression showed annoyance. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Maggie squeezed Edna’s hand and stood close.

“She’s killed me sister!” Evanore blurted out with conviction. She stood tall for the first time, but still seemed unusually nervous based on what Edna had seen of her.

“Is that true?” Melusina turned to Edna.

Calm and confident, Edna addressed them. “’Tis true her sister is dead, but she is only dead because she engaged in battle with Maggie and would have killed her if I hadn’t intervened.”

“Aye. I believe I heard about this, did I no’?” Melusina turned to the others, who nodded in agreement.

“So, ye’ve kidnapped Edna for doing something she perhaps shouldn’t have done, but that needed to be done, is that correct?” Mardella exchanged questioning looks with her fellow council members.

“She did no’ have to kill her.” Evanore was getting her confidence back. She moved away from the hearth and into the center of the room drawing everyone’s gaze towards her. “I merely wish to make her feel the pain I felt at the loss of me dear Brielle.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Edna.

“Well, ye can no’ kill her,” Daire said. “The Council will no’ allow it. We do no’ ordinarily intervene in disagreements between fellow witches, but in this case, because it is so dire, we will put our foot down. There is a limit to what is allowable.”

“I doona intend to kill her. As a matter of fact, I’m almost done with her.” Evanore was seeming more and more sure of her position.

Melusina looked to Mardella and Daire before turning back to Evanore. “What do ye mean?”

“She has spent the last several years matchmaking couples from this time and the future. She uses the bridge to accomplish it. ’Tis no’ right. They should all be allowed to stay in their own times. Me punishment is a simple one. Uncouple these poor souls who’ve been forced together by this one.” She pointed one perfectly manicured nail towards Edna. “This will break Edna’s heart, much as she has broken mine.”

“I believe she has a point there,” Daire said, turning to the other members of the council. “No’ a one should be forced to travel through time unwillingly.”

“I think I understand yer point,” Mardella added. She turned to Edna seeming to want an explanation.

“Ye can no’ allow this to happen,” Edna said. “These couples were no’ unwilling. They all love each other and many of them have children. Ye canno’ separate them.”

“I think we can. We can do anything we deem right in the realm of the witchy world. Ye should ken that, Edna.”

Edna did her best to control her anger. Somehow this had become about Edna and what she had done instead of about Evanore kidnapping her and ruining the lives of people she cared about. “Ye can no’ possibly be blaming me for this.”

Mardella spoke directly to Edna. “We’ve got to get to the bottom of this. We haven’t decided what we think yet.”

“We should have a trial,” Daire said. “I always enjoy those.”

“Oh, so do I,” Mardella said.

“Then we shall.” Melusina looked at Evanore and then Edna. “But it will no’ be only Edna on trial. Evanore shall be as well.”

The smile Evanore had been wearing disappeared as her mouth dropped open in apparent shock.

Melusina huddled together with the council members. “We will invite the lesser members of the Council to join us. Once they arrive, we’ll call witnesses.”

“Are there witnesses?” Daire asked.