Page 53 of A Keeper of Time

Meanwhile, Evanore seemed to feel the trial was going to end in her favor. She sat in a relaxed pose with her legs crossed and a satisfied smile on her face. Her nose was tilted upward conveying a sense of being above it all.

The men of Breaghacraig sat together exchanging whispered words with Richard Jefford. They nodded in agreement with whatever he was saying.

The jury of witches were all seated now, silently waiting for the trial to begin. Their eyes noticeably averted from both Edna and Evanore.

The weather was on their side once again today. The air was crisp and there was a chill in the air, but the sun was shining from a blue sky with hardly a cloud visible.

Melusina banged her gavel once again. “We’ll begin the day today with Maggie Sinclair.”

Angus squeezed Maggie’s hand as she walked towards the bench. Edna could tell she was nervous by the slight twitching of her eyebrow. No one else would have noticed but Edna. She’d seen it in the past when Maggie was unsure of herself and her skills as a witch. Perhaps this would prove to her that she was as good as Edna always told her she was.

“Good morning, everyone. I want to give ye all a first-hand account of what happened to Brielle. Latharn and Richard Jefford were present and witnessed the destruction Brielle brought with her to Breaghacraig and the people who live there. I’m going to call on Biera, Winter Queen of the Faeries to come forward to help me with this presentation.”

Biera, always glowing with beauty and grace, stepped forward and with the wave of her hand a shimmering circle appeared in the air above their heads.

“If ye’ll all turn yer attention to the circle Biera has just created, we’ll get started. Latharn, Richard, would ye join us?”

The two men did as requested and stood beside her. Biera pointed a long, elegant finger towards Latharn, who stood very still.

Images appeared within the shimmering circle. Edna knew exactly what was happening. His memories were being drawn from him and up into the circle. Everyone gasped as they watched Breaghacraig’s kitchen on fire and Latharn’s rescue of Sophia from the flames. The woman sitting calmly in the midst of all that chaos was Brielle.

Biera dropped her finger and Latharn went back to his seat. It was Maggie’s turn. Again Biera pointed a finger at Maggie. This time a battle appeared above them. It was clear to all, from what they were seeing, that Brielle was at the heart of it. It went on for quite some time before Angus was struck down and lay on the ground appearing to be dead. The witches on the jury gasped on seeing this.

Edna’s heart was in her throat. She remembered all too clearly how she feared she would lose him in the moments after the battle.

Finally it was Richard’s turn. He spoke first about his involvement with Brielle. “Brielle and I were allies at one time. We both had vengeance in our hearts and it drew us together. I’m ashamed to say I let my jealousy guide me at that time. I was consumed by it as was Brielle, who was jealous of Edna and wanted the bridge to be under her control. We worked together in an attempt to destroy those we thought to be our enemies. I have since apologized to all concerned and with the help of Edna Campbell I have become a changed man for the better.”

Richard allowed Biera to draw his memories from him of the final battle with Brielle. The court watched in awe of what they were seeing. Mythical creatures were brought to life. Giant cats and stone men came at Richard, Maggie and Dylan. They fought them to the best of their ability, destroying each as they came. Brielle was filled with fury that despite all her efforts she hadn’t been able to rid herself of them. She sent a wall of water to engulf Richard, but Edna saved him, sending him to twenty-first century San Francisco.

Biera lowered her finger and Richard, holding his head returned to his seat where Robert patted him on the back and whispered something to him.

Edna gazed at Evanore who no longer looked quite so smug. There were tears in her eyes as she watched her sister. Edna wasn’t sure if those were tears for Brielle or tears for what her sister had done.

“What happened next? Where is Brielle’s death?” Melusina asked.

Brielle once again pointed to Maggie.

“Maggie, no!” Edna yelled, but Biera had already begun to draw Maggie’s memories up into the circle. There was no stopping what was about to happen. Edna could only hope that Maggie would escape being held responsible for Brielle’s death.

Once again everyone watched as Brielle’s rage and magic were directed at Maggie and Dylan. It took everything in their power to fend off what was being hurled relentlessly at them. Round after round of assaults made them desperate to stop the barrage. They took shelter behind a large boulder that helped deflect some of the witch’s attack. When there seemed to be no other alternative and only one way to save themselves, Maggie smashed Brielle’s amulet. The assembled crowd gasped as they watched Brielle and the amulet disappeared before their eyes.

Biera walked away, leaving Maggie to face the jury. “So ye see, ’twas I that killed Brielle. If I had no’ I would be dead and so would me husband, Dylan. There was no other way out of the situation. Ye’ve all seen exactly what happened, as if ye were there. If ye wish to blame anyone for her death, it should be me and no’ me Aunt Edna.”

“Ye may be seated, Maggie,” Mardella said. “We will adjourn to the house along with the jury to discuss what we’ve seen. We’ll return as soon as we have verdicts.”

This time they didn’t take Edna and Evanore with them, but neither of them could move beyond the seats they occupied.

“Maggie! Angus!” Edna called them over.

She was disappointed to find that they could only approach so far before being met with an invisible barrier. She couldn’t hug or touch either of them, which is exactly what she wished to do.

“I’m sorry Auntie. I ken ye were trying to protect me, but ’tis better that the truth be known.” Maggie stretched her arm out in front of her to touch the invisible wall that separated them.

Edna sadly shook her head. “Oh, me darling lass, ye are a blessing to all of us. I only hope the jury sees what I’ve seen and ken to be true.”

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Maggie said before gazing at Evanore who was sobbing loudly in her chair.

“I’m so sorry, Evanore. If there was any other way…” Maggie began, but Evanore refused to look at her or to say anything at all.