Tama claimed, “Ulrick was working undercover to infiltrate the illegal operations on the northern ice sheet. And to save the Stormdancer.” Her voice resonated with authority in the vast room. “Opal was unaware of this, so her reactions to Ulrick’s cover story would be genuine. Unfortunately, he played his role too well, and she is unable to believe the real story.”
As the silence in the great hall thickened until it clung to my sweaty skin like syrup, I glanced at Yelena and Zitora, appealing to them to correct Tama, to leap to my defense, to do…something. Anything.
Zitora stood. “Councilor Moon speaks the truth.”
10
EVERY SINGLE PART OF MY BODY REACTED AS IF I HAD BEEN doused by the ice-cold runoff from the Emerald Mountains. Blindsided and ambushed, I sat in front of the Councilors and Masters unable to speak or even draw a breath.
“I’m sorry to have put you through that.” Zitora spoke to me for the first time since I was shot by the arrow. “But it was vital to the mission.” She turned to the Council. “Opal’s determination to help Ulrick, even though he didn’t need it, should be noted in her favor.”
The atmosphere in the great hall changed. A sense of relief permeated the air as the Councilors nodded and gave me sympathetic looks as if to say the poor dear had no clue, no wonder she disobeyed our orders to return. Their belief that all the Warpers were dead had been restored, and the whole nonsense about blood magic and switching souls had been explained away as a mere cover story.
Somewhat recovered, I opened my mouth to protest, but an invisible hand snapped my jaw shut. Yelena’s gaze met mine. With a slight shake of her head, she warned me to keep quiet. The force on my teeth released.
The Council launched a battery of questions about my new magical ability to siphon magic from another magician. I answered, but realized the outcome no longer rested in my hands. A bigger conspiracy lurked behind this meeting. I would either be told or not, and I ceased to care. I knew the real story and no matter what happened here or how long it took, I vowed to expose Devlen and put a stop to blood magic.
The debate raged around me, but I tuned them out. Instead, I focused on my surroundings. The great hall’s narrow windows stretched to the ceiling three stories above my head. Sunlight striped the marble floor and the Councilor’s U-shaped table, casting Councilors Greenblade’s and Zaltana’s faces in shadow. Five Council members sat along one long section of the U-shape while the remaining four Councilors lined the other side. Yelena and the three Master Magicians occupied the short end.
I studied the long silk tapestries hanging between the hall’s windows. One for each clan, and I noted with pride the representation of an intricate glass vase on my clan’s banner. My hometown of Booruby was famous for glassmaking.
Shifting my position, I tried to find a comfortable spot on the hard wooden stool set before the Councilor’s table. Two guards kept close watch. The wooden benches along the marble walls remained empty. The public, including Mara and Leif, had been barred from attending this session and since my parents would not arrive in time—my mother refused to ride a horse—they decided to wait to hear the Council’s decision and make plans then. Janco had been sent back to Ixia. His grumpy goodbye had come with an offer to return if I needed him whether the Councilors wanted him or not.
Yelena’s voice slashed through my numbness. “You can’t ban her from working with glass. Who will craft more messengers?”
Good to know Yelena remained on my side. Unlike Zitora, who wouldn’t meet my gaze. The words null shield and supervised caught my attention, but otherwise I allowed the conversation to flow. In my mind, I replayed my last time with Kade, remembering his kiss and the feel of his strong hands on my back.
Many horrible things had happened to me, except Kade. He was worth enduring for. I could bow to the Council’s wishes, play the obedient student and pretend I had been duped by Ulrick’s undercover story to gain trust and freedom. And real answers. The Council would know the truth eventually.
Yelena’s approval pulsed in my chest.
“…and let’s not forget the diamonds, Councilor Krystal,” Councilor Jewelrose said. “We wouldn’t have to rely on imports from Ixia anymore.”
“Only at the cost of a magician’s power, which is too high,” Krystal replied.
“We don’t know if she has to take all their magic. We could experiment—”
“Absolutely not! Remember what happened to Pazia Cloud Mist…”
Again I ceased to listen to the debate. The strips of sunlight moved across the floor and climbed the opposite wall. When the light faded into a gray semigloom, the Council adjourned for the day. I was escorted to the holding cells in the basement of the Council Building. I laughed when they served me dinner. What else could I do? Cry? Scream? Rage against the injustice? No point. The reason for my humor was the wooden cup filled with water. No glass. No magic. No need to put me in the Keep’s special cells.
I tried not to compare this cell with all the others I had been in. Or with all the times I had been confined by ropes or chains. But my mind refused to obey me. My memories drifted back to when Alea had kidnapped me to get to Yelena. The Daviian wanted me to trick Yelena, so she used a masked Warper to coerce me into helping her. It worked. I would have done anything to make him stop. Imagine my horrified surprise when Devlen explained he had been the man behind the mask.
Shuddering, I forced my thoughts on more pleasant memories to survive the night.
As the Council’s discussions dragged on for days, I discovered one good thing about spending my evenings in the Council’s jail. I learned who supported and believed me. Mara’s encouragement hadn’t surprised me, but Pazia’s frequent visits did. She even testified on my behalf. A few of the glass-shop workers stopped to entertain me with tales of their efforts.
Zitora failed to visit and Yelena took her sweet time. She finally came by on the third day with Leif. I slid from my bunk, but she put her finger to her lips, then pointed to her ear.
Leif stared off in the distance for a moment. His short muscular build, square face and brown hair were the complete opposite of his sister. Striking green eyes were the only feature they had in common. “I blocked the snoops,” he said. “So how’s my favorite glass wizard?” he asked me.
“Peachy. I just love it here!” Sarcastic and bitter, I’d outdone myself. Of course, I regretted it as Leif jerked back like he’d been slapped. “Sorry,” I said.
Leif glanced at his sister. “This isn’t good for her. We should bust her out.”
I snapped. “Why would you do that? According to the Council, I’m a danger to myself and others. I’m just a poor, deluded, brainless girl who believed in the impossible, who—”
“Opal, that’s enough.” Yelena’s stern tone stopped my tirade. “I’ve talked to Kade and Janco. I believe you.”
“Then why haven’t you said—”
“Because we were outmaneuvered.”
“But you would know Devlen is in Ulrick’s body. Right?”
“I hope so.”
“Hope?” Not the answer I wanted to hear.
“It’s a unique situation, Opal, and there aren’t any other Soulfinders around that I can ask.”
True. “But you can vouch for me, testify that switching souls is possible?” The pained grimace answered my question.
“I can assure the Council of your integrity. Without Devlen or Ulrick here, I can’t swear they switched. I know you’re telling the truth, but the Council can argue that the men are very good actors and have tricked you.” Yelena flicked her long black braid over her shoulder.
“Couldn’t you read Zitora’s mind and tell the Council she’s lying?”
Leif made a strangled sound. “Accuse a Master Magician? Ho boy, you really need some fresh air.”