Pursued - Entire book

Chapter 12

"It's obvious he can't stay," Trenny told the assembly. The Constable was answered by somber silence. The Elders and Elderesses stood in the inner circle, then first families whose ancestors had founded the city, followed by the rest of the people.. Klair, Scov, Norah and Trenny stood center. The crowd of the people heated the room quickly making a muddied Klair, feel a sense of oppressive closeness.

"He saved my son's life!" the mother of the errant child said as she hugged the sleeping body close. "That alone—"

"Means nothing!" Trenny countered. The Constable glared at the assembly. "Everyone saw what he did. Possessing magic, isn't it obvious he is manipulating us, trying to gain our favor?"

"He's succeeded," someone said.

"He destroyed the canal," Trenny yelled back.

"You both helped destroy it, Constable," Scov interjected. "Both of you tried to save the life of the child. You should both be commended not accused."

"Agreed," Elder Maken said.

Trenny shook his head. "Consider all the unaccounted thefts and mischief. What of his little campaign through our water system?" Trenny walked around the inner circle, beseeching his listeners with a firm look. "Some of the crimes have been so mysterious."

"Certainly you don't plan to blame Klair for any of it," Norah said. She stood, not as tall as the Constable but possessed as similar fervor. She stood proud, resting an arm on Klair's shoulder. "My son does not steal."

The Constable whirled at her, eyes burning. "You should have been open with us." He shook his finger at her, voice rising. "You intentionally misrepresented Klair."

His gaze included the room. "What other lies exist?" he challenged.

Norah stepped forward, her voice directed to the people as well as the council. "I needed a home for my son. What would have happened had I told you from the beginning? I would have been told to move on." She shook her head. "I needed to prove to you first that—"

"As I said," Trenny interrupted. "Mother and son both intended to manipulate us."

Norah glowered at him. "My son has no wish to be a wizard."

"Then he should not have been using his magic." Trenny said glaring at the silent Klair.

His mother stood defiant. "Not even to save a child's life?"

The Constable jerked a hand toward Klair. "Have you nothing to say for yourself?"

Klair pointed to the sleeping child in the relieved mother's arms. "What needs to be said?" He folded his arms defiantly. "Anything I have done has been for the good of the village. Have I not always done my part to—"

"Oh yes, grateful villagers under the protection of your power, until we earn your wrath. What then? Especially if you are a Spawn from one of those crazed Kapawn." Trenny pointed an accusatory finger at Klair. "We are familiar with the fierce Kapawn magic. Hurrisick pass still suffers from it. Perhaps that is the very source of what ails our land."

Trenny knows about Maken's map, Klair realized.

The Elders and Elderesses of the room shifted uncomfortably. Apparently the secret that had been reserved for only the leadership was now revealed to all through Trenny. Who else here knew about what's happening? Why did the Constable blame the problems on magic? The Kapawn were Anvil's allies.

The nation of Fist didn't have magic users did they?

"Fist has made peace with us," Klair countered.

Trenny jabbed a finger. "A treaty of fear is not a stable treaty." His smirk encompassed everyone. "Can we risk our protection dependent upon Klair's generosity?"

"I'm not even trained." Klair defended.

"That's all the more reason to ban you."

"Trenny, you accuse this boy out of jealousy for his mother," Maken said, standing.

"And you do it for her favor." Constable Trenny countered.

Several people snickered and the Constable frowned. An error on his part, as the councilman showed no inter­est in Norah. He was a happily married man, added to the fact Norah no longer followed the Kindred profession.

The Constable folded his arms and glowered.

Elder Maken ignored the jibe. "Merrsain's midwife told me of your accusation of the pigs being stolen from Kella. You state that Klair is the thief. We have done further investigation and more information has come before us." The elder turned to an old woman sitting on the sidelines. "Kella, tell us what you know."

"My pigs were missing," Kella said her aged voice scratchy as she addressed the assembly. "But my grandson has them trained to squeal when he blows his whistle. He went on search whistling, and found them caged in a makeshift shelter in a dense section of the woods on the far side of the canals. He brought them back."

"Whose home were they near?"

The older woman hesitated.

"Testify fully, Kella," Maken warned.

"Cou-Constable Trenny's." she murmured, looking nervously at the officer.

The assembly murmured, and the Elder faced Trenny directly. "Constable Trenny, your title is removed. I state third warning for the theft of Kella's pigs. And fourth warning for the blaming of an innocent." The uproar from the townspeople at each announcement rose until Maken lifted his hand for silence. No one had heard of so many charges against one person in such quick succession.

"A decision needs to be made," another elder said.

"Ban Trenny," a voice said.

"Ban Klair," another countered.

"Ban both," said a third.

The voice was familiar. Klair looked over at the Jessi twins.

Loginna glared back, arms folded.

Did she think he'd tricked her? Klair glanced amongst the assembly, not seeing the looks of acceptance amongst the majority. He looked back at his mother being held within the protective embrace of the miner. It was he, the Seedling the people rejected, not his mother.

"Two-thirds vote," Maken, said. "We'll vote first Trenny's judgment, then Klair's.

Klair stepped away from the circle. "You won't have to vote, but my mother stays. I'm leaving."

"No!" Scov, Norah, and Maken spoke in unison. Maken calmly walked over to Klair. "You are not yet apprenticed or corded, Klair."

Klair looked at his mother and she started weeping. Her look beseeched him to stay. Klair turned away, blinking back the moisture. He would have to leave soon before he broke all self-control. "Some feel having magic makes me a man," Klair said walking through the standing villagers.

His mother moved to follow but Scov held her back.

"It is his decision," the miner said, but he looked beseechingly at Elder Maken.

Maken glanced back at them, before turning to Klair. "Return home in a year, Klair." Maken said.

"A year," the Council decreed.

"A year," the assembly echoed.

Klair left the room, not waiting to learn of the fate of the Constable. He ignored the two parcels placed at the door, left there dependent upon a negative judgment. Each contained two six-days of supplies and given to any individual banned from a city.

His mother's weeping turned in a wail as Klair stalked out of the hall.

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