Chapter 27
Pleading the Case
“Uh oh,” Ezra breathed, watching the earth-crowned with wide eyes.
“Hawkins, what's going on?” Sarah asked carefully.
“Um... we may be on trial.”
Mat stopped straining against the stones that held him firmly in place. “Wait... what? Trial? Ezra,” he hissed, “what are you talking about?”
Ezra swallowed hard. “Well, from what I've read, an earth-crowned is a kind of wandering judge. They can settle disputes as they see fit, anywhere, anytime.” He glanced nervously at Mat and Sarah. “Their word is law.”
“So,” Sarah began, hysteria coloring her voice. “We have an elementalist, trying us against another elementalist, and we're supposed to just–”
“Silence,” Gaav, the earth-crowned, spoke with absolute authority. “We shall begin with opening statements. I warn you all to be truthful in your words. The earth will not abide any lies.” He turned to the seer and nodded solemnly. “Lady seer, if you would be so kind, please give us your testimony.”
The water-seer shot Ezra a hateful glance, then turned serene eyes back to the seated elementalist judge. “My lord,” she began respectfully. “The lives of these three are forfeit. I ask that you stand aside and allow me to collect that which is the domain of Water.”
“You have a contract for their lives, then. Very well, show me this contract and I shall bear witness to the completion of your duties.”
The seer's cheeks flushed slightly at this. “You misunderstand, my lord. They attacked me without provocation–”
“That's a lie!” Sarah shouted. The earth around her rumbled and her face paled as Gaav glanced in her direction, frowning.
The water elementalist made an exasperated sound. “They did witness me disposing of an undesirable, and in retrospect they may have thought me to be threatening them in some way, however–” The prison of rock and earth that held her in place shifted with a horrible grinding sound. The seer gasped in pain before it settled.
“You're lying,” the crowned stated simply.
The water-seer stared hard at him for several seconds. “Yes,” she continued, voice cold. “I had reason to believe that they were in league with a proven criminal and was in the process of apprehending them for questioning. They fought back, using forbidden weaponry,” she nodded toward Sarah. “You've seen proof of their blasphemous technology yourself. These three should be made an example of, not giving this mockery of trial.” The seer spat out the last words acidly.
Gaav nodded his head solemnly, turning to the team from Sanctuary. “And your testimony?”
Ezra gulped and glanced between his teammates. Sarah was busy glaring at the water-seer. Mat shook his head in defeat. “In for a credit, I guess,” he nodded to Ezra. “Your call, man.”
Ezra took a deep breath and began their defense. He told Gaav about the Guild of Sundry, about how they kept watch, protected the people they could and avenged the people they were too late to help. The windstorm that killed the village elders, their infiltration of the town, and subsequent action against the would-be wind-scarred there. By the time Ezra reached the seer's entrance, he had joined Sarah in glaring at her. The storm above them had finally dispersed, and the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon. Ezra explained the terms of the seer's contract in short, harsh statements, gritting his teeth against them. “We just couldn't leave her like that,” he finished quietly. “She was good and kind and free. It wasn't right.”
Gaav mulled this over for some time. “Well,” he rumbled, “you certainly seem to believe that's all true. And your equipment does seem more advanced than anything I've heard of, even across the border amongst the Besmirched.”
“You see,” the seer hissed, “they admit to it! Violating the Pact of the Elements, imposing their–”
Gaav gestured toward the woman, and the earth around her shifted, clamping her jaw shut. His eyes were still fixed on Ezra as he interjected, “Supposed Pact, lady seer. There has never been any proof that the Forbidden City even exists, outside folklore and obscure histories.”
The stones shifted again, allowing the water-seer to speak. She remained silent for a moment, eyes darting between Gaav and the trio, coming to rest finally on Kelly. A wicked smile spread over her face. “Indeed, earthen lord, you are correct. The girl, however, is mine,” her voice was velvety soft, pitched intimately low. “The boy admitted as much, by his own words.” She locked eyes with Ezra, holding his horrified gaze. The light pink of freshly healed skin stood out starkly across her nose and above her eye. “I have a life contract on her. These others may go, but the girl shall remain.”
Gaav stared at the water-seer, expression unreadable. “So, what he said was true? You saved this child's brother, and now you will take her as a handmaiden, to do with as you see fit.”
Ezra looked at the big man in shock. Kelly began whimpering softly, edging back away from the water witch. The earth-crowned couldn't be... he wouldn't...
“Oh yes,” the seer breathed, eyes fixed on Ezra as her smile turned predatory. “Yes, I'm sure that the traders in Eastpoint will be very happy to find an appropriate use for a pretty... little... girl,” she pronounced the words with infuriating precision and satisfaction. “I shall insist on it.”
Ezra wracked his brain, trying to come up with something. “What about a, um... transference of debt!” Ezra stammered out. The thought crystallized in his mind the moment he spoke the words.
He knew what this water-seer really wanted, wanted badly enough that she would forget all about the little girl and her little town in the middle of nowhere. Gaav gave him a slow, appraising look. The water-seer allowed herself a contented smile.
“What did you have in mind?” she purred, licking her lips.
“I would...” Ezra took a deep breath, glancing around to his friends. Fury and horror were openly battling for supremacy on Sarah's face. Mat's jaw was clenched as he stared daggers at Ezra. Better make this fast, Ezra thought, like pulling off a bandage. Only one that wants to kill you horribly. Probably painfully. Probably not very fast. Nothing like pulling off a bandage at all then. “I will–”
“I believe I've heard enough,” Gaav's fist pounded against the stone once more, silencing everyone. “It is the decision of this servant of Earth to rule in favor of the water-seer.” He winked at Ezra as a smile played with the corners of his mouth.
“What?” the water-seer asked, bemused.
The earth-crowned turned toward her and bared his teeth. “You shall have what you have earned, lady seer,” he said formally. “These three stole from you, damaged your property, and you seek redress for this wrong. I will now render my judgment.”
“What I have... what?” The elementalist's voice turned sharp.
“This is my ruling. The girl made no attempt to escape her captors during their journey here, implying that she was complicit in the act. By the rules you put forth and verified in this court pertaining to her expected behavior, she must be classified as damaged goods. Therefore, in light of your heroic spirit of charity, I award you this as payment for services rendered.” Gaav gestured to the ground beside the water-seer, and a pedestal of stone flowed up silently next to her. The top fell away to display a magnificent gemstone, shimmering flawlessly in the last rays of the setting sun. “Please accept this on behalf of the people of Southedge. I will personally see to it that they are made aware of what has taken place here as I see the child home to her family.” The giant rose, lifting the girl easily with one hand as the massive chair sunk back into the ground, and with that the stone around the team and the seer fell away.
“You would cheat me of my price?” The seer's words were acid. The final drops of rain in the air suddenly hissed and boiled into steam, swirling wildly toward and around her. Ezra flinched as a drop on his ear exploded into vapor.
“I can assure you,” the earth-crowned rumbled softly, “this is far better price than what
you would receive otherwise.” His tone implied that 'otherwise' would probably consist of large rocks and brutal force. Eyes never leaving the enraged water-seer, he continued. “As for the miscreants, you are correct, I must relieve them of any illegal technology in their possession.” Several guns emerged at the crowned's feet, apparently taken from Mat and Sarah while they had been held.
He frowned at the weapons, then absently tore a section from the receding stone seat behind him and crushed them beneath it. Nodding, he continued, “While misguided, I judge that their actions against you were not taken with the intention of causing harm. Thus, I sentence them to three days' community service at the site of the crime, under my direct supervision, to be enacted immediately. This is my ruling.” He stamped one massive foot, and the earth rumbled with a resounding boom. He began to walk past the seer, back toward Southedge, gesturing for the others to follow.
The woman stood as still as a statue, but steam and mist continued to whip around her in maddening whorls. Ezra gulped as he walked past, throwing her a cautious look just in time to see all of the water come to an abrupt halt. A small smile played over her face as she murmured softly, so that only he could hear, “Ariella.”
“What?” he said, taking a step back and quickly checking himself, confused and wary.
“My name. Ariella. Please remember it.” She smiled up at him, continuing wistfully. “It has been years since anyone has truly hurt me.” Ezra watched, fascination winning out over terror, as the discolored skin on the seer's face repaired itself, leaving three small, artfully arranged dots of pink scar tissue just above her left eye. “I will keep this,” she breathed, “to remember you by.”
Eyes still locked on Ezra, she took a dainty step toward the pillar Gaav had raised, all the motion in her hips. One lightly tanned hand reached out, fingertips gently caressing the jewel on the pedestal, collecting the water droplets that formed on it. “One day, I will find you, alone, with no earth-crowned to hide behind.” Her all-blue eyes drifted closed and her lips parted as a shiver raced through her body. “I will take great pleasure in discovering exactly what your life is worth. It will be slow.” She raised her finger to her mouth and licked it delicately. “Exquisite.” The blue of endlessly deep water peeked out from beneath her eyelashes as her tongue slowly traced the curve of her lip. “And I will want to hear you cursing my name with every breath.”
Ezra stared in horrified awe as the seer, Ariella, turned and began to saunter away. Two swaying steps later, the gem-adorned pedestal exploded in a flurry of rent earth as every bead of water on and around it leaped into a slashing, hyper-kinetic typhoon of destruction. Ezra let out a shaky breath that he hadn't realized he was holding as the woman stalked away down the road.
Mat eased up and draped an arm over Ezra's shoulder, watching the water-seer disappear into the early morning. “I think you've got a shot with her, man.” He punch Ezra lightly in the stomach, driving the wind from him. “Bet she's a tiger in the sack.”
Sarah rolled her eyes heavenward and muttered something about ending it now as Gaav let out an explosive burst of laughter.