Obsidian Ridge - Jess Lebow [9]
Having turned nearly a full circle while taking in the room, the king's glance came to rest on his daughter, Princess Mariko. The eye contact and the long pause had been intentional. He wanted the verdict of this trial to be felt by every single denizen of Erlkazar-the lawful and the not-so-lawful alike.
"My stance on such crimes is no secret," said Korox, now speaking directly to the shackled sorcerer. "As evidenced by my first act as king-the formation of the King's Magistrates. I have tasked them first and foremost with cleaning up the filth that you and your kind peddle to our children and families."
To this Tasca rolled his eyes, turning his body as far from the king as he could within the limits of his restraints.
The king narrowed his eyes. "It's men like you who bring evil into this world. It's men like you who burden the lives of the underprivileged. It's men like you who destroy the dreams and ambitions of our youth by seducing them with black magic and addictions. It's men like you who keep me up at night sharpening my sword, so that I will be ready to strike you down." He paused, taking a breath. "Today Torm has given me the chance to remove some of the injustice from this world-and I am ready to take full advantage."
The king took a step back, and much of the tension left Quinn's shoulders, and his eyes softened.
"As the ruler of all five baronies and the kingdom of Erlkazar, I hereby sentence you, Pello Tasca, to a life of confinement in the Cellar."
"The… the Cellar?" Pello choked on the words, clearly aghast at the severity of the judgment.
"So it has been spoken," said the king, "and so it shall be carried out."
Pello Tasca slumped in his chair.
The king returned to his throne and nodded at the Magistrates. "Take him away."
Four fully armed and armored men converged on the shackled sorcerer, lifting him from his chair and carrying him out of the court without his feet touching the ground.
Struggling in their grip, Pello regained some of his former bravado.
"I'll get you for this, Korox! You'll be dead soon, and so will the Claw!"
The king, the princess, and Quinn all bristled at the threat.
"This is not the end of me. Do you hear-"
"Silence!" shouted Lord Purdun, cutting off Tasca's final words with the wave of his hand and the casting of a spell.
The criminal was dragged through the double doors and out of the hall, the memory of his final tirade still echoing through the chamber.
Chapter Four
The moon rose high in the night sky, chasing away all but the most stalwart shadows and blanketing Erlkazar with light. The colors were muted, mostly gone, and the shapes blended into one another, making this bright night more menacing than most. Where darkness normally gave a shroud of privacy to the roads and fields, the courtyards and rooftops, now they were laid bare, exposed for anyone to see in all their naked glory.
But it wasn't just the places that suffered from the harsh light of the moon. Anyone who chose to traverse those places was also exposed.
In the courtyard just outside Klarsamryn in Llorbauth, the Claw emerged from the shadows to stand in the stark light. His black cape fluttered softly in the breeze as he scanned the courtyard. This was the time of night when all good denizens of Erlkazar were asleep-all good denizens except those who protected the line between good and evil.
Another figure emerged from the darkened edges of the stone palace, shaping herself not from the shadows but from the brightness of the moon's own light. She crossed the courtyard to stand before the Claw, her lightness the balance to his darkness.
"Were you followed?" asked the Claw.
"No," said Princess Mariko. "Were you?"
He smiled. "Yes. Half of the underworld will be here any moment. So we must make this brief."
"So the Claw has a