Lusana turned the tome to face the crowd. The title was emblazoned in silver upon the black cover.A Discovery of Magic: The City of the Damned and the Magic Within.
Fynn paled at the sight of the book.
“I would argue,” Lusana said, “this evidence is quite damning in itself.” She turned to Fynn. “Why do you possess such a book?”
“The book isn’t mine,” he said, his voice hoarse.
“It was found in your home.”
“It belonged to Brighde. She had an interest in such things. You likely found other texts on the Divines, on magic, on other faiths and gods. She didn’t practice them, of course. She always looked to our histories, to those of other lands, and was fascinated by magic. Like most of us, she did not believe it existed, not anymore. But she liked to think of a time in which it did.”
Lusana tilted her head, considering his answer. “Regardless of whether the book was yours or your wife’s, it remains the book was in your possession, within your home. There was every opportunity to study it, to practise the magic it contains.”
“No, that’s not true.”
“It is a rare book. Did you know? It must have been a keen hobby of hers, collecting such tomes, for her to stumble across a text like this.”
Aloisia thought to Inari’s words, how books like this might have been hidden away to keep magic dead. “How do you know it is a rare book? Have you seen it before?”
“No.”
“And if you haven’t seen it, then it must be rare. Have you seen all books in the kingdom?”
Lusana’s gaze snapped to her. “What are you implying?”
“How would you know of its rarity?”
“I am a learned woman, Huntress. Collecting rare tomes is a hobby of mine as well. I’ve heard of this text but never come across it in person. Hence how I know.”
“You collect such books, Modäiti? Is it representative of whether you study magic also?”
Lusana stared at her.
“If so, couldn’t such evidence be as damning for yourself? After all, if you possess such books…”
A rumble of agreement went through the crowd.
“How preposterous!” Lusana snapped.
“Precisely.” Aloisia raised a brow. “Just because the book was in his possession does not mean he studied it, nor practiced anything within its pages. Likewise, for yourself, if such logic is to be followed. Otherwise, I’m sure the Mage’s Guild could verify the contents—”
“We are not calling upon the Mage’s Guild.” Lusana gave her an icy stare.
Silas scratched his beard. “The huntress has a point. Nothing has been conclusive.”
“It is, however, concerning all the same,” Magistrate Vester said. “The murder occurred in the accused’s own home, where tomes on dark magic were kept. It is not beyond the realm of fantasy that he could have read the books and practiced the witchcraft there. Regardless of intention, if he called forth these creatures – the Forgotten Gods, as the huntress names them – he would still be to blame whether the victim died by his hand or the monster’s.”
“Then prove I called upon it,” Fynn said. “Prove I know any of what is in those pages. You cannot.”
Aloisia ascended a few more steps. “Whilst you argue over whether Fynn read those books, a point you cannot prove, these Forgotten Gods walk our land. Until they are stopped, no one here is safe.” She turned to Lusana. “No one in the realm will be safe if they decide to move beyond Littlewatch. Is that a tale you wish to take back to Queen Odalis?”
Lusana lifted her chin.
“We cannot stand by and do nothing while these creatures remain here.” She held out the pages. “We have a clue, a map. We need to follow it. Or else, the entire kingdom may be damned.”
The murmurings of the crowd raised into shouts at her words. If the judiciaries would not listen to her, maybe they would listen to them.
Magistrate Vester raised a hand, and the crowd hushed. “Please, do not fear. The threat of these creatures is yet to be seen.”
