Fuck, it’s like listening to a high-ranking politician who’s been caught red-handed in a blatantly compromising position but who is going to simply style it out and assume she’ll get away with it. Fear grips me that she might actually be right, she mightactuallyfool them.
‘Security footage shows that the drinks that were drugged were, in fact, only handled by one other person. Rose’s friend. The human. The human who then stabbed one of the Kinfolk in the neck. Francis MacEadailt, who we have since discovered was a loyal member of the Riali Kin, although sadly not well known to those of us at the top. He only meant to help Rose, as did his friends. Video footage from earlier in the evening shows them dancing. Happy together.’ Vittoria pauses, her gaze sweeping around all the Kennards in the room. Every single one has their attention fixed on her, including Carruth. I shake my head as Rose slips her hand into mine and squeezes.
‘I can’t contradict anything she’s saying, Cillian. I’m sorry,’ Rose says. ‘I don’t remember them doing anything bad. They brought us sealed drinks, did everything right. And… and I can only imagine how the way I’m dancing with them will look.’ Her gaze moves down to the floor, and I hate that she’s ashamed.
‘It’s all right,’ I tell her. ‘You have nothing to apologise for.’
She frowns. ‘I got her killed.’
‘Does this human have a name?’ MacGowan asks, slapping his closed fist into his palm. Rose notices, but though she rolls her eyes, I can see real fear in her face at Vittoria’s next words.
‘Niamh Whyte. The same Niamh Whyte that I have on good authority Cillian Hunter didn’t successfully hunt and kill, as he claimed. Instead, he presented me with a deer’s heart– one from a sacred white Underworld stag.’
I slam my hand down on the barrier in front of me. ‘I did not lie. You asked for a heart, and I informed you that I had brought you one.’
‘Cillian…’ Rose shakes her head.
Vittoria pauses for a moment to think, nods reluctantly.
‘Very well, we can agree to disagree on that point,’ she says. And I can see that I’ve played into her hands. Now she looks magnanimous while I look petulant. ‘There is still no excuse for why she isn’t dead. She’s human. And she killed Kin. The punishment is clear… And not only that, but he’s’—she drops her head, sniffs delicately, whispers—‘he’s been spending time with her, using his ability to access St Marnox to visit a murderer, and ignoring me.’
I sit there in shock, she is twisting everything– and she has clearly seen far more than I ever imagined. But of course she has. I recall the eyes in the mirror. She’s been using an ancient power to follow me. Watching my every move over the last four years, seeing the decisions I’ve made and the internal battle I’ve fought with myself. It seems madness that she would do such a thing, but I know Vittoria and I know that she will stop at nothing to remove any threat from her path. And it makes me wonder… is this the first time she’s tried to kill Niamh?
Vittoria smiles at everyone and then sits down next to her father’s throne. He reaches out and pats her hand, pleased with her performance. The silence that follows echoes around the room, then, all of a sudden, everyone seems to be talking at once. Accusations and questions are thrown around, demands are being shouted asking what punishment Niamh should receive for her actions. No one asks what should be done about me. Yet. But watching Vittoria’s and Vincenzo’s reactions to all this, I know that’s where we’re headed. And I will not let them succeed.
Vincenzo calls for order, and the chamber falls into an uneasy silence. The majority of eyes fall on me, and they are far from friendly.
‘Perhaps I should appeal to the Court to allow Vittoria to become queen in her own right after my death,’ Vincenzo says. The others are hesitant– except for Carruth, who looks positively murderous– but no one dares to outright disagree, and Vittoria smiles. ‘Well, Hunter, what do you have to say for yourself?’
‘For myself? What about on behalf of Niamh Whyte? Are we just going to take Vittoria’s word for all of this?’
‘She claims to have footage,’ MacGowan points out, and Vittoria nods. ‘And who would lie to the Court, Cillian? Would you care to share your version of events?’
‘Myversion? The truth is that the Rialis allowed this attack on my sister to happen in one of their clubs, not interfering, or even noticing the danger she was in until Niamh contacted me for help and I informed them about the situation.
‘Three men died in that lane on Friday night. Vittoria and I each killed one, perhaps mistakenly, but I don’t think so. Eduardo Conti attacked me directly, as did Roberto Gallo. All three men are Riali Kin. Does Vittoria not even know the men who work for her? The men that are willing to die for her and her father? If so, then I find them unworthy of ruling our Kinfolk. We deserve a ruling family who know their people, who trust their people and who can protect those around us. From every danger that we face. Not use their positions to protect their own interests.’
‘They were trying to assist?—’
‘Bullshit, Vittoria.Youkilled Roberto so that I couldn’t interrogate him. I took Niamh into the woods at your request, and as my duty to this Court as Huntsman, because I did see Niamh kill Kin– in self-defence. However, I hunted her down as I would any accused, and it wasn’t me who let her escape. That night, there was a more powerful magic at work than neither I nor any member of The Unseelie Court possess. It was that magic that helped Niamh escape, that magic that sent the white stag, that magic that gave her the words to enter the sanctuary. She’s safely at St Marnox, where none of you can reach her. There is no need for this session of the Court. But seeing as we’re here I wish to bring up another matter?—’
‘This isn’t the time, Cillian,’ Rose whispers urgently. ‘Whatever you’re about to say, you’ll be starting at a disadvantage. It can wait.’
‘It can’t,’ I whisper back, then face the Court. ‘It has come to my attention recently that the Rialis, or more specifically, Vittoria Riali has been scrying. The King’s family could have been watching any of us, even in areas we considered secure using this magic.’
There’s another flurry of gasps and murmurs around the chamber as Vittoria stands again.
‘It’s not illegal.’
‘When did that change?’ Carruth asks. ‘In the past scryers were hunted as soon as their magic was discovered. No one should have the ability to spy on other Kinfolk like that.’
‘Oh, please. We all spy on each other in different ways. This is no different.’
‘It very definitely is,’ MacGowan interjects. ‘Vincenzo?’
But even as he turns to the King for help, he realises the futility of it. Vincenzo will never rule against his daughter. Not when it could lead to her being hunted and killed.
Vittoria smirks as she pulls an apple from her pocket and gazes at the shiny surface.
