Vera’s smile was nothing short of cutting. “I would point out that the Librarian rather effectively just explained he doesn’t accept unqualified mages, both for their safety and the safety of the Library, and as such, I cannot see why else he would have allowed someone so untrained to take the position.”
The Ambassador had woven her trap well. Allaster had no choice but to tell the truth as he saw it: that Kasira had conned her way into the Library without his knowing. It wouldn’t paint him in a favorable light, as it would mean admitting he had been tricked, but it was better than everyone thinking he had known she wasn’t Eirlana from the beginning. Not only would that make it seem as though he’d accepted an untrained candidate after refusing to do so for other Kalish mages, but it would lend credence to Vera’s claim that he’d done it intentionally to defraud the Kalish.
Then Allaster said the words that damned him. “I call the Assistant Librarian to testify.”
Kasira made her way toward the podium, aware of every set of eyes that followed her. She had run through this moment a hundred times. Knew every word that stood between her and the end of this nightmare. She didn’t want to speak a single one.
Allaster thought she would lie for him. Thought she planned to twist Vera’s words with every skill she possessed, until the dignitaries didn’t believe a single one. He didn’t realize that Vera had been waiting for him to call Kasira forward. Didn’t realize how much more condemning it was when your own witness testified against you, for he had no reason to suspect she would.
Vera peered at her from the podium. “To your knowledge, did Allaster St. Archer have a bias against Kalish mages?”
Kasira did not look at Allaster as she answered. “Yes.”
“To your knowledge, did he knowingly risk both his own life and yours in defense of his home, despite knowing the attackers were an unaffiliated mercenary group?”
“Yes.”
Satisfaction bloomed across Vera’s face. “And finally, did he hire you to con your way into the position of Assistant Librarian?”
This time, Kasira forced herself to meet Allaster’s pale gaze. To witness the confusion melding into stark, sharp understanding as she said, “Yes, he did.”
A murmur danced across the room, forcing Talthari to restore order. But Kasira watched only Allaster, who even in the midst of enemies, couldn’t stop the look of pain etching itself through every inch of him.
“Why?” he mouthed, staring at her with those too-bright eyes. And as he waited for an answer she could not give, she knew unequivocally that she had given a piece of her heart to this place, and it was breaking.
Talthari managed to call the room to order, and Vera wasted no time in capitalizing on Kasira’s testimony. “Allaster St. Archer has been discriminating against Kalish interests from the day he took his position as Librarian.” She paced before the podium. “We have months of documentation of his refusal to admit applicants, his denial of meetings with our delegates, and open support of our political adversaries to the detriment of our kingdom.”
She let the words hang for a moment, as skilled an orator as the Paratal she propped up. “The Assistant Librarian herself witnessed his execution of each of these crimes, including hiring her to take the position of Assistant. And lastly, we have written testimony from Ambric St. Archer about the attack on Spenshire.”
Kasira expected Allaster to defend himself, but he’d collapsed into his chair, still staring at her as if he expected her to explain everything, as though if he only gave her a chance, she would make it all make sense. But she had nothing left to give him, no lies left to spin.
“The Librarian believes he can do whatever he wants.” Vera clasped the edges of the podium in each hand. “He thinks he knows best, better than any of you. He exercises his power without consideration for the impact it has on our homes.” This, for Ambric. Kasira had told Vera of the High Mage’s frustrations over his brother’s refusal to negotiate, how the consequences falling on Miraval had driven awedge between them. Allaster may have come to Spenshire’s aid, but to Ambric, he was the reason it had even needed saving.
Vera’s voice rose above the crowd’s growing murmurs. “We will not rest until he has been removed from the position he so openly desecrates.” This, for Arch Minister Cernos, who was so afraid of the outbreak of war.
“Vote to remove Allaster from his position as Librarian before his whims shift toward you.” For Queen Sarren, who by now would have heard Elyae’s tale of a leader who refused to listen and had unfairly sent her home.
This was where Kasira expected the Ambassador’s speech to stop, the blows dealt.
It didn’t.
“Allaster St. Archer is dangerous.” Vera’s voice took on a fervor fit for the Paratal before a vast crowd. “Dangerous to the Library and to us. To that end, I levy a third charge: the murder of Kalish mage Thane Ryarch.”
Kasira’s head snapped toward her. This hadn’t been part of the plan. In fact, in their communications prior to today, Vera had said she intended to keep mention of Thane out of the Conclave so that Kasira’s name wouldn’t be sullied by what had happened. After all, once Allaster was removed, Vera still needed Kasira to be able to take his spot as Librarian.
“We were told Thane’s death was the result of a beast attack on an untrained mage,” Vera continued. “In truth, that beast was set upon Thane by the Librarian himself because Allaster believed him to be a spy, and his death was passed off as an accident.”
This was a very different accusation. Vera didn’t even have to prove it. If Allaster was found guilty of the other charges, he would be relieved of his position as Librarian and lose with it all its diplomatic protections. He would be turned over to Kalthos to face trial for Thane’s murder, where Kasira had no doubt he would be convicted.
He would be condemned to death.
Vera took her seat to the stunned silence of the Conclave. Kasira knew she needed to also, but she could not bring herself to take asingle step toward Allaster. Could not even bear to look at him. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Vera had lied. She might let the rest of the Library go unharmed, but she had never intended to relinquish Allaster. He was too great a threat to her.
Talthari retook the podium unsteadily. Their face was slack, and they gripped the wood as if to hold themself upright. “Lord Allaster,” they called shakily over the whispers of the crowd. “Your response?”
For the first time since she had known him, Allaster St. Archer was speechless.
At his back, May’s expression was a thunderstorm of anger and disbelief. Fen held Carlia back in her chair, their own face slack with shock. All Kasira wanted was to tell them it was going to be okay, that they didn’t have to worry.
