Page 113 of The Hearth Witch’s Guide to Spite & Spellwork

Saga could see the tension closer to Gideon’s mouth now. “You are refusing advocacy?”

“With all due respect, Your Lordship, you may name them Justice and Mercy, but will I truly find either in this court after what I have done?”

Elongated fingers folded over his hands, and he leaned forward in his seat in a manner that reminded Saga of a spider right before it struck. “It would appear we have very differing ideas of justice, Ms. Hudson. What, pray tell, would be just to you?”

“That he’d at least been given a chance.”

His shoulders pushed back and his head tilted. “By your account, a chance was given. He could have died instantly like his fellow climbers, but he did not—he was spared yet still failed to rise to the challenge.” She’d got under his skin, and he was trying to get a rise from her in turn. “Why now do you continue to advocate for his salvation instead of your own?”

“He was a good man.” It was such a simple sentence but spoken with so much love.

“What is ‘good’?”

Audrey’s eyes lowered. “He was a kind man.”

It must have been the passion that bothered him, because his next words spat on it. “This world is littered with the bodies of kind men. They enrich the soil and help it build anew. By what authority do you raise his life above all others?”

Audrey folded her arms. “That is a question meant to bait me.”

“Bait you, Ms. Hudson?” More and more he looked like the twisted things the bedtime stories warned you about. “Do you think this is some kind of game I am playing?”

Still, she did not back down. “Yes, like a cat playing with its food, you bait me. You are trying to get a rise out of me. You think I acted out of arrogance. That because I was beloved in Brigid’s eyes, I saw myself above the law, but you are wrong. Even if I had succeeded in saving his life, I would still face my fate in this court.”

“You would change time to bring him back to you, knowing you would be separated again after standing trial? To what purpose?”

The look Audrey gave him was pitying. “It was not me that I was trying to reunite him with, Your Worship.” She gave a meaningful look back to the child sitting on Saoirse’s lap. “If you could save the world, would you refuse simply because you wouldn’t have the privilege of living in it?”

The cool mask was breaking, flashes of anger marring the frightful and beautiful face. “You are without contrition?”

Audrey shook her head. “For betraying Brigid, I am filled with regret. She was my friend, and I violated her trust in me. It was selfish and single-minded, and I do not deserve her forgiveness for what I have done. There were other ways; even without her power and blessing, I would have found a way. I don’t think I could ever stop looking for a way to save Viggo. My heart won’t let me.”

It was the honest thing to say, but Gideon’s expression told Saga it was not the correct one.

“There is no need to deliberate privately on this matter.” His voice was brimming with disdain. “Audrey Hudson, by the will of the Winter Court, your position of avatar is stripped, your magic will be sundered from you, and all memory of it and your husband be erased.”

A shock of gasps from the gallery and Saga’s grandfather stood, calling out. “Lord Blackthorn, I beg of you—”

“William Hudson, you will not speak out of turn, you and your family are witnesses only.” He did not raise his voice; somehow he did not have to in order to silence William. He continued, cruel in the calm manner he explained his reasoning. “The accused has greatly illustrated that sundering would not be enough, so our hand is forced to extract not only the means but the motivation.” But despite carefully replacing that mask of cool indifference, it faltered when he spoke to Audrey once more. “What would you say to your daughter now? Knowing how you have failed her? That because of your actions, she must now live a life without either of you?”

Saga looked from Gideon’s sneer to her frightened six-year-old self and back to her mother.

Even then, Audrey had nothing but sympathy for the devil before her. A creature that, as far as she could tell, had never, nor would ever, comprehend the love she had for her family. “I hope one day she will understand I did what I thought was best for her.” Her own voice was unbearably kind. “And that she finds it in her heart to forgive you, Gideon Blackthorn.”

“Never,” Saga whispered hoarsely.

Almost as if he’d heard her oath, Gideon met her eyes.

He must have been looking at something beyond her, but still Saga’s blood turned cold.

Shaken, he banged the gavel and stood, avoiding eye contact with anyone in particular. “The court is dismissed. Sentinels, take Ms. Hudson away.”

The two sentinels unlocked the stand and reached out to Audrey.

“No,” Saga begged, trying to pull away one of the men, but her arms passed through the memory.

“Wait!” Leigh called as the family exited from the gallery to the court floor. “Wait, please, at least let us say goodbye.”

The sentinels paused, exchanging glances before turning to the magistrate.