Chapter Twenty-Six

"We know that, but we also know dragons. I'm willing to bet that Gebel does not," the young man replied.

"And there's the added confusion of the humans of Valdis and of Draconia. If Draconian knights are blamed for the death of an ice dragon in Valdis, that could start conflict between the humans of those kingdoms. At the very least, it would imperil the new alliances," the older man added.

"Gebel's aim appears to be to create chaos among the forces on our side of this conflict," Lady Adain stated in her usual soft tones, but everyone turned their attention to her. "I move that we put Gebel on trial and see what we can learn of his goals and plans while we have this opportunity. All in favor?"

Every hand around that table went up, Loralie was glad to see.

"The trial will start tomorrow," Lady Adain pronounced. "Lady Loralie, are you able to free Gebel from the ice so that he may speak to us? And if you do, can you recapture him in the ice again, if necessary?"

Loralie had been thinking about the magical ice ever since she'd imprisoned him. She thought she knew the way of it now that she had actually done it once. She nodded slowly.

"I believe I can, Lady," Loralie replied.

"Then, it is settled," Lady Adain said. "We will meet here after breakfast and hear whatever testimony we can before passing judgment. You must attend, Loralie, of course. Until then, I believe at least one mage should be rostered to watch over Gebel through the night, as well as a contingent of Guards." Lady Adain paused for a moment. "Did Penny ever have direct interactions with Gebel? Can she testify as to the things that were done to her?"

"Yes, milady," Loralie said, frowning. "She knew him, and he dealt with her quite a bit when she was very young. In recent years, as she began to grow into her magic, he seemed to become more cautious and left her care to others in his employ. But he had a magical leash on her, binding her to him, for most of her childhood. She was aware of it and quite conscious when it broke. However, I would rather not subject her to the spectacle of open court, and I would not wish her to see Gebel. It might be too traumatic. I would beg the Council's indulgence to question her separately and privately, if at all possible."

"That can be arranged easily enough," Lady Adain replied, nodding. "We can talk to her tonight, after dinner, if the Council will indulge us. House Adain will happily host you all for dinner, and then, we can take Penny aside and ask her what we need to know." The lady looked around at the other six Councilors, and they all nodded.

*

And so it was that after dinner, the six Councilors, Penny's father and grandmother among them, took Penny aside in one of the cozy rooms in the great house and asked her what she remembered of her life before meeting Leasharra. Loralie paced just outside the door, though she knew Det was there to make sure nobody went too far with their questions. Loralie knew he would protect their daughter, but she still worried.

Making Penny remember the bad times would bring it all back. Loralie would have spared her daughter this, if she could have. But the Council needed to hear it from Penny, not just Loralie. They still didn't trust her, if she judged them correctly. But if they heard the truth directly from Penny, they would believe. Or so Loralie hoped.

Penny needed their understanding and protection as she grew up here. She was still too little to have the majority of the enclave turned against her or suspicious of her in some way.

After about an hour, the door opened, and Penny came out. Det held the door as Penny walked into her mother's outstretched arms. He looked grim, and Loralie could see the rest of the Councilors still seated as Det closed the door gently behind his daughter. The one speaking glance he sent Loralie's way said that what he'd heard had incensed him, and she realized the Council was going into private session to talk over what they'd just heard.

Loralie took Penny into the kitchen where Petr waited for them. The cook had set up a special treat for the children. A little table in one corner held sweet tea and small cakes for them. Dessert, Penny realized, but on a smaller scale than what had been served to the adults.

Penny raced to Petr, and they both sat down and dug into the pastry treats. Loralie stood watching them from a few yards away, tears in her eyes. After a few minutes, she felt a presence come up to her side. She looked over to find the housekeeper there, watching the children with a fond expression.

"Sweet little mites," Belinda said, for Loralie's ears only. "They have brightened this house with their innocence. Petr was always a pleasant boy, but now that Penny is here, he has really come into his own."

"I'm very glad to hear that," Loralie said, watching her children enjoy their treat. "Neither of them has had it easy. I pray to the Mother of All that their path from here is a simpler one."

"As do we all, milady," the housekeeper echoed. "As do we all."

*

Det's emotions were in turmoil where Loralie was concerned. Being with her that night in the cave had rekindled all the old feelings in his heart that he knew were dangerous. He loved his children dearly, but there had been a hole in his heart where Loralie once lived. It had scabbed over but never healed. Det felt almost as if he was in imminent danger of reopening that sore spot on his heart and taking Loralie back into it, this time, never to be released.

But how could he trust her not to leave him again? She was his mate. The only woman he had ever loved. The only women he truly believed he would ever love. But she had turned against him. She had gone her own way instead of sharing her burden with him and allowing him to be part of her life and her troubles. He hadn't understood her actions then, and he was still having a hard time accepting her reasons. He wasn't sure how he could ever forgive her for those empty years without her.

He knew he had to move on. Had known it for years, but he'd never been able to get over Loralie and the impact she'd had on his life…and his heart.

When the Council meeting had finally broken up, it had been late. The children were already asleep in their beds when he looked in on them, and Loralie was in her room. Was she asleep? He'd hesitated outside her door for a long moment, but decided he was in too much turmoil after hearing what Penny had gone through in such detail. He'd gone to his own room and started getting ready for bed.

All the while, his mind churned at all Penny had revealed under the Council's intense questioning. He'd heard some of her story before, but he hadn't pushed Penny to talk about her past too much. He'd decided to let her talk about it if, and when, she was ready. He didn't want to traumatize the poor child by pushing her.

He'd agreed to the Council's questioning now, only because he had seen how well Penny had stabilized emotionally under his roof, and with her twin brother constantly at her side. He'd been there to remind the Councilors—as he had done before they'd allowed Penny into the room—that he wouldn't allow any of them to bully her or push into areas that made her uncomfortable. They would ask their questions gently or he would have something to say about it.

As would his grandmother, he was sure. Between the two of them, nobody was going to be cruel to Penny. But they really did need to hear her side of things before they dealt with Gebel. The Council as a whole needed to know exactly what, and who, they were dealing with when they put Gebel on trial the next day.

And so, he'd allowed the private session of questioning, and Penny had handled it like a trooper. He was so proud of his little girl. To hear, in disgusting detail, the conditions to which she had been subject for almost all of her young life, and then to see what a sweet child she remained, made his heart fill with satisfaction. She was his daughter, and he could not have asked for a stronger child. To have dealt with everything she had in her few years and come out whole, and as innocent as she was, meant a great deal to him.

As he was about to lay down in his bed, wearing only a linen nightshirt, he heard a soft knock on his door. If it was something urgent, the knock would have been louder. Intrigued, he went to the door and opened it. Loralie was there, her blonde hair shining gold in the light of the wall sconce that would stay lit until the wee hours.

"Is aught amiss?" he asked, frowning. She looked nervous.

"No. I just wanted to talk to you. May I come in?" she asked in a quiet voice that did not carry beyond his ears.

In answer, he stepped back from the door and swung it inward so she could enter. She walked in, and he marveled at the way she held herself. The way she had always held herself. Like a queen. Benevolent but certain of her power. He saw little hints of that same carriage in Penny and Petr at times, and he knew they had inherited that trait from their mother.

When he closed the door and turned to face her, he caught her staring at his bare legs. She blushed becomingly, though he couldn't imagine why. She'd seen far more than his bare feet in the past. Shrugging, he moved back into the room, stopping before her.

"What is it, Lora?" A sudden urge came upon him to take her into his arms, but he resisted.

"I just…" A pained expression flitted across her lovely face. "Was there anything truly horrible in what Penny told the Council? I mean, I know the bare bones. I know where she was and who she was with at every point, but I don't know the details of her day-to-day treatment in every place she was kept. I've worried that she was mistreated in ways from which she wouldn't recover. Please tell me if there's anything like that."

She wrung her hands in her distress, and Det reached out to gently part them before taking one of her hands in each of his. She moved willingly closer, looking up at him with those anguished blue eyes that made him want to kiss that fear away.

"No, dearest. While her path has not been easy, it has not traumatized her so deeply that she cannot recover from it. Given love and affection and the presence of her twin, and her parents…"

A tear slid down Loralie's face, and he couldn't take it anymore. He bent to kiss the glistening drop away. Which led him to kiss his way over her cheeks and then down to her lips. And then, all reason was lost as he kissed her deeply, tugging her into his embrace and pressing her against his body.

She was still dressed somewhat formally, in the underdress that went with the red formal gown. The ensemble together was very proper, but without the red overlay, it felt a bit more casual…even a tad naughty.

The fabric was soft with age and thin. It did not hide her loveliness from him. Far from it. The soft cream silk complemented her skin, and as the silk slid hotly over his fingers, he could feel her skin beneath. She was a feast for all his senses. She felt, looked, tasted, and smelled divine, and the little sounds of desire she was making were music to his ears.

Loralie succumbed to Det's kisses with nary a protest. Truth be told, she'd been wanting to kiss him—and more—since the last time they were together in the cave. She'd only been with him the once since their reunion, but it felt like no time had passed. They still seemed to know each other's bodies and pleasure points as well as they had when they'd first been together all those years ago.

She reveled in his kisses, his touches, his strength as he lifted her off her feet and walked with her over to his large bed. He placed her down upon the soft sheets and joined her there only seconds later, resuming the kiss that had only briefly been interrupted while her head spun with pleasure.

She felt the cool night air on her skin a few minutes later, realizing he'd been undressing her as he worked his lips down her body, bringing her little peaks of pleasure that only he had ever aroused in her. She was powerless to resist and didn't want to, in any case. She wanted whatever time she could have with Det. She needed him on a visceral level that defied logic and sense. She had always needed him. Ever since the first day they had met.

The attraction had been almost instantaneous and incredibly strong. Desire pulsed through her as he rubbed his hands over her breasts. He knew just how to touch her to bring her to the peak of readiness for him. Always for him. Only for him.