A bubble of laughter escaped her. "That's a pleasing thought. Shall we be off?"

He escorted her from the room and down the stairs. "There is no way to avoid facing Drayton, but if luck is with us, this unpleasantness will be over today. If not-well, it may take time, but Drayton will be stopped."

She clung to that thought, and to Simon's arm, as his carriage rattled through the streets of London to Sterling House, the town residence of a leading Guardian family. The large ballroom was convenient for important meetings.

As he helped her from the carriage, Simon murmured, "Remember that you are a beautiful woman with immense power-more than Drayton has in his own right. You are in every way superior to him."

"I do like it when you say I'm beautiful, even though I don't believe it."

"Believe." He smiled down with a warmth that made her fears recede.

Head high, she accompanied Simon inside. As soon as they crossed the threshold, she felt a crush of energy. She glanced around the foyer. "What's wrong here?"

"A damping spell makes it almost impossible to wield most kinds of magic within the house," he replied. "During council meetings that might rouse pa.s.sions, it's good policy to prevent anyone from working a spell we might all regret. You should be able to sense emotions to some extent, but destructive magic is impossible."

That was wise, but the field made her feel suffocated. She hadn't realized how much she had become accustomed to seeing the world with inner senses as well as the outer ones.

They ascended to the ballroom. At least two dozen men and women were milling about the room, chatting and nibbling on refreshments. Two or three had taken seats at the tables, which were set in a U shape. Facing the tables were rows of chairs. Simon observed, "Members of every Guardian family are here to observe the proceedings."

She studied the group-and froze when her gaze found Lord Drayton. Richly dressed in gray and white satin, he was laughing with a small group of men. He must have felt her presence, because as soon as she looked at him, he swung around to stare at her. His familiar, saturnine face triggered a wave of paralyzing fear. She wanted to run, yet couldn't have moved to save her life.

When he saw her, his eyes lit with malicious pleasure and he started across the room, glittering like the courtier he was. Simon squeezed her arm, hard, and she managed to look away from Drayton. Her heart was pounding. d.a.m.nation, she had known that seeing him would make her wits go awry! She looked helplessly at Simon, wondering if there was anything he could do here, where most magic was suppressed.

Expression like ice, Simon ostentatiously turned his back, giving Drayton the cut direct and taking Meg with him. She heard several people gasp at what was the most powerful expression of disapproval available in polite society. Meg could feel emotions of shock, interest, a dash of amus.e.m.e.nt from a man -and rapier-sharp fury from Drayton.

How did she know about the cut direct? It wasn't something she had learned in the last fortnight. Before she could ponder that unexpected bit of knowledge, Lady Bethany approached them. "You look lovely in that shade of blue, Meg. Welcome to your first council meeting. Let me introduce you to the other councillors."

Radiating calm, she took Meg's hand. Two of the six councillors were among Meg's tutors. The very grand Lady Sterling, mistress of this house, had been surprisingly amusing when she taught Meg techniques of communication. Though the elderly Sir Jasper Polmarric was wheelchair-bound, his lessons on illusion were fascinating.

A chime sounded, and Polmarric wheeled his chair behind the tables, taking the central position. "It is time to begin this meeting," he said in a surprisingly powerful voice. "Please be seated."

Simon led Meg to one end of the first row of chairs. "Two council members can't attend, so Lady Sterling will use her talking sphere to transmit sight and sound to them. Her magic is one of the few that the damping spell will allow. Usually Lady Beth would preside over a meeting, but not today, since she is one of the complainants. Sir Jasper is the senior member, so he will preside in her place."

Meg scanned the serious faces of the councillors as they took their seats behind the tables. Paper and pencils were at every place in case members wanted to take notes. Lady Sterling sat at the far left end of the U, one hand resting on the quartz sphere in front of her on a velvet-covered stand.

Meg asked, "Does being a Guardian also make one a good judge?"

"Not necessarily, but councillors are chosen because they are mature and have a reputation for fairness and honesty. Still, they are individuals who have opinions of their own." His gaze moved to a lean man with salt and pepper hair and a flinty expression. "Some will agree that Drayton is a menace. Others . . . will be harder to convince."

When everyone was seated, Drayton at the opposite side of the room from Meg and Simon, Polmarric said, "We meet today under grave circ.u.mstances. Lord Drayton has been charged of criminal misuse of his powers by two other Guardians. Drayton, do you wish to say anything before testimony is given?"

Drayton rose, a polished man of the world who was baffled by the charges against him. "Sir Jasper, I truly do not understand why I have been called before this council. While there was a contretemps with Lord Falconer, I have done nothing to justify this hearing. Let the plaintiffs speak so that I may refute them."

Sir Jasper turned to Simon. "Lord Falconer, you are the chief plaintiff. Please describe what has led you to place such serious charges against a fellow Guardian."

Simon rose, his expression cool and detached. "As all of you know, my family has a tradition of enforcing the council's will. My chief mission is to ensure that no Guardians misuse their powers to injure the innocent, or to bring harm on the Families. I was first alerted to the presence of a rogue mage during the late rebellion, when I detected signs of a powerful sorcerer who was encouraging greater strife. There was no partisanship. Rather, his goal seemed to be to increase the amount of fear and danger.

"I tracked his energy signature until I lost him near Shrewsbury. I believe the rogue realized I was hunting him, because his activity ceased for some months. I maintained a watch, and eventually he began to make trouble again. It took three years for me to build a case, because the rogue manifested very rarely. As I put the pieces together, it became clear that my quarry was Lord Drayton."

Speaking without notes, he listed the instances of improper behavior, demonstrating why he had concluded that Drayton was to blame. When he finished, he produced copies of a foolscap sheet that summarized his points. Meg had noticed that he'd brought a small folio, but hadn't realized what it contained. A young woman distributed the sheets to the council members, also handing one to Drayton.

After the members had glanced at the sheet, Simon continued, "When I visited Drayton's home to confront him, he confirmed his guilt by transforming me into a unicorn against my will. He then attempted to murder me by ritual magic in order to claim the magic of the unicorn horn. If I had been unable to escape, I would not be standing here today, and Drayton would be an even greater menace than he is now."

Gasps filled the room. Meg guessed that it was a mix of shock that the powerful Lord Falconer could be overcome by magic and horror that one Guardian wished to murder another. She also realized that under Simon's controlled mask, he loathed showing his weakness. Despite the damping spell, she was learning how to read the emotions of those around her.

"This is grave indeed," Sir Jasper said. "Have you finished your statement, Lord Falconer? If so, it is Lord Drayton's turn to rebut your charges."

Simon nodded and sat down. Meg touched his hand. His fingers curled around hers in a hard clasp before letting go. An enforcer of Guardian law did not publicly hold hands with a female, even if she was allegedly his wife. But she knew that he had taken comfort in that brief contact.

Drayton rose again, his expression all injured innocence. "If that was Falconer's interpretation of what happened, no wonder he thinks so ill of me! I can't comment on the renegade mage he was hunting. As most of you know, my power is moderate at best, so I was unable to sense any rogues. I am even more incapable of creating the kind of chaos this rogue was conjuring." He made a rueful face. "Really, Falconer, I'm flattered that you think so highly of my powers!"

His words generated smiles and a few chuckles. Meg realized unhappily that Drayton had a relaxed, affable manner that must disarm people who didn't know him. Simon's manner was supremely competent, but also somewhat intimidating, which might count against him in these circ.u.mstances.

Drayton turned toward Simon, his expression regretful. "I was startled when you entered my castle bristling with accusations. Especially since you broke in like a thief in the night rather than calling at a civilized hour to discuss your suspicions." He paused a moment to let that sink in for his audience. "Because you entered my study unannounced, you walked into the middle of a magical experiment I was attempting. I found the spell in an old grimoire and decided to try it. It was supposed to increase personal power, so I have no idea how it managed to turn you into a unicorn. Either I made mistakes, or your untimely interruption caused it to go wildly awry."

"There was indeed a spell in your study," Simon said dryly. "Two, in fact. One was the transformation spell; the other, the ritual magic death spell. Both had been prepared and held ready for activation when I walked in. You don't give yourself enough credit, Drayton. It was a masterfully conceived trap."

"I certainly wish I had the power you claim I have!" Drayton said. "There was one spell only, and that incomplete. While I regret that it affected you in such a dramatic way, there was nothing illegal in my experimentation. Guardians are encouraged to try new magic to expand the sum of our knowledge."

"And your death threat?"

The other man shrugged. "You were confused at finding yourself a unicorn. Terrified, even. I don't think you were able to understand human language. I tried to calm you, promising you that I would do my best to undo the spell, but you panicked and smashed your way out of the castle. I sent men after you into the forest. They braved a dreadful storm to try to bring you back to safety, but you had vanished. While this must have been very frightening, you really can't blame me for the consequences of your surprise visit." Having finished his reb.u.t.tal, he sat down.

With growing anger, Meg saw how Drayton was casting Simon as both bully and weakling, with himself as an unjustly accused innocent. When Sir Jasper turned to her, she was ready to speak.

"Lady Falconer, please give your statement concerning Lord Drayton."

As she stood, she called on the feline energy she had learned from Lucky. She had practiced in the last few days, and found that a small amount made her braver and more alert. "I was only thirteen or fourteen when Drayton kidnapped me and removed my memory of home and family. For ten years I lived at Castle Drayton, largely ignored and treated as a simpleton."

Her eyes narrowed as she studied Drayton, refusing to let fear rule her. "The only exceptions were when Lord Drayton brutally invaded my mind. It wasn't until Lord Falconer rescued me and released the mind-block spells that I understood what had been done to me. I have a great deal of natural power. Drayton recognized that and treated me as his slave, stealing my power for his own purposes. He may not have a great deal of innate power, but he didn't need it, because he could use mine."

A shiver of mental revulsion went through the audience. Entering another Guardian's mind without permission was a major offense against propriety. Sometimes two mages who were very close would agree to share power, but taking power by force was brutally painful for the victim, and an even greater offense.

Perhaps Drayton could also sense sympathies shifting against him because he immediately got to his feet again. "Child, child, your anger wounds me," he said with compa.s.sion. "I found you on an isolated road, injured and near death from a head wound. The result of a fall, perhaps. Of course I couldn't leave you there to die, so I took you to my home and summoned a surgeon. Though he saved your life, your brain was damaged by the injury. You knew nothing but your first name, and you could barely speak. I did my best to find your family, but without success. I could hardly turn you loose in the world to become prey to every pa.s.sing tinker, so I kept you in my own household under the care of my housekeeper."

"For a girl who allegedly lost her wits from a head injury, Lady Falconer is remarkably articulate," Sir Jasper observed.

"I am amazed and delighted at how well she has recovered." Drayton smiled at Meg warmly. "To be honest, I didn't think much about you. I'm a busy man, and whenever I happened to see you around the castle, you seemed well fed and well cared for, so I a.s.sumed my housekeeper was doing a good job.

"However, on several occasions I tried to heal your mind. That may be what caused you to feel that I was a.s.saulting you emotionally. I am truly sorry that the experience was so unpleasant for you-I would have stopped if I had realized that. Perhaps you were affected so strongly because of your own power and the sensitivity that goes with it, but I wasn't aware that you were so magically gifted. As I've mentioned, my own power is limited. It was clear that my attempts at healing were ineffective, but that wasn't surprising since brain injuries are said to be impossible for even the most gifted healers. Nonetheless, I did try."

"You weren't attempting healing," Meg snapped. "It was mind rape."

Though some councillors flinched at her words, the man with salt and pepper hair said, "Now that you are well, tell us your name and place of birth."

Meg clenched her hands, hating that she couldn't answer. "I don't know. I remember nothing before Lord Drayton abducted me. That day I remember clearly. He said that I didn't know what I was, and wiped away my past. My rational mind was largely paralyzed until Lord Falconer rescued me."

The councillor leaned back in his chair. "Your experience suggests a head injury, so it's not surprising that your memories may be unclear."

"They are not unclear! I may not remember my childhood, but what happened since is vivid."

She could see that her protestations didn't convince Salt and Pepper. She sat down again, bleakly aware that a single dissenter could save Drayton's lying neck.

Sir Jasper turned to Lady Bethany. "You also have placed a charge against Lord Drayton. Please give your statement."

Lady Beth stood at her place behind the table. In the slanting afternoon sun, she was as pretty and pet.i.te as a china figurine. "I became involved with the situation when Falconer and Meg appeared at my country home. Clearly both had endured a considerable ordeal. When Falconer had recovered, we discussed what had happened. I attempted to investigate Lord Drayton's energy-not to enter his mind, but merely to get a general sense of where he was. He struck such a fierce blow in return that I collapsed. If Falconer had not acted promptly, I might not have survived."

Her words produced another powerful emotional reaction in the audience. Falconer might be feared and Meg was a stranger, but Lady Bethany was well known and well loved among the Families.

Drayton sprang to his feet again. "Lady Bethany, I am horrified to think that I might have injured you! I remember the incident, but only now do I realize who was the source of that mental invasion. I was distressed by what had happened with Lord Falconer. When an unknown mind attacked mine, I reacted as if a wasp had landed at my hand. I hit back instinctively." He smiled ruefully. "You do not know your own strength, my lady. What might have seemed a gentle touch to you felt like an a.s.sault to me."

"You also do not know your strength, Lord Drayton," Lady Bethany said dryly. "I've never experienced such a powerful mental attack."

His expression turned solicitous. "Though your magic is as great as ever, with age bodies become more frail. Perhaps that is why my defense seemed so powerful. If only I had known it was you! But mind-touch has never been a talent of mine."

It didn't take power to recognize that Lady Bethany wasn't pleased by the suggestion that she was feeble, but she held her tongue. So did Simon, barely, though Meg sensed his rising anger and feared that he might shape shift, until she realized that the damping spell prevented that.

She leaned over and whispered, "What about the energy hook he has in me? If the councillors see that, wouldn't it be proof that he's lying?"

He shook his head. "The damping spell makes it impossible to see something so subtle."

"What if the damping spell is dropped?"

"Even then, only a handful of people in this room would have the ability to see the hook, and not all of them are councillors." His mouth twisted humorlessly. "Not to mention that if the spell is dropped, I would probably try to kill Drayton, if I didn't turn into a unicorn first."

He wasn't joking, either. "At least with the spell in place, you can allow yourself to feel anger," she offered.

"Not only feel it, but express it." A dangerous glint in his eyes, he stood and raised his voice so it thundered through the room. "You are eloquent, Drayton, but honeyed words do not change the truth. You a.s.saulted me and threatened murder, you enslaved an innocent girl and stole her power, and you struck down one of the most honored members of the Families, claiming you didn't know your own strength. One of your glib explanations might be true, but all of them? No. They only prove how adept you are at lying."

After a moment of shock, Drayton exploded with fury. "How dare you! If this were not a council meeting, I would call you out! Falconers have been hunters for too long-you think yourself superior to the average Guardian. Sir, you are not. I am a royal minister, a confidant of the king, yet you had the audacity to invade my home, kidnap an unfortunate girl under my protection, and incite Lady Bethany to attempt an illegal invasion of my mind. For too long your arrogance has been allowed to go unchecked, but no longer will you be allowed to persecute your fellows."

His gaze swept the row of councillors, meeting the eyes of each in turn. "You are my friends, my family, my fellow Guardians. Think hard before you condemn me based on one man whose unlawful invasion of my home caused all the subsequent accusations. Particularly when he is a man of great power who has too long gone unquestioned."

Meg was becoming skilled at reading emotions through the damping spell, and she recognized with dread how effective Drayton's performance had been. The brute had done a masterly job of turning everything inside out.

The meeting continued for another hour. As councillors questioned Drayton and his three accusers, it was obvious that Drayton had cast enough doubt to undermine Simon's accusations. Meg tried to explain the twilight state in which she had existed under Drayton's control, but the image he'd painted of her as a brain-injured girl had taken root. Most of the councillors did not take her testimony seriously.

When the councillors had no more questions, the vote was taken. Lady Bethany was called first. Voice clear and strong, she said, "Even if I had not personally experienced Lord Drayton's attack, I would still accept Lord Falconer's word. In the years we have worked together, I have never once known him to lie, mislead, or exaggerate. I vote guilty."

Sir Jasper Polmarric was next. "To strip away the magic of a fellow Guardian is the most grievous punishment we can impose. Never should it be done lightly. Nonetheless, what I have heard here today has persuaded me that Lord Drayton has gravely misused his power. I say guilty."

Salt and Pepper, whose name turned out to be Lord Halliburton, was next. "Falconer, you have failed to make your case beyond a reasonable doubt. Indeed, if Drayton chose to bring charges against you, I would be willing to hear them. As enforcer of Guardian law, you above all must be above suspicion. I say not proven."

Meg released her breath in a rush. They had lost, and Drayton would walk out of this house with his power unchecked. The final vote was four "guilty" to five "not proven." The older councillors, who had worked with Simon for years, were uniformly behind him, but the younger members were less supportive.

Based on the emotions she was reading, Meg guessed that two of the dissenters genuinely felt the case against Drayton was insufficiently proven. Two more had voted with distinct satisfaction that they could justify opposing the infamous Falconer. The fifth councillor, she couldn't read, since it was a man not present at the meeting. His vote was relayed through Lady Sterling, who had supported Simon.

With the voting finished, Sir Jasper said, "The greater the power, the greater the need to act according to the rule of law. This decision is binding upon all parties to this hearing. Any attempt to injure opposing parties would be viewed as a major crime against Guardian law. Do you all accept this verdict and the authority of this council?"

"I do." It was a chorus of replies from Drayton, Simon, and Lady Bethany. Meg was unable to make herself agree, but Sir Jasper overlooked that, probably because she was new and uneducated in Guardian ways.

Expression gloomy, Sir Jasper said, "I declare this hearing adjourned."

The ballroom broke into a buzz of conversation. Several younger Guardians surrounded Drayton and offered congratulations. Meg felt clearly that too many in this room were taking pleasure in seeing Simon humbled. Drayton's affability had proved more powerful than the truth.

She stared down at her knotted hands, and felt afraid. Very afraid.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

Simon moved a few steps away to talk to Lady Sterling, who looked worried. Meg stayed in her chair, her gaze down as she struggled to compose herself. Then a shadow fell across her and a chillingly familiar voice said, "You've improved remarkably, Meg. Foolish of me to overlook your great potential."

"d.a.m.n you!" Heart pounding, Meg leaped to her feet. Even with her standing, Drayton loomed over her. Like everything else he'd said today, his comment to her sounded innocent but was double-sided.

As she looked into his face, she saw something new: raw, angry desire. Now that she was no longer a ragged simpleton, he wanted her for more than her power.

As her fear escalated, she tried drawing on feline energy to make her braver, but it didn't work. He was too close, his presence too overpowering. Then she tried to think of a suitably searing retort, again without success. Magic wouldn't operate here, so she couldn't strike him with her power. Should she give him the cut direct? No, Simon had already done that, and besides, that was too civilized a reaction for the mixture of fear, loathing, and fury that she felt.

According to Drayton, Meg was a brain-injured child, so why not act like one? As swift as thought, she slapped his cheek as hard as she could. "You lie brilliantly, Drayton," she said through gritted teeth. "But the truth will ultimately win."

His jaw dropped and his cheek flared red from the impact of her blow. Pivoting on her heel, she walked away. Simon had turned at the sound of the slap and in two strides he was beside her. Under his breath, he said, "My sentiments exactly, Meg."

Everyone was staring at her. Let them. Slapping Drayton might be childish, but it had relieved a little of her frustration. She took Simon's arm. "It's time to leave."

Tall, elegant Lady Sterling came up to them. "Would you like some privacy to compose yourselves before you return home?"

"An excellent idea," Simon replied. "Essential, in fact."

They followed Lady Sterling from the ballroom and up another flight to a small sitting room. "Stay as long as you like." Lady Sterling regarded them both sympathetically. "I'm sorry the hearing went so badly. Drayton is a liar through and through, but a very skilled one."

Simon grimaced. "I knew it would be difficult to convince all nine councillors beyond doubt, but I didn't think the results would be this bad."

Unable to keep silent longer, Meg said bitterly, "What will it take to persuade them that Drayton is evil? A murder committed in front of the whole council?"

"No, but it will take more than one person's word against Drayton's, when he has a plausible alternative explanation to what really happened. Plausible doubt is a great blessing to the accused." A glint of amus.e.m.e.nt showed in her ladyship's blue eyes. "Lady Falconer, officially I must disapprove of your slapping Drayton, but privately, it did my heart good to see it. Sometimes I worry that the Families are overcivilized. The proof of that is that we are allowing a predator to walk free."

Simon shook his head. "Guardian misdeeds can have catastrophic effects. Strict laws are necessary so that we know we will not be persecuted unjustly. At the same time, we all know that no matter how much power we have, we will be unable to resist the combined power of the council if we are judged to be rogues. The law saves us from ourselves."

"This is why you're such a fine enforcer, Falconer. You truly believe in the law. Which is why it's also impossible to believe that you would lie when accusing a man of criminal abuse of power." Lady Sterling opened the door to leave. "I'l tell my husband to keep the damping spell in force until you leave. As to Drayton-well, when matters come to a head, you know that you can call on us both if necessary."

"I do, and I'm very grateful for that."

After Lady Sterling left, Meg sank onto the sofa, rubbing her arms with nervous fingers. Just thinking of Drayton made her feel unclean. Simon frowned. "Did he say something to you before you slapped him?"