Cann bared his teeth in a snarl. "Is he not? He brought dishonor to my House and House Sebourne. He lured my daughter from her marriage vows. He used his magic to trick and manipulate mortals incapable of seeing through his illusions. I am not blind to your fault in this, Talisa, but you are a love-drunk twenty-five-year-old mortal He is an immortal who has walked the earth for gods know how many centuries. He has long been man enough to know the difference between right and wrong and to discipline his passions and avoid the misuse of his magic."

"I'm not some innocent victim, Da, and I won't let you pretend that I am. I went because I love him, Da. I've loved him all my life. How can you not understand that?"

"What about your duty? What about honoring your vows? Did you think of anyone besides yourself? Your family? Your brothers? Your country, for the Haven's sake!"

Her spine stiffened. "How dare you accuse me of that? What do you think brought me back?" She flung up her hands in outrage. "If I hadn't honored my vows, I would have run away with Adrial months ago. If not for my duty"—she spat the word like a curse—"I never would have married Colum in the first place! I don't love him—I never have and never will. So don't talk to me about duty! If I hadn't wed out of duty to my family, I would have been free when Adrial came! I would have had a chance to be happy. You remember what happiness is, don't you, Da? It's what you had with Mum. That's what I wanted to have. It's all I've ever wanted."

Her father's cheeks went ruddy, and with a muffled curse he spun away and thrust a large hand through his hair. "Flames scotch it," he swore. He cast an agonized look over his shoulder. "Do you think I ever wanted anything less than happiness for you? But some things, once done, can't be undone. Oaths, once given, can't be rescinded. Honor is all we have, Talisa. Without it, we're nothing."

Tears shimmered in his eyes. "Do you think you're the only person ever to be trapped in a loveless marriage? Your mum was the sun, moons, and stars to me. When she died, it was like I'd lost half my soul. Every day I fought just to keep the blade from my own throat. I forced myself to go on because my children deserved a father. Now there's a woman in Celieria City carrying my child in her belly because the Feyreisa spun a weave I couldn't protect myself against. And though I don't love her and never shall, we wed by proxy two days ago so my child would have my name and all the protection that goes with it. And I will honor her as my wife, and be faithful to my oath, even though I'll never love her. And I will keep the blade from my throat still, every day, because she deserves a husband and the child we made deserves a father. Honor is what makes us worthy of love, Tallie. In that, I agree with the Fey. And every day I live with honor is a day I honor your mother and the love we shared."

Talisa's face crumpled and the tears she'd been battling all morning spilled over. "Oh, Da."

At the sight of her tears, all of her father's anger melted. The hard-eyed stranger disappeared and he became once more the warm, loving father she'd always turned to in times of trouble. His arms opened, and she rushed into them.

"Oh, Da, what am I going to do?"

He tilted his head against hers. "I don't know, Tallie. I just don't know."

A sound at the entrance of the tent made them turn. The tent flaps parted and Luce, one of Talisa's brothers, ducked inside. “They've found vel Arquinas and his brother. The King's Guard are bringing them in now."

"Adrial vel Arquinas, you stand accused of violating the king's justice, manipulating mortal minds by magic, violating the Fey-Celierian treaty, adultery against a lord of the realm, conspiracy to commit adultery against a lord of the realm, spying upon a lord of the realm by means of magic, defrauding a lord of the realm by means of magic, controlling the actions of a lord of the realm by means of magic, unlawful theft by means of magic...."

The litany of the charges against Adrial continued on for nearly three chimes. In their determination to see him executed, the Sebournes had charged him, his brother, and Talisa's quintet with every possible crime and variation of a crime they could think of.

At Talisa's urging, her father had done everything he could to delay the inquisition. The Feyreisen and his mate were on their way, and he had insisted that the judgment of Adrial wait until the Feyreisa arrived to Truthspeak him. Lord Sebourne flew into a rage at the mere suggestion.

"Out of the question, Sire!" Colum's father railed. "How can we possibly trust anything they say ever again? The Tairen Soul had to have known vel Arquinas never left Celieria. He was in collusion with Talisa's lover to steal my son's wife—in direct violation of your earlier judgment! There's no other credible explanation! The Fey have been lying to you and manipulating you all along. Sire!"

In a bleak, toneless voice, the king had agreed with Lord Sebourne. "Given the circumstances, Lord Sebourne is right. Vel Arquinas will hear the charges against him and have an opportunity to make a response. We will not wait for the Feyreisa or any other shei'dalin of the Fey."

Now Talisa waited at her father's side as Adrial, Rowan, and her quintet stood before the king to face their accusers. At Talisa's left, Colum and his father watched the proceedings with curled lips and smug satisfaction.

Adrial held his head proudly erect, never taking his eyes from her as the charges were read. And though he was bound in so much sel'dor she could almost feel it burning her own skin, still he spoke to her in Spirit.