Read Online Voice Of The Demon (Book 2) by Kate Jacoby - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Jacoby
Ads: Link
either your knowledge or comprehension. I hope that you’ll have the sense to take the proper counsel and give us your oath!’
As Jenn met his gaze, her anger turned cold and seeped into her bones. He really did believe she’d let Finnlay makeher decision. But Finnlay had told her nothing but the truth. Would they have done as much?
‘You banished Robert, didn’t you?’ Jenn began evenly, moving to the other end of the table. Her eyes swept over the councillors, ending with Wilf. He just sat there, a belligerent frown on his lined face. His mind was already made up, and all because Robert had insisted on thinking for himself. ‘You banished him because the Key told you to. It said he was an enemy. Did it say I was an enemy, too? Did it say I should be banished?’
Silence.
‘Did it even say I was to be forced to take the oath?’ Not a single answer. ‘What would the Key say if it discovered you were abusing your authority in such a manner?’
‘How dare you speak to me like that!’ Wilf bellowed. ‘I’m the Jaibir, the chosen of the Key and whether you like it or not, you will do as I say!’
Her heart racing, Jenn shook her head slowly and placed her hands on the table. She leaned forward, but the words that came out of her were not of her own design. ‘I could burn this place down, Wilf. Do you want to see me try?’
Wilf’s eyes widened in fury and for a moment, Jenn wanted to withdraw her threat, wanted to take it back . . . anything to take that look from his face. But she couldn’t. She took her chance – probably the only one she would ever get now. ‘I’ll make you a bargain, Wilf. You let me come and go as I please with no more talk of taking the oath. You’ll also leave Finnlay to live here in peace. If you throw him out, he’s under strict instructions to come straight to me at Elita. I’ll take his appearance to mean you’ve broken the bargain. In return, I promise that when the time comes, I will Stand the Circle, go before the Key and give it the chance to choose me as next Jaibir.’
She felt rather than saw Finnlay flinch at this, but she kept her concentration on Wilf. Inside, her whole body was shaking, but outside she was as steady as the mountain itself. With a tentative breath, she continued, ‘There is, of course, no guarantee that the Key would choose me, but at least that would settle it once and for all. What do you say?’
Henry couldn’t keep his peace any longer. ‘But she should still go before the Key . . .’
‘No.’ Jenn stopped him before he could gather pace. She hardly knew what she was doing, but it was too late now. ‘That’s my offer. Take it or leave it. Before you decide however, I should remind you that now you’ve banished Robert, I’m the only other likely candidate who could wield the Key as it was intended. Do you really want to get rid of me, too? – for I promise you, if you send me away I will never return.’
Henry snorted, unimpressed. ‘How do we know you’ll keep the bargain?’
Jenn shrugged. ‘I’ll give you my hand on it.’ Without thinking, she gathered all her anger and frustration into a single blinding streak. It soared down her left arm and into her palm. Then she lifted her hand from the table leaving behind a black mark, a perfect handprint, burnt into the wooden surface. In some dusty part of her mind, she could hear Robert’s reaction: caustic, deriding and horrified.
But Robert wasn’t here, was he? ‘That’s the only oath you’ll have from me, Wilf.’
The old man sprang to his feet, his mouth open at her temerity, her wilfulness. ‘You’re too clever for your own good, girl! Go ahead. Do as you please. But get out of my sight!’
They were outside and running down the passage before Jenn could bring herself to stop. Finnlay was laughing, but Jenn, standing against the cold stone wall, could do nothing but shake. Robert was going to kill her, if she ever saw him again. Taking pity on her, Finnlay gave
As Jenn met his gaze, her anger turned cold and seeped into her bones. He really did believe she’d let Finnlay makeher decision. But Finnlay had told her nothing but the truth. Would they have done as much?
‘You banished Robert, didn’t you?’ Jenn began evenly, moving to the other end of the table. Her eyes swept over the councillors, ending with Wilf. He just sat there, a belligerent frown on his lined face. His mind was already made up, and all because Robert had insisted on thinking for himself. ‘You banished him because the Key told you to. It said he was an enemy. Did it say I was an enemy, too? Did it say I should be banished?’
Silence.
‘Did it even say I was to be forced to take the oath?’ Not a single answer. ‘What would the Key say if it discovered you were abusing your authority in such a manner?’
‘How dare you speak to me like that!’ Wilf bellowed. ‘I’m the Jaibir, the chosen of the Key and whether you like it or not, you will do as I say!’
Her heart racing, Jenn shook her head slowly and placed her hands on the table. She leaned forward, but the words that came out of her were not of her own design. ‘I could burn this place down, Wilf. Do you want to see me try?’
Wilf’s eyes widened in fury and for a moment, Jenn wanted to withdraw her threat, wanted to take it back . . . anything to take that look from his face. But she couldn’t. She took her chance – probably the only one she would ever get now. ‘I’ll make you a bargain, Wilf. You let me come and go as I please with no more talk of taking the oath. You’ll also leave Finnlay to live here in peace. If you throw him out, he’s under strict instructions to come straight to me at Elita. I’ll take his appearance to mean you’ve broken the bargain. In return, I promise that when the time comes, I will Stand the Circle, go before the Key and give it the chance to choose me as next Jaibir.’
She felt rather than saw Finnlay flinch at this, but she kept her concentration on Wilf. Inside, her whole body was shaking, but outside she was as steady as the mountain itself. With a tentative breath, she continued, ‘There is, of course, no guarantee that the Key would choose me, but at least that would settle it once and for all. What do you say?’
Henry couldn’t keep his peace any longer. ‘But she should still go before the Key . . .’
‘No.’ Jenn stopped him before he could gather pace. She hardly knew what she was doing, but it was too late now. ‘That’s my offer. Take it or leave it. Before you decide however, I should remind you that now you’ve banished Robert, I’m the only other likely candidate who could wield the Key as it was intended. Do you really want to get rid of me, too? – for I promise you, if you send me away I will never return.’
Henry snorted, unimpressed. ‘How do we know you’ll keep the bargain?’
Jenn shrugged. ‘I’ll give you my hand on it.’ Without thinking, she gathered all her anger and frustration into a single blinding streak. It soared down her left arm and into her palm. Then she lifted her hand from the table leaving behind a black mark, a perfect handprint, burnt into the wooden surface. In some dusty part of her mind, she could hear Robert’s reaction: caustic, deriding and horrified.
But Robert wasn’t here, was he? ‘That’s the only oath you’ll have from me, Wilf.’
The old man sprang to his feet, his mouth open at her temerity, her wilfulness. ‘You’re too clever for your own good, girl! Go ahead. Do as you please. But get out of my sight!’
They were outside and running down the passage before Jenn could bring herself to stop. Finnlay was laughing, but Jenn, standing against the cold stone wall, could do nothing but shake. Robert was going to kill her, if she ever saw him again. Taking pity on her, Finnlay gave
Similar Books
