Abaddon's Mark

Chapter Sixteen

Theon bared his teeth in a grin as the representatives arrived at the same time as the coven. Trathor's face turned scarlet in rage. Veins stood out at his temples and down his neck.

But for all his rage, not a thing rattled because of his near-perfect control.

"Good news," Theon hooted.

The representatives came to a stop. They allowed the coven to move forward, then they shifted around the coven and created a sort of circle around Theon.

"And bad, no doubt," Pan sighed out.

"Yes, there's that too," Theon said, his grin growing.

Pan made a 'come here' motion, which was nothing more than permission for Theon to speak.

"It was not Naena."

"Oh," Pan looked quite pleased with himself.

"But it happened around or because of Naena," Theon said, which made Pan scowl at him.

"Then who did it?" Kaulu demanded.

He puffed his chest and pushed his nose into the air, assured it had nothing to do with his family. Pleased that he needed to speak with no families so much as stand to the side and watch the others humble themselves before mages.

"Lugh," Theon purred out.

They all protested as one, voices rising, making demands, asking questions. Pan was the one who raised his hands to silence them.

"AfLugh?" Pan asked cautiously.

Theon knew immediately that the representatives would not only accept this answer but expected it. No one would blame the AfLugh boy for taking vengeance on mages for killing his shield. They might even tell the families to take their complaints to the dragons, and that answer would be acceptable.

"No, Lugh," Theon responded.

Pan glanced over Theon's shoulder to Lugh standing behind him. The man sucked in a breath through gritted teeth, then nodded his understanding. Another little motion was made.

Theon went about the effort of explaining what he knew of what happened. He left out the why... and most of the good bits. He knew what happened inside the room because he knew. If others didn't know, then they could continue guessing.

As he finished, Nendan returned. The young man took in the scope of those standing in the hallway, and he slipped his hands behind his back, a habit he learned from his father, as he stepped into the circle and glanced at Theon, then around at the others.

"Well?" Nendan asked Pan.

"Debatable at best."

"Oh, yes, let's call the council, why don't we? To find out for certain," Nendan said. "Let us wait it out while she lays in the infirmary dying of what these men chose to do to her. They made a choice. She did not. We police magic, not mages. A fact that you would do well to recall, Pan. Those mages made a choice. By doing so, they sealed their fates. But let's raise Lord Pan from his bed for this."

"It's not even noon," Kaulu snapped. "If he's so old he's still in bed, then perhaps we should call the council and settle this."

"Raise Lord Pan from bed?" Theon purred, drawing all eyes to him. "His wife is heavy with child, due to birth any day. Yes, let us raise. Lord Pan. From his marriage bed."

His words had the effect he had hoped.

The representatives shuddered and began looking to one another.