Ekleipsis by Pordlaw LaRue Page B

with those she had known for years,
but always spoke with the other ladies of the village as
well.
    § § § §
     
    Tindal and the council
seemed eager on seeing Rayhold and not really idle chat. “We need
to see Rayhold,” Tindal demanded, still standing outside the home,
with the council to his back.
     
    Rayhold was now up, peeking
through the crack of his door. He was not really able to see anyone
because of the angle, but clearly he heard his name and recognized
the voice of Vandor’s father.
    Fear gripped him tightly.
He pondered a hundred thoughts it seemed. Vandor, Kayla, and he had
agreed to refrain from speaking of the incident of a few days ago.
Had they lied? Had they broken down and told on him? Surely they
were his friends and would not betray him. But what else could it
be, he could not imagine. Their vow kept returning to his
mind.
     
    Labo and Sycress held
Tindal and the council at the door, questioning and reasoning as to
what their visit was all about. Tiring, Tindal stepped up, pushing
his way into the house between the two.
    “By the authority of the
Council of Nesal, we demand to see Rayhold your son!”
    Labo and Sycress cried
loudly, “You have no authority in our home,” as the council moved
forward anyway.
    Labo shoved Tindal in the back
screaming, “You have no authority,” as Sycress backed up in fear,
echoing the same.
    Tindal fell forward to the
ground, dropping the lantern. Qad and Kol rushed in, grabbing Labo,
pinning him to the wooden wall with a loud thump. Labo was a large
man and difficult to hold, even with both of them. Nau moved to
keep Sycress back, less aggressively than the others had Labo, as
Rayhold ran from his room.
     
    “Leave them alone. Here am I,” cried
Rayhold, facing them all.
    As Tindal recovered himself
from the floor, the two men tightly held Labo and Sycress sat with
Nau near her.
    Yanes stood in the doorway,
while Ishbal and Zoac moved to the sides of Rayhold. They carried
shackles, and the clinging chilled the air. Rayhold knew they had
come for him, but stood in place. He moved his sight between
Tindal, his father, and his mother. He could see the anger, fear,
and hurt in their eyes. He pondered the idea of running, but
decided against it. Rayhold’s mind was too cluttered to
think.
    He didn’t resist as they
placed the shackles around his wrists and ankles. They were cold,
hard, and rang out a metallic sound when closed. Zoac locked the
chain, connecting the wrists shackles to the ankle ones.
    Rayhold regretfully looked
down at his bonds, then upward to Tindal, “What have I done?”
Though his use of sorcery came quickly to mind, his pride cried
out, I am innocent! Knowing the use of sorcery now would seal his fate in death,
he withheld from such.
    Straight-faced and emotionless, Tindal
replied, “A witness came forth tonight telling us of a surety that
you have conducted acts of sorcery.”
    Arguments came both from
Labo and Sycress that their son did not even know of such. Qad and
Kol doubled their strength, pressing against Labo to keep him held.
Nau held Sycress firmly but gently on the shoulder, as she appeared
to make an attempt to get up from the chair. Tindal demanded
silence. Only Rayhold was to speak to the allocation of his
actions.
    Rayhold was
silent.
    “Rayhold, how do you answer the
charges of sorcery?” Tindal questioned.
    “I…” Rayhold glanced to his
father, then a long look at his mother. He was torn between
thoughts: The look of anger in the eyes of his father, and the hurt
in the tears of his mother. If Vandor and Kayla had betrayed him,
then he could merely claim it was used to save their lives and even
the village from the Gottlo, which may offer some chance of
leniency. If they had not mentioned it and there was yet another,
it could pull Vandor and Kayla into the issue at hand, only adding
to his affliction.
    Rayhold remained still, as if calm to
the situation, but on the inside he trembled in fear. “I neither
affirm