power?”
Again, Seren hesitated.
“Ms. Winterstorm?” Georgia prompted.
“Yes. We could all feel her power.”
Georgia stopped for a long, pregnant pause. Then, just as the assembly got restless, she asked, “You knew from an early stage that Stella had the potential to be a powerful witch, didn’t you? What about a dangerous one?”
“Yea—No! That is, we knew she had powers. I never thought she was…”
Georgia interrupted her immediately. “Were you present the day Eleanor Bartholomew was killed?”
“Yes. I was in the same room.”
“Did you see what happened?”
“Yes.”
“Did Stella Mayweather kill Eleanor Bartholomew?”
“Yes, but…”
“And was Jared Dorling caught in the crossfire?”
“No!” Seren gave a quick shake of her head as she glanced towards his mother. “Jared was killed when he tried to prevent Eleanor from hurting anyone. Stella was nowhere near him at the time.”
“But Stella was responsible for Eleanor being there, that day, in that room, where Jared Dorling was killed?”
“Yes, but…” Seren gaped at us, trapped.
“No further questions.” Georgia wheeled around and strode away before Seren could crawl out of the corner she’d been wedged into. Georgia had performed well. She made it abundantly clear that I was powerful, reckless, and much too close to a daemon, obviously aimed to incite suspicion into the assembly. She also received the direct answer to her most damning question: Did I kill Eleanor?
“Mr. Haller, your witness,” said Lisette.
Steven buttoned his jacket as he stood up and approached the stand. His face had assumed the masked expression that slipped over Seren’s face once again. “Did any member of the household ever express any concerns to you about Stella’s magic? The way she was being taught, perhaps?”
Seren shook her head. “No. We were impressed by her control. She had a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Most of us learn to control our magic and how to use it properly during our childhoods. But Stella learned of her powers quite late in life.
“So, you never felt in danger?”
This time, Seren appeared surprised. “From Stella? Never.”
Steven nodded as if he expected that. “Did any member of the household have concerns about Stella being taught by Evan Hunter?”
“No. He was an excellent teacher, and he was personally sent by Robert Bartholomew. Robert told me it was a special request of a friend.”
“Did you have any concerns about Evan Hunter being in the house, especially given his heritage?”
“None. I’d met him before and always found him… pleasant, I guess. He’s nice. And he really cares about Stella.”
“Let’s fast forward now to the day Eleanor Bartholomew arrived at the house. Tell the court about the day’s events.”
“Robert actually arrived first. He came to warn us.”
“What did he warn you about?”
“That it wasn’t safe for Stella to stay there anymore. He was worried for her.”
“Did he say why?”
“No.” Seren took a deep breath. “No, he didn’t get chance to. Eleanor arrived shortly thereafter and… And she killed him.”
“You saw it happen?”
“Yes. Etoile, Evan, Stella and I were all in the room.”
“What happened next?”
“We ran. I went to find Christy and Clara, but I couldn’t. Stella and Evan went towards the kitchen. Then Jared… Jared rushed Eleanor and she killed him. She mocked him too, calling him a ‘fool’.” Seren wrinkled her nose at the word.
“Let’s move further ahead for a few minutes. What happened in the final moments leading up to Eleanor’s death?”
“Eleanor used her magic to assault Stella. Evan was badly hurt when he pushed Stella out of the way and took the blow intended for her. Then Eleanor attacked Kitty, and taunted us, saying we would all die. She was torturing Kitty and Stella tried to stop her.”
“Could you explain what you mean?”
“Stella tried to fight back with her
Again, Seren hesitated.
“Ms. Winterstorm?” Georgia prompted.
“Yes. We could all feel her power.”
Georgia stopped for a long, pregnant pause. Then, just as the assembly got restless, she asked, “You knew from an early stage that Stella had the potential to be a powerful witch, didn’t you? What about a dangerous one?”
“Yea—No! That is, we knew she had powers. I never thought she was…”
Georgia interrupted her immediately. “Were you present the day Eleanor Bartholomew was killed?”
“Yes. I was in the same room.”
“Did you see what happened?”
“Yes.”
“Did Stella Mayweather kill Eleanor Bartholomew?”
“Yes, but…”
“And was Jared Dorling caught in the crossfire?”
“No!” Seren gave a quick shake of her head as she glanced towards his mother. “Jared was killed when he tried to prevent Eleanor from hurting anyone. Stella was nowhere near him at the time.”
“But Stella was responsible for Eleanor being there, that day, in that room, where Jared Dorling was killed?”
“Yes, but…” Seren gaped at us, trapped.
“No further questions.” Georgia wheeled around and strode away before Seren could crawl out of the corner she’d been wedged into. Georgia had performed well. She made it abundantly clear that I was powerful, reckless, and much too close to a daemon, obviously aimed to incite suspicion into the assembly. She also received the direct answer to her most damning question: Did I kill Eleanor?
“Mr. Haller, your witness,” said Lisette.
Steven buttoned his jacket as he stood up and approached the stand. His face had assumed the masked expression that slipped over Seren’s face once again. “Did any member of the household ever express any concerns to you about Stella’s magic? The way she was being taught, perhaps?”
Seren shook her head. “No. We were impressed by her control. She had a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Most of us learn to control our magic and how to use it properly during our childhoods. But Stella learned of her powers quite late in life.
“So, you never felt in danger?”
This time, Seren appeared surprised. “From Stella? Never.”
Steven nodded as if he expected that. “Did any member of the household have concerns about Stella being taught by Evan Hunter?”
“No. He was an excellent teacher, and he was personally sent by Robert Bartholomew. Robert told me it was a special request of a friend.”
“Did you have any concerns about Evan Hunter being in the house, especially given his heritage?”
“None. I’d met him before and always found him… pleasant, I guess. He’s nice. And he really cares about Stella.”
“Let’s fast forward now to the day Eleanor Bartholomew arrived at the house. Tell the court about the day’s events.”
“Robert actually arrived first. He came to warn us.”
“What did he warn you about?”
“That it wasn’t safe for Stella to stay there anymore. He was worried for her.”
“Did he say why?”
“No.” Seren took a deep breath. “No, he didn’t get chance to. Eleanor arrived shortly thereafter and… And she killed him.”
“You saw it happen?”
“Yes. Etoile, Evan, Stella and I were all in the room.”
“What happened next?”
“We ran. I went to find Christy and Clara, but I couldn’t. Stella and Evan went towards the kitchen. Then Jared… Jared rushed Eleanor and she killed him. She mocked him too, calling him a ‘fool’.” Seren wrinkled her nose at the word.
“Let’s move further ahead for a few minutes. What happened in the final moments leading up to Eleanor’s death?”
“Eleanor used her magic to assault Stella. Evan was badly hurt when he pushed Stella out of the way and took the blow intended for her. Then Eleanor attacked Kitty, and taunted us, saying we would all die. She was torturing Kitty and Stella tried to stop her.”
“Could you explain what you mean?”
“Stella tried to fight back with her
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