The courtroom was elegant, yet clearly designed with intimidation in mind. The roof above them formed a large dome covered in paintings depicting people being brought to justice, though it was never clearly indicated what they had done. The paintings were beautifully executed, but what they portrayed sent shivers down Katie's spine. The room was enormous, almost too much so for a court room. The jury's bench and the stand stood at the far end of the room, its dark, gleaming mahogany striking against the white marble. It did work perfectly however, with the rows of pews on either side of the room, facing forward. There were several people already seated. Looking more carefully, Katie realised she knew some of them. Only vaguely for the most part, but she recognised some of the other members of her clan. She heard snippets of whispered conversations as she passed by other Starchild witches.

"Don't believe it..." hissed one elderly woman.

Katie couldn't be sure if the outburst was directed at her or the Council. The lady who had spoken wasn't looking at her.

"It's disgraceful, that's what it is." said another, in her fifties, Katie believed. "You know, I heard she'd already been given a formal warning!"

"Dear me, what her poor father must be thinking..."

She bit her lip and kept her head high. She had done nothing but defend herself. She was aware that their secrets were much better off kept from the Unspelled, but what else could she have done? Let the Red Cloak kill her and Luke, and possibly go after their loved ones? She heaved a sigh. Luke, glanced around too, seemed to be thinking the same thing. She supposed it made sense. In the first row, just behind the row Katie and Luke would be seated in, were their parents. Katie felt a wave of love and relief wash over her as she saw them. Hazel made to jump up and run to her, but Gideon caught her shoulders and sat her back down. They all glanced around as Luke and Katie made their way forwards. Once they'd reached their rows, the guards made Katie sit on one side, then Luke on the other, while the guards stood nearby. Katie was so nervous she almost leaped out of her skin when her mother's hand touched her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked anxiously.

Terrified, manipulated and wronged came to mind, but Katie couldn't tell her mother that.

"I... I'm okay." she said.

Hazel looked scared.

"Hey, Hazel, I'm going to be fine, okay? Don't you worry."

Hazel nodded, a little relieved, but her eyes still had that hint of worry in them.

Peering over at Luke's side, she noticed his family was almost all there. His father was looking sternly ahead. She wondered if it was because he was still cross with Luke or because of her own father being there. Probably both, she decided, shifting her hands a little so the shackles didn't dig into her wrists quite as much behind her back. She tried to ignore her discomfort as she sat back. There was more whispering behind them, quickly quelled by a scalding look from Helaena. Katie gave her a grateful half smile. Gideon then reached out for Katie's hand and squeezed it tight.

"You okay, sis?" he asked.

Katie sighed. She wanted to be able to hug him, and for him to hug her back, but she had to make do with holding his hand for now.

"Better with you guys here," she said.

Just then, a loud banging sound announced the arrival of the Head of the Council, or Councillor, Henry Lawson. He was the one who made the decisions in cases like this, even if he had two other Council members with him to discuss what to do. Unlike in Unspelled law, the Council didn't offer to give a pro bono lawyer, but a parent or other clan member could step up to assist. Usually, this was the clan leader, who was the most knowledgeable on the various Council rules. Of course, this could end up hurting their chances, because they were the leaders' children. When that was the case, Katie wasn't sure what the rules were.

"Who'll be representing me?"

Gideon scowled.

"Luke's father. And Dad's representing his son."

Katie's eyes widened.

"What?! But Luke's dad hates us..." she said, glancing over to Luke.

He was looking in her direction too, his expression one of concern.

"Well, the Council have never seen this situation before... so they decided the best thing to do to be fair was to switch leaders."

"Why couldn't they just use the leader of another clan?"

"From what I understood," Helaena said, "none of them wanted to get involved in this..."

Katie sighed. That was hardly a surprise, she supposed. Presently, dressed in a rich red and gold cloak, the Council entered.

Katie did her best not to show just how intimidating her position was. The whispers had stopped immediately when the Council had made its appearance. They sat down in their seats. Kendall kissed Helaena, squeezed Katie's shoulder and went off to the other side to sit by Luke. Loran got to his feet without even looking at Luke, marched past Kendall wordlessly and sat coldly next to Katie. She tried to peer surreptitiously at Luke, but he was talking to her father. So,

Katie took a moment to look at Loran. He was tall and slender, his hair once black turning grey, his eyes a greying blue, highlighted by the dark colour of his suit. She wondered if she should try and speak to him. Before she could open her mouth, however, the gavel sounded.

"Order," called the Councillor when the murmur of conversation started again. "Order, please."

Silence fell once more. The Councillor looked down at his notes. He was smaller and wider, his thin grey hair forming a ring around his bald head. To his right was a bored looking middle-aged man whose hair was still dark brown, and a stern looking woman in her forties sat to the left.

"Wednesday January twenty first 2015, order of business, the double case of Endangerment of the Secrecy. Presiding, Henry Vincent Lawson, Chandler Bailey Sanderson and Emily Sophie Nurengard. First defendant, Lucan David Devon of Silverwolf. Legal representative, Kendall Lloyd Thomas of Starchild. Second defendant, Katiora Melinda Thomas of Satrchild. Legal representative, Loran Benjamin Devon of Silvervolf. Are both defendants ready?"

Katie thought she knew the name Lawson, but couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"We are, Your Powerfulness," Luke's father said beside Katie.

"Mr Thomas?" the Councillor asked.

"Yes, sir," Kendall replied.

The Councillor nodded.

"Very well. We shall begin with Mr Devon. The defendant will rise."

Luke stood up.

"Do you swear in the name of your clan to be truthful and sincere?"

"I swear."

"Please take the stand."

Luke crossed over to the stand, which was simply a seat in front of the Council. He sat down in silence and waited. Katie watched him. Councillor Lawson flicked through his notes for a moment, then turned to Luke.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked.

"Yes," he said. "I used magic in an Unspelled area."

"And were you aware that doing such a thing is illegal?"

"I was." Luke answered.

If he was nervous, he was very good at not showing it, Katie noted. She peeked at Loran, who was watching his son with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Then, explain what drove you to acting in that manner."

Katie noticed Luke's eyes went fleetingly to her, then said:

"We were being attacked."

"We?" The bored Council member Sanderson asked.

"Myself and Katie-I mean, Katiora Thomas." Luke replied.

"So you know each other?" Mrs Nurengard demanded.

"We do," Luke confirmed. "We met in our school a few months ago."

"And you were together during the incident?"

"Yes. We were attacked by a person wearing a red cloak, and whom we think is involved in the murders that occurred a few weeks ago."

"You're referring to the murders of Victor Dawson and Georgia Walsh?" The Councillor asked.

"Yes." Luke nodded. "We found circles that suggest the use of magic in an old amusement park in Lancashire. The one where you located the draining spells."

"You believed you were more capable of investigating than the Council?" Mrs Nurengard inquired.

"No," Luke replied. "But we couldn't stand around doing nothing after two of our own had died."

"Your Powerfulness," Kendall intervened. "This boy is only young, and while he was fully aware of the law, I'm sure he would never have broken it unless forced to."

"The Council understands that," the Councillor replied. "However, age cannot be taken into account, given the severity of the crime."

"What crime?!" Luke exclaimed.

Kendall put a hand on his shoulder to silence him. It took all Katie's willpower not to express her outrage as well.

"No further questions." The female Council member announced. "Second defendant, please rise."

Katie did, her legs shaking slightly. She also swore on her clan's name to be honest, and sat before the Council.

"Reports tell us that you were the first to use magic during the incident, is that correct?" The Councillor asked.

"It is... our attacker was about to use valerian powder," Katie explained. "Which would have incapacitated us. I just blew it away. Then Luke burned what they had left."

There was a pause.

"How long have you known Mr Devon, Miss Thomas?"

"A few months," Katie answered. "We met shortly after Halloween."

"And how would you define your relationship?" The Councillor asked.

Katie hesitated.

"Uh... we were friends, first. Then...recently... we became closer."

She wanted to look at Luke, but didn't think it wise.

"Would you say you were romantically involved?"

She felt Mr Devon tense beside her, but she did her best to ignore it.

"I would," she said, "but I don't see how that's related to our being attacked."

"So, you are in fact a couple?" The Councillor insisted.

Katie wasn't sure what his angle was here. Why was he focusing on her and Luke's relationship?

"... I suppose we are, yes..." she agreed carefully.

"Then perhaps you weren't attacked at all. Perhaps you were fighting and it got out of hand."

Katie's eyes went wide.

"What? No! That's not what happened at all!"

"Your Powerfulness, while I never approved of this relationship, I must express my scepticism," Luke's father said. "The Council was able to find Lucan and Katiora after they used their magic. If there had indeed been three people, then they would have also found them, or at least sensed them."

Katie couldn't be certain, but she thought she saw the Councillor tense. She figured he probably didn't like being argued with, however reasonable it was.

"The reports clearly state only two magical energies were sensed," Mrs Nurengard announced crisply. "So, Miss Thomas. Were you or were you not arguing with Mr Devon?"

"No!" Katie replied a little too loudly. "We were doing just fine! The Red Cloak probably managed to cover their tracks..."

Councillor Lawson snorted.

"A warlock or witch powerful enough to conceal their magic from the Council? Impossible. And the evidence brought in may prove the existence of a person in a red cloak, but it doesn't prove they attacked you the night of January 19th."

"Your Powerfulness, if they drained two skilled warlocks, perhaps..." Katie's father began.

"You are speaking out of turn, Mr Thomas," Councillor Lawson interrupted shortly. "The Council will withdraw to debate. We will resume the hearing in one hour."

Katie and Luke were kept in confinement at the back of the room until the Council returned. They were sitting next to each other, but thought it best to keep their conversations private.

I can't believe they think we were arguing... Katie said irritably.

Luke made to try and take her hand, but thought better of it because of the guards.

It's probably easier for them. That way they don't have to look into the Red Cloak, he sighed.

They fell silent after that. The minutes dragged by until finally, the Council returned. Katie and Luke were led back to the front of the room. Councillor Lawson stood up.

"Defendants, please rise."

They did, Katie's heart beating so hard and fast she thought it was going to drill its way right through her chest.

"Lucan Devon of Silverwolf. Given your lack of precedent and excellent scholastic records, the Council is willing to drop the charges of Endangering the Secrecy in favour of a warning."

Katie closed her eyes and exhaled with relief. She thought she sensed Loran relax slightly too.

"You are free to go," he said. "Release him. However, it is an official warning. Recidive will not be tolerated."

"Yes, sir," Luke said.

The guard standing near Luke unbound him. He immediately turned round and hugged his mother and sisters. Katie smiled slightly, then turned to the Councillor.

"Katiora Thomas of Starchild," he said, and Katie felt a shiver down her spine. "You were given an official warning when the first incident occurred in November. You were informed that should it happen again, there would be no other alternative."

Katie bit her lip. She'd half expected it, but the next words sent ice through her.

"You are hereby sentenced to Dispelling."