By the Magic of Starlight (The Forbidden Realm) Read Free Page B

distracting. If he thought Swift would let them get away, he’d swoop Raea into his arms and fly off with her, let her express her concern in more tangible ways.
    But that was the sort of forbidden thinking that would only get him into more trouble. He’d better get those thoughts out of his head right now and concentrate on facing the council. Giving Raea one last look—and a smile to let her know things would all work out somehow—he let Swift and the way-too-young-looking advocate lead him back toward civilization. The magical kind.
    *     *     *
    Raea watched them go. Why had Swift not taken her? Surely she was every bit as guilty of forbidden behavior as Kyne. What was really going on? Did Swift honestly think he had any shred of proof to support that ludicrous charge of Co-Mingling? There was no one in all of Fairyrealm less likely to commit that crime.
    Oh, not that Kyne wouldn’t have the ability. If he ever decided to try to pass himself off as human, it would require only a minimum of magic for him to do so. She knew better than most just how hard Kyne worked to hide his half-human attributes. He’d inherited far more of his father’s traits than he wanted anyone to know about. If any fairy on the planet could succeed at Co-Mingling, it would be Kyne. Raea knew this for a fact.
    She also knew that it was precisely because of his parentage that he had no love for humans. If he had a choice, she suspected he would avoid any contact with them whatsoever. Co-Mingling? No, she couldn’t believe it. Clearly, however, Swift did and he was in a position of authority. His word before the council carried enough weight to thoroughly condemn Kyne. With all the gossip about his heritage—not to mention the actual instances of forbidden behavior—Kyne was not likely to get a fair hearing. Even if he was not convicted of actual Co-Mingling, the council would, no doubt, find more than enough other infractions to punish him severely. He could be stripped of his position, denied magical privilege, and transferred far, far away from here.
    By the Skies, she had to go help him. But how? Would anyone believe her if she claimed she could provide an alibi for him? And what if they did believe her? Surely that would get her in serious trouble.
    Of course, that would certainly distract from these Co-Mingling charges. Would it be better for them both to be accused of the lesser crime that they
had
committed than for Kyne to be wrongfully accused and possibly convicted of what he
hadn’t
done?
    The punishment for what they’d done would be unpleasant, but not nearly so bad as the sentence for Co-Mingling. She might lose her good standing in the community, might be held up to public censure, but that would not come close to Kyne’s fate if convicted of Co-Mingling. For that, he’d be sent away, forced to leave the Forbidden Realm and to live unprotected by the Veil. He’d be left to make his own way in the mundane world, at human mercy the rest of his life. And fairies lived a long time.
    But if she confessed her involvement with him, then she’d be living with that shame all her life, too. Could she really just present herself to the Council and admit what she’d done? Her wings were shaking already at the very thought of it. By the Skies, how could she show her face at their gatherings? What would everyone say about her?
    She’d be such a disappointment to her kind. It was too much—she doubted she could really go through with it. Maybe Kyne could get out of the Co-Mingling charges on his own and she would not have to say a word.
    It didn’t seem very likely, though. Swift seemed so sure of himself. And, of course, she had to acknowledge that during the course of the inevitable investigation there was a very real chance that the council would uncover all that they’d done. What would she do then? Well, as long as there was no proof, she could deny everything, couldn’t she?
    Yes, she knew she could. The