Chapter 795: Celeste's Trial

I'd sat here before, on a bench in the Council chamber, watching a trial unfold before me, Shenka at my side. But this one was far different. I had no regrets, no old grief-at least not for the creature about to stand before my mother.

Any sorrow I felt around Celeste Oberman centered on the Hayle family members she'd killed. Martin and Louisa Vega, the darling couple who loved and cared about me when there were times no one else in the coven seemed to. Sandra Crossman, leaving her husband, James, alone to raise their daughter.

Old wounds long since healed over, but never, ever forgotten.

Worse, Gabriel wasn't with me. Antsy pants wriggled my butt in my velvet skirt as I fidgeted and held him tight with my magic while he laughed at something and ignored me.

My own son, a traitor.

Sigh.

Shenka squeezed my hand, smiled a little. "He's fine," she said.

"I know," I whispered back. Not needing to. We weren't the only ones chattering. The gathering for Mia's burning-it seemed so long