[C] Not a Trial, pt 4
She continued: "In addition, while a member of the Forsworn I have not killed Dragons, impeded their workings, attempted to redirect any to follow my path, or otherwise taken any action to hinder their efforts or personal decisions. Additionally I have not betrayed any secrets that were not already known." She had betrayed the letter of the Dragon law, but no one had ever bothered to consider whether or not she had harmed the Ordo Dracul.
From the darkness of the seats above, Sutter's voice rang out. "I suppose instructing a member of the Onyx to activate a cell of the Spiders to attack other dragons on a petty personal matter doesn't count as hindering any dragons' efforts?"
Oh. Even more interesting. Before she could respond he immediately followed up with, "I apologize Immortal Hammond. I have kept silent as she has paraded back and forth with an arrogance and level of hubris I thought unique to the weakest wretches of my own blood. But disowning her part in events that could have destroyed this Academy is too much not to rail against."
C looked up toward Sebastian, unwilling to wait and allow the Immortal to rein in the audience. "It would. But I maintain that I have not done so."
She repeated herself for benefit of the fact-checker: "I have never asked, ordered, suggested, or otherwise driven an attack by the Spiders at all. In fact, I believe the only time I have at all bothered to be so firm as to instruct any Dragon in your Academy, sir, was when one of yours was happily suggesting that if the Prince called his citizens go to war against the Brood, then he would follow. I believe I reminded him that a Dragon has no greater priority than his Work. You may recall."
So many unschooled, idiot Dragons. She felt the animal whispering.
"If someone suggests I'm harassing you with Spiders or with any other matter, then someone is spreading misinformation, intentionally or otherwise." She turned away, then back. Too much to suppose they might connect the dots on their own.
"If it is not the Immortal who is somehow calling the Spiders, and I believe Jeremiah was down for a nap at least for a bit ... ?" She made a point of looking into the dark again, aware that none in her lineage were there, but her eyes didn't settle on her cousin.
With no explanation from an Onyx possible, she added, "Then I posit someone else is stirring the pot. Again -- hard though it may be to believe ... it was not me. AND. It was not the Forsworn."
To her delight, Sutter could not keep his mouth shut: "Interesting. When last I spoke with Jeremiah, he told me that you had advised him to do so, that you gave him the contact information. Someone appears to be lying, but the truth always comes out. Again, my apologies Immortal Hammond."
Now, more made sense. One. More. Point. "Ah yes. The Onyx who married," she smiled a bit, and it was work to not add more. But all she could do was seed doubt in someone's mind; no one was here to hear the truth that one of their own might have done it. Not from her. Clamping her teeth together, she turned back to Hammond.