“No, that’s a lie,” I quickly amended as the crowd stirred. “I killed fairies to keep them from burning down my church and massacring my partner and his family when the coven started taking potshots at me. But I’ve never hurt anyone who wasn’t trying to kill me first.”

The crowd responded with an almost disappointed ferocity. I felt my face pale when I realized that these people, whom I counted as my own, were actually eager for my blood. They reminded me of Trent’s dogs, and my knees became weak.

“I’m sorry, Rachel,” Pierce said, touching my hand. “I’m so sorry.”

“Fairies aren’t real people!” Jenks shrilled, his familiar voice cutting through the noise. “That doesn’t count.”

Oliver leaned forward to pour himself a cup of water, looking too satisfied to live. “But Rachel believes they are people, and she used black magic to kill them,” he said as he touched his amulet. “I say it stands.”

I could see the rest of the night with crystal clarity. Vivian would be on my side, but Oliver would pick holes in everything until there would be nothing left of my defense. I found Trent in the haze, and he shrugged, having known it already. Frightened, I took a breath to refute the statement, though I didn’t know how.

Pierce stood, surprising the crowd into soft whispering. “I was there when Rachel twisted the curse to burn the fairies,” he said. “I was part of it as much as she was. More so. There was no way to survive but for burning them. Rachel took part, but she drew the curse back into herself at great cost before it was fully invoked, turning a deadly curse into a nonlethal one, saving most of the fairies at great hurt to herself.”

“She drew a curse into herself and survived?” someone shouted. “She’s a demon, that’s what she is!”

My eyes widened, and I swear, my heart stopped. I looked to Trent, panicked. I hadn’t told. I hadn’t told anyone!

Everyone in the audience started talking, and Oliver just sat back and enjoyed it, arms crossed in confidence. I was going to be branded a black witch and sentenced to Alcatraz. There was no way around it. Damn it, Al was going to win.

“The issue at hand is not whether killing fairies is lawful!” Trent shouted as he stood, and those around him quieted. “Who here hasn’t accidentally killed one of the winged folk? It’s a tragedy, but should we all be considered murderers for it?”

I exhaled and let go of Pierce’s hand, then winced when he shook it, trying to get the circulation back. I hadn’t even known I’d taken it. Jeez, I probably looked like a scared little girl. And Trent had spoken for me?

Vivian walked to the podium and pulled another amulet from under it. “The coven recognizes Trenton Kalamack.”

I’ll give Trent one thing. He knew how to make an entrance. He was already halfway to the stairs, and Lucy babbled as he took them. The crowd’s noise rose and fell, and I detected a softening. It was hard to think ugly thoughts when you were watching a highly successful businessman with a happy baby in his arms.