Free The Mage's Limits: Mages of Martir Book #2 by Timothy L. Cerepaka Page A

mention of that omnicidal being's name. Durima took that as a yes.
    “The Ghostly God was manipulated by Uron as part of Uron's plan to destroy the gods,” said Durima. She looked around the chamber, “which as far as I can tell has not gone anywhere, considering how I have not felt the deaths of any other gods since Uron murdered the Avian Goddess a year ago.”
    “Uron is irrelevant to this trial,” said Valumor, although he glanced at the ceiling as if he thought Uron might be hanging there, listening to their every word. “You have no proof that Uron even manipulated the Ghostly God, so how can we accept your claim?”
    “The proof is in the fact that Uron has the God-killer,” said Durima. “And yes, Uron actually is relevant to this 'trial,' if you want to call it that. We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for his manipulations. Have the gods found him yet?”
    “That is none of your business,” said Valumor, giving her a firm look. “Now are you quite finished feeding the Council crazy, unfounded stories about Uron manipulating the Ghostly God or are you done?”
    “I'm not done yet at all,” said Durima, shaking her head. “Why isn't the Ghostly God here? Call him. He can back up everything I just said.”
    “C-Call a god?” said Valumor with a gulp. “Durima, I hope you understand that not even the Council has the right to summon any god or goddess unless it is an emergency of the highest order. Besides, Lord Grinf told us that we didn't need to summon the Ghostly God anyway.”
    “Why would Grinf tell you that?” said Durima. “Surely he must know about what is actually going on here, shouldn't he? By allowing you to execute us, a great injustice is being wrought in the House of Grinf, as this place is sometimes called.”
    “There is no injustice being wrought here,” said Valumor, speaking quickly. “Lord Grinf's orders were as clear as day: Execute the criminals who dared to kill one of his sisters. It is the only just punishment for scum like you.”
    Durima shook her head. That didn't make any sense. Every god or goddess in Martir had to know by now the truth about what happened on that night at Bleak Rock a year ago. Grinf had had plenty of time to find out the truth. It made little sense for him to order their deaths when they didn't actually murder the Spider Goddess.
    Then Durima felt someone tugging at her arm hairs. She looked to her left and saw Gujak looking at her. His eyes were full of despair, as if he was resigned to their inevitable execution.
    “What?” said Durima. “Can't you see I'm busy?”
    “Durima, I just wanted to say that it's no use,” said Gujak, his voice flat and hollow. “The Council's not gonna listen to us. They're just going to kill us. We might as well go with whatever they're going to do to us.”
    “Defeatist nonsense,” Durima snapped. “I don't have time for any of it. Don't you see all of the holes in their logic that I do?”
    Gujak hung his head again and sighed. “I don't know. I just don't think it matters.”
    Loser, Durima thought, shaking her head as she returned her attention to the Council and said aloud, “I know this is true. We are innocent. There is no reason why Grinf would tolerate, much less order, a trial unjust as this in his House. Where is Grinf right now?
    “Lord Grinf is with Lord Skimif, of course,” said Valumor. “They are tracking down Uron, as all of the gods have been doing for the past year.”
    “If you knew we were guilty right from the start, then why did you wait so long to arrest us?” said Durima. She gestured with her head toward the Chamber's exit. “And this is probably actually irrelevant to the discussion, but where did all of those battleships anchored off World's End shore come from? Are you expecting another Katabans War?”
    Valumor looked flustered by Durima's questions, although Kaxu leaned forward and said shortly, “That is none of your business. Now that you've been given a chance to