"I thought I'd leave that to your lawyers."
My skin was suddenly cold. I felt the blood drain from my face. Veducci looked uncertain, and almost reached out to me. "Are you feeling all right, Princess?"
"I'm frightened for you, for all of you, and for us," I said. "You do not understand Taranis. He has been absolute ruler of the Seelie Court for more than a thousand years. That has led to an arrogance you can't even begin to imagine. He pretends to be the jolly, handsome king for you humans, but he shows quite a different face to those of us in the Unseelie Court. If you accuse him bluntly of this, I do not know what he will do."
"Would he hurt us?" Nelson asked.
"No, but he might use magic on you," I replied. "He is the King of Light and Illusion. I have stood in his presence, just over a minor call, and he has almost bespelled me. I almost fell to his power, and I am a princess of the Unseelie Court. You are human. If he truly wanted to bespell you, he could."
"That would be illegal," Shelby said.
"He is a king with the power of life and death in his hands," I said. "He doesn't think like a modern man, no matter how much he apes it for the press." I felt dizzy, and someone brought me a chair.
Doyle knelt beside me. "Are you unwell, Meredith?" he whispered.
Nelson asked, "Are you all right, Princess Meredith?"
"I'm tired, and scared," I said. "You have no idea what the last few days have been like, and I daren't tell you."
"Does it have anything to do with this case?" Cortez asked.
I looked up at him. "You mean the reason that I'm tired and scared?"
"Yes."
"No, it has nothing to do with these false accusations." I reached for Doyle's hand. "Make them understand that they must tread carefully with Taranis."
Doyle took my hand in his and said, "I will do my best, my princess."