“Maeral Orilana,” the guard shouted. “Stand for your sentencing.”
The enchanted chains that bound my wrists tightened and rose into the air, hauling me to my feet.
“Closer,” the judge said in a bored voice. He crooked a finger in my direction and the chains obeyed. The toes of my boots dragged over the flagstones and I glared up at the man the Golden Court had tasked with determining my fate.
I deserved this. All of it.
At least, that was what I’d told myself. And them.
“You stand accused of the attempted murder of Adamar Fennen, prince of the Shining Throne and heir to this realm. You have confessed to your crime, and have been sentenced to death.”
The small crowd that had gathered to watch my sentencing shouted and hissed at me. Cheered the sentence. They believed that I deserved to die for my crimes. They all did.
If I could have lowered my head, I would have, but the enchanted chains held me fast. My shoulders ached, and the iron burned against my skin. I blinked away the tears that pricked at my lashes; they would do me no good here.
The chains around my wrists tightened and I gasped at the sudden pain.
“Though there is nothing that may be said that will change the decision of this court, do you have any final words before your sentence is carried out?”
Carried out?
Here?
Now?
Was my life going to end on the mossy stones of the Citadel courtyard?
I swallowed thickly but there was no use in saying anything.
Adamar. How could you let them take me?
I looked up at the crumbling stone walls that rose above us, hoping for a sign. Hoping that there would be something…
The judge pointed to the stones at his feet and the chains dragged me down. My knees hit the flagstones hard and I bit my lip to keep from crying out.
I could see the blue glow of the executioner’s sword on the rain-wet stones. Heard the sound of his approaching footsteps and the way each link of his chainmail clicked as he strode forward. I knew him… I had seen him in the stone corridor only a few days ago, and now he would take my life and hold my head aloft for the applause of the fae who had come to see justice done on a traitor.
Traitor.
“Maeral Orilana, you have brought shame upon your household. Shame upon the guild of which you were a member. You have abused your position in the royal household, and you will die for your crimes against the Summer Crown.”
I squeezed my eyes shut so I wouldn’t have to watch that blue glow. That couldn’t be the last thing I saw. I tried to lift my head, but the chains dragged me down.
Every sound was loud in my ears, and I heard the executioner’s grunt as he lifted his sword high into the air. My tears stung as they flowed down my cheeks. Bitter tears for my sister. For my family who would be shamed forever—stained by my blood. For Adamar…
An owl’s piercing shriek cut through through the night air and I sucked in a breath of surprise. A murmur rippled through the crowd. I knew that cry as well as any citizen of the realm, the Owls of Fennen answered to one family—the only family that mattered in this kingdom.
“Wait!” someone shouted. “The bird—”
I dared to open my eyes and almost sobbed to see that the blue glow of the executioner’s sword was not reflected in the black stones in front of me.
A hushed silence fell over the small crowd and I dared to hope that something had happened—
“Take her,” the guard barked.
The enchanted chains jerked me upright and wound around my torso and legs, binding me tightly. I squirmed, but the chains tightened and squeezed the breath from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air as I was lifted off the ground.
The owl I had heard was perched upon the keystone of the archway that led into the Citadel. It glared down at me with its deep black eyes and I looked away quickly. The judge held a piece of paper in his long fingers and stared at me with an equally baleful gaze.
“The will of the Summer Throne shall be done,” he said solemnly.
Pale blue flames engulfed his hand and I watched with wide eyes as the paper he held curled and blackened and then fell to ash upon the stones.
“What—” I choked out, but my words were drowned out by the hissing and jeering of the crowd. The judge snapped his fingers and my jaw froze. There would be no opportunity to ask what was happening to me now. All I knew was that I should be grateful. Whatever had happened. Whoever had sent the message… They had saved my life. I didn’t know what such a thing was worth, but at least my last memories wouldn’t be of a crowd of fae applauding my death and the sound of my own people calling for my undeserving, traitorous blood echoing in my ears.
“Take her to the Garden,” the judge said.
He closed his fist and the pale blue flames crackled and died. He brushed his fingers against the fabric of his richly embroidered robe and turned to walk through the archway and into the Citadel.
The crowd shuffled after him and the golden owl that had brought the message spread its great wings and I heard its talons scrape against the stone as the raptor launched itself from its perch and flew away into the night sky.
The Garden.
A panic deeper than the one that had throbbed in my chest for the last three days took hold of me and I struggled weakly against the chains that held me. It would do me no good… but I had to try to get away.
One of the guards who had dragged me here to face my judgement placed the butt of his spear against my back and pushed.
