Page 37 of The Court of Secrets
“He professes his innocence, and we do not condemn people without proof.”
I rolled my eyes. “They always do say they’re innocent. Yet you condemn her.”
He shook his head. “She attempted to cut off his… manhood.”
“I am aware,” I snapped, and one of the noble’s wive’s jaw dropped. “However, she didn’t actually complete the task.” I gritted my teeth. “We are imprisoning the wrong person. The only reason she is being charged is because she admitted to her wrongdoing, unlike him.”
“The verdict is final.”
“I will continue to intervene. I will not drop this.”
Silence hung between us for a few moments, until my mother stepped in. “While your sentence was light for the woman, maybe on this one occasion, you can look into the evidence a little further. It wouldn’t do any harm, and if Her Majesty is wrong, then I’m sure she will gracefully accept the woman’s sentence.”
Vahaga gave her a look that begged it wasn’t likely for me to do such a thing. He was right. “We can open the trial again.” He turned his head to look at my mother. “I doubt we will find anything else.”
“I want everything reported to me first,” I said through gritted teeth. “The man accused of rape will be held in the dungeons until the trial. A court trial should not be held for such terrible crimes,” I explained.
“I agree,” Vahaga said, to my surprise. “Attemptedmutilationrequires a public trial.”
“I meant the rape.” I flexed my fingers.
“That too,” he said unconvincingly.
I rubbed my forehead. We stood feet apart, neither of us looking away. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Enjoy your former husband-to-be’s visit to the castle.” His mouth pinched. “I’ve heard the king of Niferum can be ruthless and unforgiving.”
My eyes glinted. “Not to me,” I said, and he walked away, leaving me among the nobles and guards. I marched into the hallway, then to the large arches looking out into the frozen courtyard. Footsteps echoed mine. A hand gripped my wrist. A guard stepped in, but I nodded for him to stop. “Mother.” I let out a weighted sigh. “If you expect me to thank you for what you said—”
“There are private rooms for such matters to be discussed.” Her grip tightened. She spoke in a low, aggressive whisper. “You made a spectacle out of our high priest. Out of yourself. Where is your dignity?”
I scoffed. “I might ask you the same question. You stand by and allow men to not even hold a trial because the husband said he didn’t do it. It’s disgusting.”
“If you had been there, Winter.” She raised her thin eyebrows. “Then you would have been able to do something about it.”
“You’re right. I will be there for now on, until I make changes.”
“More changes. When will you grow up?”
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I saw André.” I didn’t know why I was sharing such valuable information, but the look on her face was worth it. “At the river in the sacred part of the forest.”
Her expression dropped. Her bloodshot eyes glossed, and the sides of her lips softened. “How was he?” Desperation laced her tone.
“He seemed okay at first, but then he was dragged from me. Quite violently.” The memory sent a shudder through me. “He told me to be weary of Vahaga.” I was either incredibly smart or utterly stupid for telling her. “He’s dangerous, Mother. I know you loved your son. He loved you too.” I had no idea why. “What I am telling you is the truth, and if you have any love left in that icy heart of yours, you will not side with him again.”
“André wouldn’t say that.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. He did. I’m not lying.”
Her jaw clenched. “If I told Vahaga what you said…”
“Go ahead,” I said in warning. “Even those on the other side can be punished. You know this.” I referred to the ancestors who shattered souls out of existence, those who had committed treason, sacrilege before their death. When they died, the oldest ancestors wouldn’t allow them to join them. “Or so Vahaga has told us. Gamble your son’s soul and daughter’s reign for a man who wouldn’t shed a tear over any of us.”
She opened her mouth to speak but closed it without a word passing her lips. She left without so much as looking at me. My stomach swirled.
***
Morgana. I sighed with relief when I saw her long, knotted curls dance on her back as she walked holding an array of items. She was halfway up the spiral stone steps when she sensed me. She whipped her head back, almost dropping a bottle of blue liquid as she did. “Winter. You’re alone.”
“I have ordered the royal guard to welcome Blaise to the castle. He will be arriving shortly.”
