Page 133 of Arrows and Gems
General Valentin leaned closer as he prodded Rafe toward the shaky, wooden steps. “Remember, Helena stays safe as long as you keep your word. Cause a scene, and she dies. Please don’t put that on my conscience or yours.”
Rafe fisted his hands behind his back. He knew the deal. If he’d had any other option, he wouldn’t have agreed to it.
But if he couldn’t marry the woman he loved, at least he could protect her. One last time.
“If you’re convincing enough, I may even throw in the members of your outlaw band. Some of them, at least; a few will need to join you for appearances.”
As Rafe climbed the gallows steps, the rope biting into his wrists, a corner of his mind argued fiercely against his decision. Was this the last in a long line of poor choices? Even though fighting would have put Marielle in danger?
But no – he knew better than to think he could beat the wind gryphon by himself. He was a dead man either way, but if he’d resisted, the General would have tracked Helena down next. This way, she lived.
Also, if enough of his people saw through the coming scene, his officially sanctioned murder might finally drive them to stand up to General Valentin.
The faintest hint of dawn lit the eastern sky as Rafe ascended the rickety stairs. A large crowd had gathered for the executionof Le Capuchon’s men, but he ignored their gasps when they saw his hood. They recognized the General’s silent proclamation that this was the notorious outlaw himself.
But the General also wanted the people to know their prince was indeed Le Capuchon. While the visible side of his face still sported his scruffy beard and long hair, a drop of blood from the hasty shave trickled down his other cheek.
When they reached the top, General Valentin pulled Rafe to a stop and raised a hand for silence. The crowd noises dimmed.
“You all know of the bandit that has plagued our forests for the last year,” General Valentin called out in a solemn voice. “Some of you have questioned my ability to lead because he evaded me for so long, just as you have criticized me for accusing Crown Prince Raphael of King Antoine’s murder.”
Rafe kept his head down as he listened to the speech. If he hadn’t known better, he would have believed General Valentin meant every word, just as he once had. No doubt the crowd was just as enamored of his apparent sincerity.
“As promised, I have brought an end to Le Capuchon’s reign,” General Valentin continued, his voice growing weary. “And with it, the proof that I was not mistaken about what I saw that terrible afternoon.”
Rafe’s hair lifted as his hood was suddenly jerked from his head. The sounds of shock earlier were nothing compared to the onlookers’ recognition of his face.
Raising his eyes, he scanned the crowd, hoping not to find the people he cared about. They didn’t need to see this.
“Your beloved prince is the one who has been harming innocent travelers and making the roads unsafe! He has robbed and murdered many innocents, and the first was his own father.”
“Shouldn’t he be tried?” someone yelled. “You cannothang anyone, let alone the crown prince, without a trial!”
“Then let him be tried before all of you,” General Valentin replied, unbothered. “It shouldn’t take long; he has already made a full confession.”
“Let him declare it to us then!” someone else cried. “I don’t believe your word, General.”
Lifting an eyebrow, the General turned to Rafe. “Well? Will you change your story in front of these witnesses?”
His face was perfectly in line with an honest leader, but Rafe heard the challenge – and the warning.
Taking a deep breath, he ensured his face portrayed its usual calm. “It is as he says,” he lied. “I killed my father, then fled to the woods to hide.”
“He’s protecting someone!” a deep voice boomed out.
Rafe searched for the source and found a clump of onlookers with their hoods pulled low over their faces. One was barely noticeable due to his short stature.
“Prince Raphael was hunting in the woods that afternoon,” the voice continued. “I took him the news of King Antoine’s death myself.”
A continuous low rumble had filled the courtyard since Rafe’s confession, but it bubbled louder with his friend’s declaration. General Valentin shot Rafe a quick look.
“That is what I led you to believe,” he yelled over the crowd. Repeating the story he’d fed Marielle a few short hours before, he added, “After completing the deed, I slipped out the secret passage in my father’s study and followed the tunnel to the woods. I arrived only moments before Jean-haut found me.”
General Valentin grabbed his arm again and shoved him toward the closest noose. “You have heard it from his own lips. As there is no more to discuss, I must now execute the judgment that he has avoided for the last year.”
“Why don’t you tell us your story again, General Valentin?”a female voice called out. Rafe closed his eyes; it sounded frustratingly similar to Marielle’s. “Why did you suspect Prince Raphael in the first place?”
General Valentin looked mildly wary, but he replied, “I heard the king cry out as I neared his study for a meeting. A few moments later, Prince Raphael came dashing out. He ignored me when I called to him. By the time I reached the study and discovered King Antoine, the prince had disappeared.”
