Eliza had locked herself in her room, unable to bear the moment of judgment. Aria stood with Henry outside the throne room, waiting to be announced, and though Henry wore a brave face, he fidgeted.
“What do you think the punishment will be?”
“He may remove your knighthood.” Aria’s throat burned to even speak it, and Henry paled.
The doors swung open, silent and indifferent to what was about to transpire, as stoic as the king who commanded them.
Aria refused to take her place on the dais, staying with Henry. The king seemed to take that as a good sign, smiling as he asked for Henry’s report.
Henry stood straight, hands clasped behind his back, fingers trembling. “Your Majesty,” he said in a firm voice that betrayed nothing of the weakness, “I regret to report I was unable to pass the challenge. The Artifact is undamaged.”
Slowly, the king nodded. Then he sighed. “I regret to hear it.”
“Father—” Aria took a step forward.
His sharp look silenced her.
“Law is the strength of a kingdom.” His Majesty stood, his golden crown catching stained-glass light in a bloodred flash. “Therefore, in accordance with our proclamation, Henry Wycliff bears the punishment of failure. Lord Henry, as of this moment, you are banished from Loegrian soil.”
“Father, no!” Aria shouted.
Henry’s face drained of color, his hands falling limp at his sides.
“This brings me no joy, Aria.” Her father’s stern eyes carried warning. He gestured to the waiting guards, who stepped forward.
“Then what is the purpose of doing it? Stop! You won’t take him.” Aria threw herself between the guards and Henry, one hand outstretched to hold them back. “Father, this is madness!”
“Stand aside, Aria.”
“I won’t! In what world do you reward a tournament champion, a knight of court and son of yourfriend, withbanishment?”
But as she said it, she remembered what he’d done to the son of another friend. Everything inside her chilled as she felt the remembered wind of Northglen.
“A world in which he has failed his kingdom,” her father said, each word clipped, “and therefore no longer holds a place in it. The challenge was clear from the start.”
A challenge Henry had beenforcedto participate in. Her father may as well have escorted Henry onto gallows and called it reasonable to hang.
While she mouthed wordlessly, two guards pulled her away while another pair escorted Henry from the room. She saw the unshed terror in his eyes, but he said nothing. He walked with his head up, like a champion.
Aria wrenched free of the guards. They allowed it, no doubt afraid to injure their princess. Their powerless princess.
“You are dismissed,” her father said, returning to his throne.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Do not think you are above the need to obey me, Aria. A king’s authority—”
“Is absolute. And his judgment is flawless. And he’s perfect in every measure, every single measure, never amark.”
“No doubt this curse weighs heavily on your emotions. Take another day of rest. I’ll inform your tutors. In the meantime, Lord Kendall will be summoned, having expressed his interest at the tournament should Lord Henry fail. He wishes a chance to regain—”
“Listen to me!” Months of sleepless nights and a mountain of worry combined within Aria, sparks building to lightning. “Please, Father.Please. I don’t want this. The Artifact is a trick. Everything has been a trick. You can’t punish Henry for the impossible. Please.”
“Then perhaps you’ll provide a truth I can trust. Simply tell me what happened when you, against my expresswarnings, visited Morton.” He barely waited. “No? I thought not. I’ll remind you that you do not govern this kingdom, Aria. Not yet.”
“Not ever, you mean. That’s what youreallywant. This whole challenge is your excuse to dig through the toy box of nobility, tossing men aside like wooden soldiers—”
“Aria,” her father said sharply.
