I close my eyes.
Matthias.
He exchanged himself for Matthias, and Matthias had remained behind.
“You know the law,” Petyr says softly. “For the crimes mentioned and your confessed guilt, I sentence you to death, Merrick Ashveil. The sentence will be carried out immediately.”
“No!”
For the first time, Merrick stumbles. Leo pushes through the crowd, his face tearstained as he races for the steps. “You can’t do that! Merrick—stop them, you have to stop them—”
Someone else darts out from the crowd. Sol grabs Leo, picking him up from the ground as Leo screams. “Get off me.Merrick!”
Tears spill down my cheeks, even as I will Sol to take him away from here.Take him.
I attempt my maegis again, only to hit that wall of nothing once more. I throw myself against it, slam phantom hands against it, but it does not move.
Callan still rages across from me. There are four men on him now, holding him, pinning his head to the floor as he roars wordlessly behind the gag for his brother. But Petyr ignores him.
And Leo keeps screaming, fighting Sol with every part of his body as the male tries to calm him, talking to him in a stream of low words that Leo ignores. “No!”
I see Merrick’s face falter. “Take him, Solomon. Please. Leo, you’re going to stay with Sol, and you will listen to him. And I—I will see you again one day. I promise. You’ll tell the stories now.”
But not here.
Leo crumples. Sol scoops him up, holding him with uncertain hands.
Sol’s face is anguished as he stares at Merrick. And then down, to the sobbing boy in his arms. Leo still fights him, his cries weakening “I don’t want you.”
“You take care of him.” Merrick’s voice threatens to break. “You take care of my family, Solomon. You hear me?”
Leo. Leo will be the only one left.
Leo’s breathing shudders, his screams turning to sobs. Sol cups the back of his head, his eyes closing briefly before he steels himself and nods.
Before he turns, he looks at me, mouthing a single word. I know what he is asking.
I cannot mouth back, not with the metal burning my mouth.
I tilt my head toward the direction of the temple instead, the only thing I can offer, and his shoulders drop with a short nod. His eyes are wet as he turns and pushes his way through the crowd, taking a still-screaming Leo with him.
He does not look back.
I choke on the sobs in my throat, folding over.
My eyes lift almost against my will. Merrick’s eyes shine as they place the rope around his neck. Green, uniformed guards spread out around him as the murmurs of the swelling crowd grow louder. Angrier.
Petyr waves a hand. “Final words.”
Merrick looks between me and Callan. To my surprise, he addresses me first. Callan is still fighting, still screaming around the metal cutting off his words. More guards wade in to hold him down, hands gripping my shoulders as I try to push myself forward.
To do something.Anything.
Help me—help him. You have to help us.
Merrick smiles at me. A knowing, sad smile. The smile of a man facing a fate that he has known for a long time. “When you can, I’d like to be placed with your mother, Selene. With my Lucia. And know—”
His voice cuts off. My heart stops as I stare at him, my eyes widening.
