WITH THE RISING sun came the clanking of armor.
They’d tried to stay awake as long as they could.
But they couldn’t stop sunlight from coming.
“No—no,wait!”
The realization of the day hit her chest. She was ripped from his arms by a Belwark. Her heart cried out for him as she reached for the bars. “Draven!”
Draven grappled desperately for her hands through the bars— “Aydra, no,wait!”
Their fingertips barely touched before the pommel of the guard’s sword struck his face, and he fell onto the dirt with a thud.
“Draven!”
Arms wrapped around her own, and she kicked and screamed, but it was of no use.
Her fingertips burned with the last of his touch on her skin.
Her fight ceased as they dragged her through the castle, her own body heavy between the two Belwarks who carried her. Her dragging feet creased the black runner down the halls. The sun flickered through the windows, and she knew it wasn’t clouds hoarding over it. It was the shadows of the crows following them.
She was thrown onto the floor between Arbina’s pool and her brother’s throne. The Council was lined up around the chairs, each standing with their hands in front of them. She didn’t have to look up to know who’s black boots were slowly coming toward her.
She glared up at her brother through the strangles of her hair. And when he bent down in front of her, she spat the blood in her mouth onto his face.
“Coward,” she breathed.
His jaw tensed, and she watched as he wiped his face with the sleeve of her dress.
“I always knew you’d betray the crown,” he said in a hushed voice.
“By falling in love with someone that wasn’t you?” she dared. “Forgive me for wanting actual love, brother dear.”
Rhaif’s nostrils flared. He stood and snapped his fingers above her. “Take her to the square.”
The ropes scratched her wrists.
She could already hear the murmurs of the people gathering around the square where she was taken. She wondered what lie the crown had told her to have them gathering stones in their hands.
It was on this same square that she had executed the Infi. This same square that she had protected the people who would now bring her to the brink of death by stone’s throw. This square that she had sworn to her raven that they would have their day.
This would be the day the Chronicles would soon call a reckoning for the people, a mercy done forth by the King himself, to protect their land from the abomination of the child growing in her womb.
Lies.
Her heart shattered upon seeing Draven being dragged up the steps to the platform across from her. He stared at her through his strangles of hair.
The Venari King shoved to his knees.
But it was only when she saw the shears being handed to Bard that her heart truly screamed.
“No—no, wait!DON’T—”
Bard pulled Draven’s hair to a knot on the top of his head, and he cut it crudely.
Aydra’s knees gave out beneath her as she watched his hair fall to the wood. Draven avoided her eyes, tears streaking his face.
The Venari King ripped of his crown.
