Lady Aquilae struggled impressively, hissing, her fangs descended—she even spat at the new guard.
She was wrangled under control, being carried out, off the ground, with Rylan and the new guard holding her arms and the other guard lifting and restraining her kicking legs.
“You’ll pay for this! Borealis scum! You aren’t Ardens—you’ll never be Ardens,” she screamed as she was carried away.
Selene straighten the cuffs of her jumper and turned to the two remaining councillors, Sasha and me. She nodded in acknowledgement to Fotis, who smiled, pleased with himself.
“I thought I had already witnessed the most exciting thing Ardens Estate had to offer with the display of your pet this morning,” said the councillor from Gravewick.
I was sure I blushed at least ten different shades.
“It seems I was wrong. An execution by means of the enchanted maze hasn’t taken place since my father’s father’s lifetime,”
“No, it hasn’t,” Sasha agreed.
She gave Selene a look that felt almost beseeching, like she was silently asking Selene if she was sure.
“Let’s go watch the show,” Selene stated, and followed Rylan and the others out of the dining room.
“I have to admit that I am a little scared,” Fotis said as he stepped beside Sasha and myself. “I’ve never seen an execution,” he admitted. “It’s not something we do in Cliffwind. I mean—we once exiled a man, terrible man, beat his wife and the kids he did. I still felt bad. There was a cold snap, and there isn’t another town or village for at least two days’ walk, and that’s in good weather. Travellers found his body frozen a few weeks later,” he rambled with nerves.
“There’s nothing to fear!” the Gravewick councillor said. “How your little nowhere, barely-a-village settlement got the status of township and a councillor of Ardens, I’ll never understand. You aren’t made of what it takes to rule in these mountains.”
“I’m doing just fine, thanks very much,” Fotis replied, his face becoming red.
“I agree,” Selene stated, as she took a coat from the hook and handed it me. “Fotis of Cliffwind has kept good relations with the surrounding villages of the northern mountain ranges. His district is the least of my concerns,” she said in a reprimanding tone that made Fotis puff up with pride and the Gravewick councillor’s cheeks turn a purplish colour as her looked away.
I put a coat on, and Selene took my hand entwining our fingers.
“I do not wish for you to witness this,” she told me quietly—but all could hear her.
“Then perhaps you should reconsider reinstating the use of the maze as punishment, niece,” Sasha said bravely.
Selene’s features became stern as she turned to Sasha.
“A hanging wouldn’t send the message I desire,” was all she replied, and she led me by the hand and out towards the maze.
We walked down stone steps towards the maze—so steep and old if it weren’t for Selene’s hand in mine, I’m sure I would have tumbled to the bottom.
In the light of the day the maze didn’t look anything special. It sat in a crater, like a pit had been dug into the land to accommodate it, allowing viewing from above.
Rylan and the guards held a still hissing and screaming Lady Aquilae at the entrance.
“For challenging my authority as Marchioness of Ardens, your titles, land, and life are forfeit. Do you have any last words?” Selene stated loudly, but all at the small gathering would surely hear her clearly if she had spoken quieter.
“Enjoy your head while you still have it,” Lady Aquilae screamed.
Selene nodded and Rylan and the guards threw Lady Aquilae into the entrance of the maze.
Lady Aquilae landed with a bounce and was quick to her feet, running back towards the entrance to escape the maze.
Selene pushed me behind her as the ground shook violently and a wall rose from the earth, blocking the entrance and locking Lady Aquilae inside the maze.
The maze shook with a thundering whollop, and Lady Aquilae could be heard screaming and beating her fists against the wall.
“What now?” The councillor of Gravewick asked, his voice a little shaky. The ground continued to shake momentarily before it quieted to something like a rumble.
“Now you tell your peers of what happened. I will send Ardens guardsmen to Aquilae to take the land and hold it until a vote for the new councillor is complete,” Selene replied.
