Finnias just grinned. ‘We found the blade matching Ronan’s injuries in your room, General.’
Aya blinked. Will had sent Liam to track down the owner of that blade just this morning. She glanced at him, but his face gave away nothing.
Fire sparked in Tova’s palms as another guard stepped toward her.
‘Stand down, Tova,’ Will ordered, his voice firm. Tova glared at him, and the guard took the opportunity to dart forward, her hand reaching into Tova’s satchel. Her expression was as hard as granite as she pulled out a roll of parchment.
It almost looked like …
‘Orders. For weapons perhaps?’
Aya’s muscles locked as she stared at her friend.
‘That … that isn’t mine.’ Tova caught Aya’s gaze. ‘That isn’t mine.’
‘Search her,’ Finnias murmured to the guard. Tova struggled against the two men holding her, her eyes growing panicked.
‘That isn’t mine!’ she yelled.
Aya felt Will’s hand press into the small of her back, his eyes fixed across the market.
More Royal Guards filed in. At least fifteen filled the square now.
‘Found something!’ The guard searching Tova tugged a small leather-bound book from the bag. The book was worn, its binding cracked. The leather was a deep navy, so dark it was almost black. And on the front cover, in thin silver stitching, was a crescent moon, tilted so it rested on its two points.
The mark of the Decachiré.
The silence lasted a heartbeat, if that, before chaos exploded throughout the square. Shouts echoed between the buildings as more guards advanced on Tova, her flames flaring as they surrounded her.
Aya made it all of one step toward her friend before Will hooked an arm around her waist and dragged her back. She struggled against his hold as the guards’ shouting rose. Tova thrashed, her hair whipping out behind her as she tried to break free. One of the guards screamed as her fire burned him.
‘Aya—’
‘I’m not leaving her!’
‘For once in your godsdamn life, listen to me!’ Will whirled her to him, his face inches from hers.
There was a thud, followed by the scrape of metal as a sword left its sheath, and they both turned toward the sound. Will swore at the sight of Tova forced to her knees, one guard holding her in place, another with his sword in hand.
They were going to enact that archaic rule.
They were going to kill her.
Right here. Without a trial.
They were going to kill her.
The world slowed, each moment stretching into an eternity. The guard raised his sword and Tova’s eyes met Aya’s. The hopelessness in them had a scream ripping from Aya’s chest. She fought against Will’s grip, her feet leaving the ground as he tugged her backward, refusing to give in.
Will shouted something at the guard, something Aya couldn’t hear above the rushing in her ears. And then that rush became a roar so loud that she couldfeelit in her veins, could feel it coursing through her as the guard’s sword reached its peak, glinting in the sunlight before arcing down toward her friend.
Aya exploded.
18
A deafening crack ricocheted through the square, followed by a flash of light so bright it erased Aya’s vision completely. Will shoved her to the ground, his body covering hers while shouts echoed with the clashing of armor. The guards scattered, their screams reverberating against her skull until …
Silence.
