They’re here,I told him as the two officers stepped forward and grabbed my arms roughly.
Good luck. I’ll be there.
I blinked and banished my former partner from my mind. I devoted every ounce of my energy to memorizing the way they yanked me through the door and down the hall, the way they nearly wrenched my arms out of socket when they pulled me out of House Viper and pushed me forward into a waiting crowd. I stumbled forward, catching myself and raising my chin as I glared at the other Guardians who’d come to bring me to my trial. A dozen, in all. I couldn’t help the way my lips curled intoa wicked grin at the idea of how many of them they felt it might take to subdue me should I decide to run.
Then I was being manhandled again, practically dragged through the empty First Ring and down the steps to the Second. There were more people here, more eyes to watch in shock as the Guardians hauled a First Ring daughter to the Deck. Even more people on the Third stared as I passed and then we were descending into the sea of curious spectators arranged around the crumbled arch of the twelfth tunnel.
The Guardians shoved and prodded me through the crowd until I stood before the Tribunal. Then they left my side, pushing the line back to give the Patriarchs and Matriarch of our society room to work. I raised my gaze to meet my grandmother’s who frowned back.
Trying not to imagine that as the ominous sign it likely was, I turned toward Raghnall and Cosmo who sat staring at me with expressions of indifference and fury. I kept my chin raised high as I stood atop the little pedestal they’d erected for me. Whispers and murmurs rushed through the crowd as the Guardians pressed them back but no one called for quiet. Cosmo’s glare was burning a hole through me while Nascha and Raghnall looked on, waiting. Once the spectators had calmed, Raghnall got to his feet and raised his arms. Silence fell.
“Olympia, daughter of Avus, you stand accused of murder,” he announced, grimly. “As the victim in question is a son of Viper, I will be presiding over this hearing. Are there any objections to this?”
“I object.”
The crowd fell to shocked whispers once again as they cleared away to reveal a priest in voluminous emerald robes. He was the oldest man I’d ever seen with only wisps of gray hair flying around his shriveled head and he shook like a leaf as he stepped forward to face the Tribunal.
“You have recently been tied to House Avus by the marriage of your granddaughter, and proclaimed Heir, to the Heir of Avus,” the old man croaked, head shaking as his neck swiveled in Milo’s direction.
My cousin was standing against the inner wall of the city, arms crossed and frowning. Rather than looking at the priest accusing our House of meddling in the fairness of this trial, he was watching me. When I caught his eye, he gave me a small nod, the only show of support he could manage.
“You dare question my integrity?” Raghnall boomed so loudly the elder sunk into himself as he pulled away back into the crowd. “Idid not marry the boy. Why should my judgment be clouded by the marriage of my granddaughter when I have another granddaughter who’s given birth to a Viper? My allegiances are not on trial here, Priest. I’ll remind you to check what color robe you’re wearing the next time you seek to accuse me of bias.”
The priest bowed deeply before cowering behind the line of Guardians once more. Raghnall’s enraged gaze swept the crowd again.
“Are there any other objections?” he snarled.
No one moved an inch.
“Good,” he barked. “Then perhaps we can be done with this justice before the gods return to order it themselves.”
Around me, members of every ring shifted uneasily on their feet. Raghnall had always had a temper and, to be entirely honest, his motivations were difficult to guess. One could be certain the patriarch of House Lynx would always act in his best interest but the question was how heviewedthat interest and if it was in the same way others did.
“Olympia, your Matriarch and Heir have informed the Tribunal you wish to offer a defense of protection of self?” Raghnall inquired.
“Yes, Sir,” I replied.
“The victim attacked you?”
“He did,” I answered and hesitated.
I could still see it so clearly in my mind; Bade stepping out of the shadows, blade glinting in his hand, that wretched statement he’d made before lunging at me.Godsdamned it, Olympia, I really wish it had been anyone but you.
“Olympia?” Raghnall asked and I blinked back to the present, mortified to find some moisture gathering in the corner of my eye. “Tell us what happened.”
“I was down on the Second–”
“Why?”
I blinked, caught off guard by the question.
“I was…visiting the House of Harlowe,” I informed him.
Raghnall’s eyes narrowed and I saw the opportunity he was taking a moment before he did. He’d known about our trips to the House of Harlowe but had never been able to figure out why we were making them. Now, he finally had an opportunity to force me to answer him regarding our business there and he didn’t care if it was in front of the entire city. He wanted to know.
“Why?” he repeated.
I frowned, considering how best to answer. Before I could utter another word, however, Nascha spoke for me.
