Any hope I had up until now of finding a reasonable solution that doesn’t involve Jax’s head being severed from his shoulders disappears.
Noire looks up from his plate. “That being said, I think you bring up an interesting point. Jax did cooperate with you and your support team during the duration of the trials, which could be considered to lighten his sentence. Especially if he’s willing to testify against Caligos when the time comes.”
My heart flutters and I lean forward. “Okay. What would that mean for him?”
Noire shrugs. “I can’t give you the answer for certain, I can only offer guidance. But it could mean an incarceration or banishment rather than a death sentence.”
I nod. It’s better than nothing. We can work with that.
“For now, we’ll have to keep Jax in jail,” Noire says and my heart drops. He glances at Vera, who quietly eats her vegetables with scrambled tofu. “Daegel made sure enough people know about Jax’s crime. I can’t allow him to walk free, as the temporary Ezkai General.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and nod again.
“Once the trials are over, we can start the official trial and sentencing,” Noire adds.
“I think it’s more than fair, considering that he assassinated a godsdamned Ezkai General,” Vera says.
I bite my tongue and don’t argue.
She has every right to be angry.
“Until he’s healed he can stay here,” Vera says. “Then Noire’s Ezkai will move him to the cells under the castle.”
“That’s fine. I’m sorry, by the way,” I say to her. She looks up at me, surprised. “About Tanaka. I can’t imagine how it feels.”
Vera clears her throat. “Thanks. It was definitely…unexpected.” After a pause, she adds, “I do owe you an apology, too.”
I frown. “For what?”
“I blamed Caligos knowing about me and Savage King on you, and the slip up you had with Daegel. But it’s not your fault, and I am sorry for putting the blame on you.”
My chest swells. I clear my throat. “Thank you, Vera.”
She nods. “Now, with all that out of the way, we must regain our focus. Which is making sure you’re prepared for the Trial of Strength, which can happen any day now.”
I sigh. “I’ll return to training with Kazh first thing tomorrow morning.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
PHOENIX
The sky is furious today.
Heavy rain beats at my naked skin while I sit on the rock in Vera’s back garden wearing only my undergarments, my legs crossed and tucked neatly underneath me.
Through the harsh rain, I can barely hear Kazh’s cane tapping the ground and the grating sounds her clinging bracelets make as she circles me.
I’m still as a statue despite the conditions. My back is straight, my shoulders are squared and relaxed. I stare straight in front of me, ignoring the rain that keeps pouring down my face and into my eyes.
I don’t think. I don’t feel. I simply am.
Patiently, I sit through hours of sensory torture Kazh puts me through one last time. Then I graciously go through thirty essential poses Kazh shouts out. She’s as ruthless as ever. I don’t have a moment to pause and breathe as I move from one pose into another.
But my body is strong, my muscles moving with ease as I flow from one position into the next. Three months ago my muscles would have given up on me. But not today. Today, I stand strong.
Rain washes off the sweat from my face and body, and it cools me down. My breaths are even and deep. I don’t falter, even when Kazh whacks me with her cane or curses me with her wicked tongue. I don’t mind the curious gazes from Hojo, Hel, or Jax, who all sit on the roofed terrace outside and watch me train.
Today is the first day Jax was able to get out of bed and walk around. I must say, I missed his cheeky jokes and mischievous smirks in the last couple of days.
