Page 140 of Unmasked

“Do you wish to proceed?”

My fists twitched through the increasing adrenaline.

“I do.”

“We begin…”

He lowered, sitting in his chair. A voice cut through the growing silence, and I wasn’t sure who it was coming from. It left me disoriented as I took in the question.

“We watched you stand in her crown. You spoke Queen Heleena’s words. Tell us… when the king fell and the throne was taken, what did the queen choose to preserve? Why did she form the structure that followed?”

To preserve…

I nodded.

“Queen Heleena chose to preserve the lineage, the loyalty… and the history. Without those, restoration would be impossible. The structure she formed was The Order. She knew the Crown had been stolen, and the families loyal to the king had been dismantled. Most were stripped of their titles, their lands, and legitimacy.” I paused. “The Order was never meant to rule. Queen Heleena meant it to unite those wronged and to endure until the Crown could be restored.”

Silence.

The Judic lifted small pieces of paper, handing them to the Magister as he silently read over them. I bit against my bottom lip, flexing my digits as I felt them going numb. The Magister’s hand lifted, and he held up his index finger. The guard stepped back, and I braced, squeezing my fist tighter as I waited. Fire webbed across my back, instantly bringing tears to my eyes as I fought not to step forward from the force.

“The answer was satisfactory. Question two.”

A new voice echoed through the room. Candles flickered, and I blinked through my racing thoughts. I passed the question… and still got hit…

“The Crown today does not govern Parliament. It does not pass law, yet it still holds influence.” The Magister’s hand lifted. “Explain how a queen restores power without appearing to take it?”

My eyes lowered as my pulse exploded in rhythm. Words jumbled together, battling over importance. I stayed calm as I nodded.

“The Crown is about perception. It is not meant to command government. It’s legitimacy, not control. A queen is most powerful when she projects authority through public standing and symbolism. She reinforces authority without direct rule. It is through being neutral that the Crown becomes trusted. With trust comes influence. With that… power can be restored without conflict. That is where it is the strongest. Above politics. Not with them.”

For a long moment, The Judic stared at me. My jaw clenched and their heads finally dropped as they wrote on their papers. Again, I flexed my fingers, trying not to wince at the fire burning into my back. At the rustling of the paper and robes, I watched The Judic take turns handing the Magister their insight and votes.

The Magister kept his head down, slowly letting it lift. He held up two fingers and my lids closed, squeezing tightly as I listened to the guard step further away. I tightened my muscles in my back, clenching my fists harder as I waited.

The whistling registered just as the pain did. The first ripped through the thin material of the shirt, and the second came almost on top of the other, sending me to my knees as I gasped through the agonizing heat. My hands flattened on stone, and tears came with the sob. The room wavered, but I forced myself to stand on shaky legs.

“Your answer was satisfactory. Question three.”

“You spoke the vows. You fulfilled the sacrifice by spilling the blood. Why did Queen Heleena choose ritual over rebellion? Why are the rituals an important part of The Order?”

I sniffled, wiping the wetness from my face.

Pain.

Fire.

I couldn’t think.

“Please… repeat the question.”

“You spoke the vows. You spilled the blood. Why did Queen Heleena choose ritual over rebellion? Why are the rituals an important part of The Order?”

My pulse was pounding in my ears. My lungs were so tight I could barely take in air.

“Queen Heleena knew the importance of survival. Rebellion dies. Memory fades. Ritual is the only thing that lasts.” I stopped the sob that wanted to come from the stinging. “The queen turned it into tradition. Into doctrine and purpose so that the truth is never forgotten. That’s what Holy Night is about. It’s what the sacrifices are for on auction night. The Council may control The Order, but we never lost the true meaning behind its purpose. That purpose is reclaiming the Crown above while also holding power below.”

Again, I wiped the wetness from my face as I stood straight. Hot, stickiness had my shirt clinging to my back. Papers were passed up, and I held my breath as I waited.