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I cleared my throat. “Every verdict can be appealed. Has this man had a chance to bring his case in front of the Royal Council?”

The city official’s eyebrows rose high to her blonde hair pulled up into a tight bun.

“Um... He’s just a slave, Your Highness, being flogged for starting a fight. It’s a minor case that hardly warrants the attention of the council.”

I grabbed on to that one single straw. “The law is the law. An accused has the right for an appeal heard by the Royal Council.”

“I doubt this man has the means to take his case that far,” the city official replied tentatively.

“Well, then...” I glanced back at the punished man behind me.

He was no longer looking at me, his head dropped between his shoulders, his mangled back turned to me with his arms stretched wide in the restraints. But I knew he heard every word. His muscles stiffened as if he was afraid to move and miss what was happening.

I faced the official again. “Then, I’ll personally review his case and present it to the council.”

Both women, the city official and the executioner, gaped at me in shock. The executioner’s helper grunted, scratching the back of his head.

“It’s just two more lashes left, Your Highness,” he said. “Hardly worth your time to bother.”

Two lashes.

Was it enough for me to step aside and let them finish?

I glanced back at the prisoner again. This time, he met my eyes, but I found no guidance in his expression. Just like before, he didn’t seem to care about what was happening to him. He simply watched what I would do.

I stretched my hand toward the scroll with the verdict.

“I will personally review his case,” I insisted.

If the man was indeed as guilty as he’d been charged, the two lashes could always be delivered at a later date. However, he might not have fought against the verdict hard enough. If so, I might be able to find something to at least reduce his punishment to the lashes already given.

“As you wish, Your Highness.” The official surrendered the scroll to me. “I’ll have the rest of the paperwork on his case delivered to the palace by my clerk.”

“Thank you.” I shoved the scroll under my arm.

The executioner collected the bloodied whip from her helper. With a bow and a goodbye, the official headed back to the city gate. The crowd started to disperse, too, as the city guards untied the prisoner.

“He should return to his life,” I told them. “Until the decision by the council.”

Freed, the man straightened to his full, impressive height. His wide shoulders blocked the sun. A couple paces of distance remained between us, but I already had to tilt my head back to see his face.

Rubbing his wrists where the restraints used to be, he rested his gaze on me.

“Thank you.” He spoke softly, but his deep voice reverberated far and wide, requiring no strain to hear him.

“I... I didn’t do much.” My words suddenly tripped on a lump inside my throat.

Facing him like this, on even ground, unsettled me. Standing tall, he no longer looked in need of my compassion, and it wasn’t exactly just compassion that I felt. My chest warmed from the inside. Heat radiating through my entire body, including my face.

Was I blushing?

I must be, I realized with a flare of mortification.

Except for my father, King Trebor, I hadn’t been this close to a man for years now.Thathad to be the reason for my flustering state. Men had been largely unfamiliar species to me.

“Well...” I blinked, trying to collect myself, which wasn’t easy with the prisoner’s eyes focused on me so intensely. “It’s too early to thank me. The appeal hasn’t happened yet. Let’s see what the council will say.”

“I didn’t thank you for the appeal,” he replied, leaving me speechless.