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As soon as the door clicked shut, he leveled a stare on Mehl. “Tell me.”

Mehl huffed in a short, wry laugh. “You know me well. I spoke to Sir Macoe in the courtyard a few moments ago. It seems a new contingent is on its way from Centoi, and your brother is likely with them.”

Toren’s body went cold. “It is far from time for the challenge. He must have something planned regarding Princess Tes.”

“That’s also my assumption,” Mehl said. “Whatever his plans, I hope they don’t counter ours.”

Indeed. Keeping Tes safe was more important than ever. If Ber wanted her dead, he would stop at nothing, and if word of their mysterious prisoner had given him pause, that could be the reason for his journey. That or revenge.

Either way, the pretend execution had better be convincing.

Chapter45

Executions

The courtyard was the absolute last place Ria wanted to be, but since she was one of the people supposedly wronged by Tes, she hadn’t felt she could avoid attending the so-called execution. Maybe she was a little curious, too. Executions were so extremely rare that most of the courtiers had come to see it, either ringing the square or staring from the castle windows. The blend of excitement and uneasiness in the air had her feet itching to move.

A steady drumming began, the beat uncomfortably close to her own pulse. Every whisper and shuffle ceased until there was nothing but the incessant pounding.Badum. Badum.Though she was safe—sheknewshe was safe—standing to Toren’s left with guards stationed in an arch behind them, her muscles went stiff beneath a wave of fear.

Then Toren’s fingers brushed against hers, and the beginnings of panic eased away at the telling sweetness of that touch. It seemed a small thing, but in such a deeply formal situation, he usually stuck stringently to protocol. And as ridiculous as it sounded, even that tender brush of their hands would be noticed and gossiped about amongst the courtiers.

Honestly, those people needed better things to do.

A small, plain door opened in the outer wall, and two guards hauled Tes through. Not that they needed to do so. Once they were through the door, the princess ignored the other guards moving forward to surround her and marched down the path toward the assembled nobles with her head held high. She kept her shoulders pushed back as far as they could be with her wrists bound in front of her, too. No hint of submission in sight.

Ria hid a grimace. Would anyone believe the woman was actually a servant?

Maybe they should have told Tes to slump—or cry. Anything but stare boldly at Toren as the guards drew her to a halt in front of him. Then again…the princess had only their word that she would not be truly executed, and after her betrayal at her husband’s hands, she probably wouldn’t believe it until she was safe.

This was a true reaction. Gods. As far as Tes was concerned, she was facing her death.

Suddenly, the drumbeats ceased.

“Anmara of the Centoi, you have been found guilty of attempting to assassinate members of the royal family of the Kingdom of Llyalia. By the wish of your own kinsman, you are to be executed here. However, I will grant you a few final words before your sentence is carried out,” Toren said coldly.

Tes’s chin lifted higher. “I vow unto my very soul that the people in Centoi who abandoned me to this fate will pay for it. Even in death, my spirit will fly free for its revenge.”

Ria shivered at those words. Because she felt them, the magic behind those two sentences ringing like a bell to any who could detect magic. Beside her, Toren stiffened, and a couple of the mages surrounding the center platform shifted nervously. Would she, Toren, or Mehl be included in this? But no. Tes had said “in Centoi,” not here.

“May your spirit find its peace,” Toren replied.

It was a polite statement on the surface, one often granted to the dying. But after Tes’s curse? He might as well have wished her good luck on her quest for revenge since that was the only thing thatwouldbring her peace. A few hissed whispers reached them, but under the circumstances, they were fewer than Ria was accustomed to hearing in the throne room.

Ria couldn’t quite tell if Tes recognized the second meaning to Toren’s words, but something shifted in the princess’s gaze. Without knowing the woman better, it was impossible to say for certain what. Not that there was time to analyze. The guards directed Tes to turn before marching her toward the center platform.

In short order, Tes was stopped again, this time by a priest, who circled her while chanting prayers and incantations. Did they even share the same religion as Centoi? It didn’t exactly matter, since the princess wasn’t truly being executed, but Ria couldn’t help the pinch of embarrassment at her lack of knowledge.

And Toren thought she would make a good queen? Hah.

The priest finished his prayers and stepped aside, leaving the courtyard in total silence once again—until the drumming resumed.Badum. Badum. Badum.The solemn sound reverberated through her entire body and thrummed in her soul.

Two of the guards grabbed Tes by each arm and led her forward, but the princess didn’t resist. Instead, she stepped onto the platform the way a true queen would. No quivering, crying, or pleading. Once in the center, she spun on her heel to face Ria, Toren, and Mehl, but the princess stared over their heads as the mages activated the shield around the inlaid spell.

With only a single lift of his hand, Toren ordered the final mage forward. Ria wasn’t sure about the others, but this mage had full awareness of his task, an illusion strong enough to fool the entire court. According to Mehl, the man would be paid a full chest of gold if he performed the required spells perfectly.

An entire. Chest. Her father had been a successful tailor, but Ria had still never seen so much gold in her life. It was difficult to even fathom. Yet as the mage’s hands lifted and his power roared to life, the amount made more sense. This…this was almost as powerful as Toren’s wild magic, but it was controlled.

Meticulously.