how many times the guard behind me pushed against my back. My knees almost gave way several times, but all I could do was stand there and stare up into the unrelenting sun at the wooden stage—a beacon of my doom.
Finally, the guard huffed out a breath and picked me up, lifting me off my bare feet, and half carried, half dragged me towards the instrument of my demise. As he marched me up the stairs, I turned and looked out and realized that Tyr hadn’t been lying; there was, in fact, a crowd. My stomach sank as I stared back at the onlookers who had all come to watch me die. My lashes flickered.
Where the fuck were the guys? Even as I tried to tell myself not to panic, panic was all I could feel. That was normal, I guessed, considering I was about to be horrifically murdered in front of so many witnesses. Oh, they could call it execution and justice all they wanted—the fact remained, I was innocent and they were going to kill me. It was murder in my book.
How could so many people want to watch someone else die? I asked myself. Did the hatred between our people really run that deep? Who was I kidding? I knew it did. Even if they’d taught me nothing else, the nuns had taught me that.
My fingers flexed inside my manacles. The desire to use my powers—the ones I’d been so desperately working on this entire week—rose, but I was unpredictable. My powers came and went. Even if my death was the end, I couldn’t bring myself to unleash an unknown violence on people who didn’t know any better. I needed another option, but as I tried to think of one, I was positioned into place and the King took to the stage, stepping in front of me to command everyone’s attention. As soon as he was in my sights, all thoughts except rage vanished from my mind.
King Felix stepped before me and raised his hands to his audience. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced. “You have come here to bear witness to a most auspicious event. This,” he exclaimed, “is a traitorous Fae!” He turned and pointed my way just as one of my old guards stepped up and placed a noose around my neck before tightening it. I gasped, fear overtaking my anger for a brief moment.
There were several jeers from the crowd. Slurs. Curses. Blind hatred. I didn’t understand it, and yet at the same time, how could I not? They were afraid. They were seeking out someone to blame for all they had lost in this Gods forsaken war that had gone on for too long.
“She infiltrated our country,” the King went on, “learned of our ways and weaknesses, and then she went back to her Fae Kings and Queens and gave them the information.”
“That’s not true!” I cried.
“Silence!” he shouted back.
I tried to shake my head, but as I did, the rope dug into my throat, making it hard to breathe, and they hadn’t even done anything yet. One of the guards stepped forward and lifted me off my feet as another placed a stool beneath me.
No! my mind screamed in rebellion. No! Where were they? They had to be here. The guys would never let me die like this, not even Sorrell, despite the fact that I irritated him. My eyes sought out the crowd once more, but instead of looking at the people who had chosen to come to this horrible event, I looked for a familiar head of red hair, of ice white hair, of hair so black it resembled a raven’s wing.
Tears began to prick at my eyes, and my throat tightened as I fought not to cry. Especially when the crowd began to steadily agree with the horrible things the King was saying. They began yelling at me, spitting terrible words that the nuns would have lashed me for even whispering. I gritted my teeth and bore it.
Yes, I was terrified, but the longer it went on, the less fear I felt and the more my anger grew. I refused to turn my gaze away. Not after everything I'd been through. I raised my head and looked out at the crowd.
"The Fae are dying in droves. Their poor weakling soldiers are unable to stand up to our men. Mark my words, before the year is over we will have a victory over the Fae and they will be eradicated