“Oh yes, please, cut my head off, then sit it in my hands with my corpse in a chair, so I may indulge the king in another one of his pointless rants,” I offered. “Only then will I truly regret what I’ve done, and repent.”
The crowd laughed again, a bit louder this time. Before I could say something more, Magdalina stepped in.
“May wepleasemove on to witnesses?” she asked. “Or are we bound to sit here and trade insults like boorish children? Gentlemen, this is a courtroom, not a preschool. We must proceed.”
Gabby said something to Elijah again, leaning inward to whisper in his ear. Gabby’s tone must’ve been firm, because Elijah sat back. The redness faded from his face, replaced by a cold glare. I’d gotten to him, but his mate’s words were stronger. He’d listen to Gabby before he’d react out of anger to one of my taunts.
Steward Soloman, who appeared quite sleepy, said, “We call the first witness to the stand, Queen Regent Antonia Nowak.”
Shock flooded my veins. How could my mother be a witness, anyway? She’d never seen me take off my mask, never caught me in the act.
My mother proceeded to the stand. She sat down gracefully, completely ignoring me. She wouldn’t look me in the eye. Her face was carefully obstructed by a fascinator, but I could see the mangled flesh underneath— Lady Magdalina’s hex from last semester had permanently marred her features, leaving her viciously scarred. She was no longer beautiful.
My mother hadn’t come to visit, spoken with me, or even sent me a letter in the time I’d been imprisoned. I longed for her presence and comfort. For as difficult as she was, and for all the pain that lay between us, she was still my mother, and I’d hoped she’d show me some compassion in my final days.
But my hopes were dashed to the floor when she said, “I have seen my son become the Phantom many times. I have confronted him about it, in the past, but he insisted on continuing his misguided ways. He has killed many. I begged him to stop, but he refused to listen to the kindly words of a mother.”
She was making up lies! None of this had happened! I went to open my mouth, to object, but Lady Magdalina waved me off, indicating now wasn’t the time.
Solomon leaned forward and asked, “And why didn’t you come to the Circle immediately after knowing your son was a vigilante?”
“A mother’s love, of course,” she batted off without hesitation. “He is my firstborn and only son. I wanted to save his life. But after his identity became known, I decided that I needed to do the right thing, and put my country first.”
Solomon scribbled something down. “Are you making a declaration of disownership?”
“I am,” my mother stated bluntly. “As far as I am concerned, this is my public declaration that I have no connection to Ethan Nowak. He is no longer my son. I wish to have nothing more to do with him.”
My stomach hollowed out, and Elijah spoke up. “Very well. If that’s your decision, I can make a declaration. Ethan Nowak is hereby stripped of his title as prince, cast out of the monarchy. He no longer has access to any of its benefits, including the treasury or the royal family jewels. He is no longer my cousin. Let it be written that King Lycus had no children. He died without a son or heir. From henceforth, the defendant shall be known as Ethan Hastek.”
Mumbles ran throughout the courtroom as misery churned in my insides.Hastekwas a cursed fae name meaningdisgraced. It was a name reserved for the worst of Malovians, the lowest of the low, able to be designated only by the king.
They couldn’t even let me keep my own last name. Myfather’sname.
My own mother wanted nothing to do with me. She was fit to throw me to the wolves just to keep her good name and reputation. Her standing with the nobles, and winning the favor of Gabby and Elijah, was more important to her than protecting and defending her only son. She cared more about her reputation in high fae society than me. My own mother had betrayed me.
But I suppose she wasn’t really my mother anymore, as she proceeded off the witness stand without so much as a nod my way. She’d truly disowned me. I was less than nothing to her.
Losing what little family I had left caved me inside. My father had died to protect me, and yet my mother had tossed me aside like I was little more than rubbish, crushing my title in one fell swoop.
Elijah had done this to demoralize me. Yet I wouldn’t give in. I might have lost my mother, and lost my title as prince regent, but Emma was my true family now. I resolved that execution wouldnotbe my fate. I would continue to fight for her.
Elijah had made a massive mistake. He thought my mother abandoning me would result in me giving up completely.
It just made me more keen to survive.
Solomon called more witnesses to the stand. I didn’t know any of them. The stories they told were all false. They were on Elijah’s payroll, looking to gain his favor by testifying against me. By the gods, this was a sham.
I expected Magdalina to step in, but she didn’t say anything. She remained pounced like a tiger, ready to strike at the exact moment, but not before.
As the last false witness left the stand, Solomon cleared his throat. “Well, if that’s all the witnesses—”
“Excuse me, but I have the right to call witnesses to the stand on behalf of my client,” Magdalina broke in.
Elijah let out a dark laugh. “Who could you summon that would possibly stand beside this vile cur?”
Magdalina straightened up. In a blunt voice, she said, “I call to the stand none other than the savior of Dolinska— the White Rose.”
One of the windows on the side of the courtroom broke as a white blur crashed through. The figure rolled across the floor as people screamed, then did a backflip as she rose to her feet. She threw her hood back and removed her mask, letting her red hair fly as her green eyes flashed.
