Page 37 of Winter Gods & Serpents

Directed by the guards who had been expecting us, we headed to Highwall. Memphis turned to a raven and sat on my shoulder while we followed the guards toward the a Zone of Peace. Astonishing, the wall stood like a mountain, tall and strong, it looked impenetrable. I had not the slightest idea how anyone could cross through it, magic laced the rock too, with a barrier spell conducted by a dark crafter to prevent Adriatian Aura from fading in and out of it.

We stood inside an open ceiling tower called a Zone of Peace, it joined both lands under open sky. I was surrounded by hard stone, shadows and shy rays of sunlight that barely made way in. Empty of objects, empty of sound but filled with the presence of spirits, enough that the hair on my neck rose instigating their presence.

A young man stood kneeling on the ground, his hands tied back while two Isjordian sentries stood next to him.

Mere moments later the Adriatian side of the gate opened, and a tall, beautiful honey skinned woman, rounded head to toes like a sausage in black leather, came in view, bowing slightly towards us. An Adriatian.

At the sight and sound of her, tight panic and anger crawled all through my skin. Faces of the men from that night flashing, crawling, and charging for me. Blood roared through my ears, my skin burned feeling their hungering touches once again and my eyes drew tightly shut.

You are safe, my snowflake.

My eyes flew open at the sound of my mother’s voice and a chill travelled my limbs. Was I finally losing it?

“I am captain Nesrin, here to plead on his behalf,” she spoke almost arrogantly.

I relaxed, letting out a light laugh. “Plead?” No one pled for my life when her people came to kill me.

The guards had informed us that the boy was caught stealing from a jewel shop, not a fish or produce or fabric shop. He had loaded the biggest ones in his pockets before being caught making escape towards the Highwall. The boy was round faced, his body well fed. He did not dress as a poor one either, so he was not stealing to feed but to profit. Not that stealing was justifiable, but in certain circumstances, understandable.

She skimmed me with a bored gaze and in a deep dislike she did not even try to hide. “Yes, that's what the trial is for,” she looked down at my circlets and continued. “Captain?”

“Oh no dear, there will be no pleading on today’s trial,” I said, and she crossed her arms confused.

Bringing my hand forward I begun counting all his offences. “The boy was caught crossing the Highwall, trespassing an Isjordian city, impersonating an Isjordian, stealing from a jewel shop, and attempting to smuggle stolen goods to your kingdom.” I waved my fingers towards her, titling my head in question. “A full hand of mistakes for such a young boy.”

Her brows furrowed and she carefully assessed me as if she had just heard the oddest words. “It is his first offense, he has no previous account of doing such acts before. He is a good boy and we have gotten his father to vouch for him not to repeat today's actions.”

One could almost laugh at her words—words she threw so easily. I flagged my hand in the air. “No need, he will most definitely not repeat today's actions.” I turned to Cai grabbing his bigger sword. “A hand for a handful of mistakes,” I said nearing the boy.

Nesrin stepped forward, eyes wide in shock. “He is just a boy, he did not harm or hurt anyone. This is too much captain, think again,” she shouted in panic, loud enough to echo through the walls.

No he didn’t, but he might as well just have.

Within seconds my soldiers grabbed the boy's hand, and I swung the large sword impaling his hand. Blood splattered my face, the touch of the forbidding liquid sent a shiver down my spine as I heard my breath loud in my ears. His screaming and the Adriatian soldier’s shouts sounded like thunder through the forest, birds flew away and air rippled through the tower drawing me awake.

I threw Cai his sword. “Make sure the boy is marked before returning him to the Adriatians, and without the hand. I want that on a pike at the top of Highwall.”

He peaked a glance at the severed hand. “Your like for odd limbs really turns my stomach.”

“Undeserving even ones turn mine,” I said, turning to leave.

“Your Highness,” Lord of Arynth called, coming towards the direction of Highwall. “I trust the trial went well. Stay tonight, see the city. We will try to be most accommodating, we have not had you in Arynth since you were growing teeth.”

I remember some but not most, I knew I spent time here with Eren. It was warmer, I liked Arynth. Besides that, only fog and distant flashes of bad memory.

I pursed my lip in apology and bowed slightly. “I will have to reject your offer. Father’s orders to return immediately to Tenebrose after trial.”

“Young Silas still doubts my welcoming?”

“Young Silas, doubts his daughter.”

“It is odd,” he said, giving me a smile. “If I could turn a whole court around in mere days of return, dethrone a general and make all quiver with only words, I’d be cautious too.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you sound impressed.”

“You are an impressing character, but you are Silas’s daughter, I expect nothing but that.”

I grimaced a little. “That deeply offended me, Lord.”