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“If you can prove such an accusation is true, then go ahead,” I challenged.

Ramathos fell silent, his lips growing thin.

“I have more,” I said.

Gorem’s eyes were fixed on me, and I didn’t like the calculating gleam in his gaze. “Do you?” he said, his voice dangerously soft.

I withdrew the pieces of parchment tucked inside the book. Lifting up the first one, I said, “This was a note found in the witch Elvira’s home. It is signed by a correspondent named Sparrow.” I lifted the scorched scrap of parchment. “And this was located in Chief Gorem’s manor. It is penned in Elvira’s handwriting and addressed to Sparrow. This is proof that Chief Gorem was colluding with a witch.”

Gasps echoed, and the nobles’ voices rang out in the room.

“Impossible!”

“It cannot be!”

“I don’t believe it. Not Chief Gorem!”

“Enough!” Gorem bellowed over the babble of voices. “As I said before, Alaric, I am not the one on trial here. And even if what you stated is true, communicating with a witch is not illegal.”

“No, but plotting to kill the king is,” I said in a hard voice, raising the first piece of parchment again. “This letter contains such evidence.”

Gorem’s face paled. Several nobles shouted in fury, some jabbing fingers at Gorem while others stared angrily at me.

“Let me see it!” Chief Cartier bellowed, rising to his feet with his hand outstretched. “I will confirm if the letter was written by Chief Gorem.”

I stood and handed him the parchment before returning to my seat. Chief Cartier was silent for a long moment, his brows drawn together as his eyes flitted across the page. The room fell silent, everyone watching with wide eyes.

At long last, Chief Cartier lowered the parchment, his hand shaking. “This is Chief Gorem’s handwriting. The letter states he procured a poison from the witch to kill King Nolan.”

“He killed King Nolan?” shrieked Lady Charrington, pressing her hand to her chest in horror. Several others cried out in protest.

Gorem’s jaw was rigid, his expression stony.

I rose to my feet and addressed the council at large. “Do you want to know what Elvira and Chief Gorem were working on?” When my question was met with silence, I went on, “I uncovered Elvira’s journals in a hidden bunker in the fae lands. That’s what Cerise and I were doing. While we were there, we found out Elvira had caged a Rogue Wolven Mage and had run experiments on him for over twenty years. The Mage in question turned out to be Cerise’s father. And I have proof of that in the journals.”

Two nobles jumped to their feet, shouting accusations at Gorem. Another was shaking her head, scowling at me with doubt etched into her face. Chief Korvus’s face had turned ashen, and Chief Cartier watched me like a puzzle he wanted to solve. Ramathos had been rendered speechless as he gaped between me and Gorem. The remaining nobles muttered amongst themselves, jabbing fingers at me and Gorem as they spoke.

Gorem, however, didn’t seem to be listening to anything. His eyes were distant, his brows furrowed. I didn’t like the shrewd look on his face.

It looked as if he had just come to an important realization.

“Not only that,” said Reid loudly from behind me, “but I have two soldiers in custody who can attest to Chief Gorem’s association with Locke and Verne, the guards who traveled with King Nolan to the fae lands and likely administered the poison to him. They were seen on multiple occasions with Chief Gorem the day before King Nolan’s journey.”

“Gods’ breath!” shouted Chief Korvus, his horrified gaze fixed on Gorem. “How could you do this?” The other nobles erupted in shocked outbursts once more.

“In conclusion,” I said, my voice rising over the babble of voices, “I urge you to reconsider deposing me. My efforts were to uncover a conspiracy between a witch and a Mage who had been running tests on our own people for years. We have proof that these two worked together to kill King Nolan. The witch in question has been killed, but the Mage must still answer for his crimes.” I leveled a hard look at Gorem, who had risen to his feet.

“I think we’ve heard enough,” Gorem said, smoothing his hands along his robes.

“Now, hold on a moment,” said Chief Korvus, also standing. “I need to take a look at the evidence Alaric has provided. If any of this is true, Gorem, then you must be taken into custody.”

Three nobles nodded their agreement.

Gorem shook his head. “No. This trial is for Alaric Navier, not for me. He’s the one we are judging right now. Ask yourselves how he obtained this evidence.” He gestured to Hans’s book and the two letters. “My personal guards informed me someone broke into my estate just before Forenoon. Is that the behavior of a king—to trespass on another’s property and steal from them?”

“So you’re admitting this belongs to you?” asked Chief Korvus, gesturing to the evidence.

Gorem’s eyes blazed, and his nostrils flared. “This isn’t about me, this is about him!” He jabbed a finger in my direction. “He is positively unfit to rule. He almost missed his own coronation!”