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“So you’ve already made your decision?” Cyn’s scowl deepened. “When you came to Earth, did you already know she was going to be put to death?”

“Shouldn’t you be happy, Young Master?” Roandra crossed to Cyn, gazing up at him. “You don’t seem too fond of the human.”

Cyn didn’t respond.

I suspected he regretted what happened in the kitchen but struggled to accept anything connected to Rae as real. Considering what he went through years ago, his reaction didn’t surprise me. He hated illusion magic.

Ezra crossed to the cage, and I joined him, staring down at Rae sleeping.

Her brow knotted in sleep, discomfort clear. I wondered whether the atmosphere hurt her.

“I want her chains removed,” Ezra said. “Now.”

Ranthus shook his head. “That isn’t wise, Young Master.”

“I said, now.” Ezra didn’t take his eyes off Rae as Ranthus dissolved the chains. “Can she survive until her ‘trial’ in this place?”

“She hasn’t shown any adverse reactions to the environment, so we believe she’ll be fine,” Ranthus said. “But we can’t say for certain.”

I doubted he even cared. He acted on his duty to protect the council at all costs. He didn’t know Rae the way we did—if we ever knew her at all.

Ezra turned to Ranthus. “If her fate is decided, why are we to wait four days?”

“We need adequate time to assemble the production crew and stage the trial. The people of Elyrdin shall bear witness to her execution.”

I squatted in front of the cage and reached through the bars, tracing my fingertips over Rae’s cheek. The soft sound she made at my touch, and the way her brows relaxed, threatened to undo me. I stood, turning away.

I couldn’t do this.

What right did I have to interfere with Ezra’s father? He’d given me a home when I had nowhere else to go.

46

DUTY

ASH

Waiting in the throne room’s central pit tested my patience. I wanted to go home and release the tension building in my body before I exploded and did something I’d regret—like go to the Jinphni District and pay for an illegal spell to get into Cholian.

It would be easy, but the fallout would be disastrous.

Not only would the act guarantee my execution for treason, but it would also put my brothers under fire when my actions “proved” Rae corrupted us.

What would the council do if they suspected their sons might act out of line and risk their future in the palace? I knew Cornaith wasn’t above confinement to force obedience.

I couldn’t risk it.

The heavy throne room doors closed behind us, reverberating in the expansive room, signaling the council’s arrival.

Zeke and Cyn’s parents took thrones at opposite ends of the row of ten. Ezra’s mother soon followed, sitting beside Zeke’s mother.

When Cornaith took the largest central throne, I braced for his wrath and fixed my gaze on the marble steps up to the dais.

“Lift your heads,” he commanded, his oppressive, steely voice echoing as he sat, smoothing a hand down his charcoal button-down.

Zeke flinched, then set his hands behind his back like Cyn and Ezra. While they stood at attention like soldiers, Zeke’s rigid posture was a product of discomfort. He squeezed his hands until his knuckles blanched. Time away had dulled his tolerance for Cornaith’s oppression.

I looked up at the six figures on thrones adorned with the finest upholstery, accented with colorful gemstones representing each family’s bloodline.