Stella
I trembled. Standing required every ounce of energy I had left. Prince Fernando partially shielded me from King Sartorius’ glare, but his rage simmered across the short distance between us. And while my understanding of Astralini was much better, I wasn’t fluent yet. Making a mistake couldn’t happen.
What would he do to me?
I looked at Eric. His back was to me, but he slouched from his seat on Dario’s horse. Blood and dirt clung to his trousers. They’d torn off his cloak, and his blond hair became windswept by the time he arrived.
Rocco maintained a wielding stance, ready to throw Eric down again if he tried to escape. Not that he could with his shattered knee.
“Bring the prisoner to me,” the king ordered.
Dario dismounted and helped Eric get off the horse. The poor man stifled his groans, but his injury must have been agonizing.
Several more guards clustered around the king and behind us.
“He claims he has no magic, but it pulses within his blood,” Dario said as they approached. I didn’t understand the last half of his sentence, but I shivered at his tone.
“The captive hasn’t attempted to wield at all,” Prince Fernando added.
Rocco followed closely, his hand outstretched. One misstep, and the forces of air would unleash.
Dario brought the man before the walkway, then forced him to his working knee. Eric shouted through gnashed teeth as his injured leg splayed to the side.
“Explain yourself,” King Sartorius demanded. “Why did you visit without announcement and why did you kidnap the healer?”
His back widened as he took great gulps of air. “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” he rasped. “I’m a villager and didn’t know the protocols. Upon hearing of my sister’s discovery, I came as fast as I could on foot.”
The king turned his attention to me. “And you recognized this brother?”
I nodded, hoping I followed everything correctly. Was my story believable?
Eric answered every question thrust at him, keeping the account consistent with what I’d told our captors.
Finally, the king looked up at Prince Fernando.
“Do you believe them, son?”
Dizziness threatened my vision as I held my breath. He didn’t answer for a moment, but tilted his head to consider.
“No,” he replied.
I flinched away from him and nearly fell onto my backside. He peered over his shoulder at me.
“You remember nothing, but you remembered him. Only him. Memory rarely works like that, though.”
Tears stung my eyes. A few of the words slipped from my grasp, but I understood
enough. He promised he wouldn’t kill him. But saying my story was false sentenced him to death. My lips quivered, but I didn’t trust myself to speak.
The king smirked. “Do you suspect he is a former lover?”
My stomach lurched at the accusive tone, even though his words made little sense. Brother and lover had nothing to do with eachother.
“No,” the prince continued, motioning toward Eric. “I presume this fellow was just trying to help a maiden in distress and they concocted this ridiculous scenario to avoid beheading when they saw capture was inevitable.”
Dario observed, his features expressionless.
My heart pounded, making the dizziness worse. If I grasped his intent, he was so close to the truth. Prince Ferdinand turned to face me and gripped my upper arms. I stared into his forest green irises.
“What actually happened?”
My gaze flitted to Dario for a split second, then I focused on the man I once considered a friend.
Would the truth save us? Or would continuing with the falsehoods be safer? We’d be executed for lying to the king. Right? All my cunning drained from me, leaving me exposed. It was too much. Betrayal. Death. Memories or none.
I threw my arms around him as my legs gave out.
Prince Fernando
I expected her to stick with her story, but the internal war raging behind those ocean gray eyes made me question everything. Then she was in my embrace, trembling and weeping.
“Don’t kill him,” she breathed in my ear. “Please.”
I held her, feeling her racing pulse next to my chest. She hadn’t run from me. Her soft pleas pulled on every heartstring in my body.
“Trust me,” I whispered.
Her breath hitched.
My father delighted in disagreeing with me. Supporting her narrative would have only weakened it. He stroked his beard.
“Your affection for Stella has clouded your judgment, son.”
I repressed a smirk and glared at him instead, feeding into whatever glee he derived from undermining me. He addressed the captive.
“You are a fool, boy. And you’ll be punished for running with my healer. But if you are indeed her family, I’ll spare your life.”
The idiotic prisoner heaved a relieved sigh.
The king called to the head guard. “Take him to the dungeon. Cut off that useless leg.”
“No!” Eric cried.
Stella tried to stand and reached a pale arm out. “No! Your Majesty! I can heal it!”
Cruelty glinted in his features.
“You, healer, will watch as the surgeon slices off your brother’s limb without a drop of pain relief. Do not heal him. Disobey me, and I’ll take the other, too.”
Dario dragged the struggling captive toward the underground cells.
Stella covered her mouth to muffle her sobs.
I clenched my jaw to hide my distaste for the unusual torture.
“He’d make an excellent indentured servant if we allow him to keep his body whole.”
“Wait!” my father held up his palm, even as his cheeks reddened.
I breathed and exhaled to calm my erratic heartbeat.
“You want this traitor to escape the consequences of stealing her? The woman with whom you’re so infatuated?”
I resisted the urge to clear my throat and stayed on topic. “No. Taking his freedom is a worse outcome than the temporary pain of a few cuts.”
My father’s brow quirked.
Take the bait. Spare the fellow under the guise of justice.
“And if I agree to your alternative punishment, what should Stella’s be?”
My throat went dry. We’d already taken her freedom, and I wanted no whip or knife anywhere near her.
“Perhaps public lashes,” my father mused.
Before I had a chance to respond, a familiar voice shouted from the crowd.
“Don’t hurt her!”
Bolin shoved his way to the center of the walkway. “Give me the lashes. Make her watch for her foolishness.”
“No! Bolin!” Stella cried.
She strove to stumble toward him, but I held her back.
Her outburst provided all the inspiration my father needed.
“I accept your offer, Mr Guo.”
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