Chapter 6 Ezra
Tightness coiled in my chest, and bile crept up my throat.
Council meetings used to be tedious. Now they felt like a game in which the rules changed every day and the punishment for losing grew steadily worse.
Each time I took my seat at the dais, I felt like nothing more than a figurehead.
Present, but powerless. Before my father’s death, council meetings had been exercises in vanity.
Petty disputes over trade routes, inheritance claims, and which noble thought himself more important than the next.
Now Stanhope had shown his true colors, and every discussion revolved around witches, balance, and loyalty.
Fear had become the currency of Verith, and Stanhope spent it freely.
“Gentlemen!” Conversations ceased, and every eye turned toward Stanhope as he took control of the room.
“We have much to discuss today. First and foremost, Prevailing Diviner…”
He turned to face me, and I straightened in my seat.
“Your display in the Holudrums with the mother of those witches…”
Gods, my mind shifted from one horrible consequence to the next.
Regret at my lapse in judgment and my overwhelming need for vengeance soured my stomach.
“We were very impressed.” Wait, what? “In fact, you made such an example of her; it has inspired us.”
The arms of my chair creaked as my fingers dug into the wood. “Inspired you how?” The moment the question left my lips, I regretted it. Stanhope grinned and then turned to face the rest of the council as he paced.
“I will be the first to admit that public execution of all witches may be a bit… harsh.”
He said the word as though he found it distasteful.
“You are our Prevailing, and we should all hope to model your mercy and decorum. So, it is in that spirit that a new form of discipline for these magic thieves has come to fruition.”
He turned to face me once again, and amusement flickered in his eyes, as though I would be the one disciplined.
“I am proposing a vote. One that will implement a new, more merciful way of dealing with these creatures.”
There was no need for a vote; it was plain as day that every man in this room would side with him.
He had villainized these women, convincing the people of Verith that they were monsters.
They were no longer girls who were given power without choice, but dangerous thieves, weapons of the seven hells sent to corrupt the balance.
The men feared the loss of their own power and status.
And Stanhope was waiting to offer himself as the solution to a problem he had helped create, boasting of his ancestor’s role in securing the balance for past generations.
“I propose that we no longer execute them solely for the crime of having power.”
Thank gods, maybe he is capable of mercy, maybe the girls would have a chance.
“Instead, they will be marked. Not their households, but themselves.”
He paused and let the suggestion waft through the room.
“The sigil of the witch will now be inked into their skin, so that the people of Verith know exactly who walks amongst them.”
He smiled proudly. The council applauded as though he had offered salvation.
But death was a single moment. This would make every remaining moment of a girl's life a punishment.
They would become social pariahs, segregated in the communities they grew up in.
Unable to marry. Forced from their homes.
Disowned by their families. This was not mercy. No, this was a fate worse than death.
The disgust could be read plainly on my face.
That only served as fuel. His smile widened as he poised himself for the final blow.
“And since you have set such an example for the rest of the council, I think it best that you carry out the act.”
Ice flooded my veins. “The names have already been gathered. Notice will be sent out, and they will be instructed to assemble at the Verisepth for their marking.”
I shot to my feet. “We cannot…” but he cut me off.
“If a girl refuses the mercy we offer, or attempts to flee, she will be hunted and hanged. All in favor?”
He raised his hand, and the lords of the council echoed the motion; one by one, they agreed enthusiastically to the terms.
I braced my hands on the table, leaning forward, feigning compromise: “We can send the notice in a fortnight, give things a chance to settle after the reckonings that have happened this week.” I could only hope to buy them time, so that maybe some of them would be able to escape or go into hiding.
“Oh, Prevailing, we all appreciate your grace.” His tone was mocking and smug. “But the notices were sent out during this very meeting; we did not want to delay in allowing these girls a new beginning. They will gather at the Verisepth in a fortnight.”
“I…” Again, I was interrupted.
“That should give you plenty of time to return to your manor, gather what is needed, and arrange for transport.”
He spoke as though he had offered me some great convenience.
I would find no compromise here. I would have to concede and pray to the gods that I could find a solution before the girls and I were out of time.
“You truly have thought of everything.” I forced a smile onto my lips.
“I will return home and prepare.” Stanhope looked pleased with himself.
I clenched my jaw and fought to keep the power contained.
But the frustration needed release. I excused myself and left the chamber before my temper got the better of me.
Even in the carriage, the powers twisted beneath my skin, hungry and alive.
The moment I stepped out, I rushed up the steps, leaving the door swinging and the footmen with looks of concern.
“Reina!” She appeared in front of me instantly.
“My Lord?” Her sweet smile dissolved the moment she saw the veins that began to crawl up my arms.
“I need you to send word to Liv without delay.” I pushed the words out breathlessly, and she blinked back at me.
“Please, Reina,” I nodded toward my study, “Fetch some parchment and graphite, and we will need someone we can trust to deliver the message.”
She flitted off to the study, and when she returned, she wrote down every word.
“We cannot send an emissary this time; this cannot make it back to the council.”
“My Lord, I do not know of any footmen or messengers that can deliver something beyond the great wall. The council has been watching all comings and goings since the reckonings have increased. I was not even permitted to visit my uncle.”
Her tone was solemn, and she was right. There would be no passing the Great Wall through the gate; we would need someone able to go in secret.
But, with Lucius’ betrayal, Stanhope’s puppeteering, and the council’s lack of a single original thought, the only person I could trust was… .
“Reina. You will go.” She froze. I tore free a small piece of parchment and began to draw a map. Clumsy and unskilled, but legible. Then I thrust it into her hands, along with my letter to Liv.
“My Lord?” She scrambled to straighten the letter and the map in her hands, trying not to drop anything.
“My Lord, perhaps you misunderstand... I am not able to pass through the gate; very few in Verith are. The council is not allowing people to leave. I will not be able to get your letter to Miss Lavinia.”
“That is what the map is for. It will lead you to a spot where Liv and Helena escaped. It is just beyond the woods, past the country homes. It will not look like much at first, but Helena did not seal the wall after their escape. You should be able to find the fracture… here,
” I hovered my finger over a spot on the map, just along the Great Wall.
“Once you see the fracture lines, all you will have to do is push, and you should be able to make it through the wall there. Once you have gotten to Helena and Lavinia, you can have her return and seal the crack so you aren’t followed.”
Her eyes tracked back and forth between me and the map that I had thrust back into her hand, speechless for a moment.
“I do not think I can do this. What if I am caught trying to leave? How will I even make it there quickly enough? What will I…” The words flowed from her with panic. I rested my hand on her shoulder, commanding her attention.
“Reina, you can do this. I will saddle one of our fastest horses. You have been loyal to me, to Lavinia. We need you. And in truth, you are my only hope at saving these girls. We must get word to Liv about what is going on. Do you understand?” She nodded slowly.
“I will do my best, sir.” A small confidence shone in her eyes.
She would need it. I helped her pack a saddlebag with provisions, went over the instructions again, and had her repeat them back.
Then I helped her atop the horse. With a small smile and a steadying breath, I spurred her off, and with her, the only chance that we may be able to help the girls.
“Godspeed, Reina.” Then I watched as she and the horse disappeared into the night beyond the manor.