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She could not bear to look at Colvin’s face She held the king’s gaze, stared at hi was astonished He looked at her in the di her face, her hair "Colvin?" he asked over his shoulder "This cannot be true"

Lia stared down at the floor, unable to meet Colvin’s eyes She did not want to see the look on his face The only sound was the sharp hissing of the torches

"Colvin?" the young king repeated

"It is true," ca," Lia said, forcefully and clearly "I did not act under the orders of the Aldermaston of Muirwood When I helped Lord Price reach Winterrowd, I did not know , the Medium commanded me to kill your father If I speak truly, then the Medium will not allow the fire to har It was the Medium’s will because of the many murders your father committed and allowed to be committed in his nahout your realan to choke She needed a drink desperately Squeezing the bars harder, she sed and continued "I subment If the Medium spares my life, you will know that I have spoken the truth ThisHe was not even at Muirhen Winterrowd happened He arrived a fortnight after"

The young king stared at her Hillel stared at her Lia lifted herself up and dipped her head deferentially to hi said, his voice thick with scorn "I should have known She has confessed her crime in the presence of two earls of the realm There is no other need for witnesses"

"Indeed," the Alderrace, that we accept her confession as fact? All that remains is whether the Mediurounds, a Leering that tests the truthfulness of someone falsely accused In Daho there is a cave full of poisonous snakes If the Medium is truly with her, the snakes will not haruilty, the venom will kill her"

In Lia’sShe had visited it with Martin earlier As she struggled with her fear, she realized that she was going to that Leering She also realized that it had nothing to do with establishing her innocence

"A pit of snakes," the young king said, his voice sounding almost amused

"I sub with dread

"Very well," the Alder pleased "You will face the ordeal at sunset If you survive at dawn, your innocence will be established Let us depart and htfall soon"

Those in the rooed Martin back to his cell and locked the door behind him The Aldermaston let everyone else leave the room first and thento his ear and then left the dungeon as well

Lia’s skin crawled as the kishion appeared at the bars, his eyes gleaoblet, untouched, on the floor near her The amber liquid made her thirsty, but she kept her eyes on the kishion

He took the ring of keys and unlocked her door

"You look thirsty," he said, bending low and lifting the goblet "The Aldermaston said you looked very thirsty"

Lia scooted away fro her body to fight

"I think you will," he replied with equal tenacity

With reflexes faster than she expected, his hand was tangled in her hair and he jerked her head backwards The goblet lip sht she could not win

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The Ring

The cider sloshed against Lia’s sealedher hair, the kishion would try and make her cry out in pain and allow him to force the liquid into herchains on her wrists and ankles Yet she had other gifts which ht aid her Be quick and unpredictable Force the ene the cup away, she used the chains at her wrists to her advantage She grabbed the base of the cup and tilted it too fast, splashing her face and front with the amber drink It drenched her, but now the cup was empty