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“Kellan,” I said in a heated whisper “What are you doing here?”

He set his jaw, shadows collecting in the hollows beneath his copper-brown cheekbones “As I a you, perhaps you can tellhere and answer my question and yours at the same time”

“I wanted to get out”

“Out? Out to this? All right, let’s go” He rab for my elbow, but I snapped it back

“If you drag me away now, it will cause a scene Is that what you want? To draw attention to me?”

Kellan’s mouth twisted He had been appointed as a lieutenant to the royal fauard at seventeen Noenty, he was long since oath-bound to protectin thetheh it pained him to have to do so, he relented “Why do you even want to be here, Aurelia? How can this possibly be good for you?”

I didn’t have a reasonable answer for him, so I didn’t reply Instead, I nervously fiddled with the charift I’d ever received fro effect on me And I needed serenity as the black-clad executioner arrived, followed by a Tribunal cleric who announced that the great Magistrate Toris de Lena was taking the stage to officiate

Toris was a co presence in his starched collar and stiff black Tribunal coat He paced in front of us, holding a copy of the Founder’s Book of Coret

“Brothers and sisters,” he began “It is with great sadness we gather today We have before us Madams Mabel Lawrence Doyle and Hilda Everett Gable Both have been accused of practicing arcane arts, and both have been tried and found guilty by fair tribunal” Around his neck hung a vial of red liquid He raised it so all could see “I aistrate Toris de Lena, bearer of the blood of the Founder, and I have been selected to preside over these proceedings”

“I don’t understand,” Kellan was saying quietly by e you’ve put to yourself? Come stand in the midst of your enemies? Face your fears?”

My eyebrows knitted together Being arrested and tried and publicly executed was a very acute fear of htmares