Chapter 31 · What's out there?

"What's out there?"

"The people from the stairwell."

"They stopped."

"They're listening."

The verdict trembled between us.

I looked down despite his warning. A new line burned across the page.

RECITE THE WITNESS ACCOUNT.

Below it, the words appeared one by one.

I, DAX ROURKE, WITNESS TO THE FINAL OATH OF LEORA VENN—

My breath caught.

Dax went completely still.

"You were there," I whispered.

His hand fell away from my face.

"I told you—"

"You watched her."

"Mara."

"You watched her walk into the altar."

His eyes shut.

That was all it took.

I shoved him back. His shoulders hit the core. The machine sparked behind him, but he didn't fight me. I grabbed the front of his coat and dragged him close enough to feel the heat coming off his skin.

"Say it," I demanded. "Say you were there."

"I was there."

The words came out low.

My grip tightened. "Say what you saw."

"I saw Leora enter the altar room."

"And?"

"She was bound."

"By who?"

"Three Bureau oathsmiths."

"You could have stopped them."

"Yes."

That single word knocked the air out of me.

I stared at him. "You could have stopped them?"

"Yes.