Chapter 26 · Milo Takes the Stand

Milo Quinn stepped through the ash corridor with his hands shaking so bad he had to ball them into fists.

He could hear the crown escort behind him—three pairs of boots, synchronized, the kind of cadence that said nobody's getting out. Sephra Morn walked ahead, not looking back. She didn't need to. The gray mark on his wrist pulsed every five seconds, a little burn each time, just to remind him what happened to people who ran.

The inner ring door opened. The air inside tasted like copper and old smoke.

"Stand center," Sephra said.

Milo walked to the center stone. The gallery was half-empty now—most of the nobles had scattered after Rowan Vale torched his own inheritance claim and walked into the soul trial. The remaining faces were pale, tight-lipped. They weren't here to watch justice. They were here to see how far the crown would go.

Rotan Gilles sat in the witness chair off to the side, arms crossed, face blank. He'd already given his testimony.