Chapter 31 · Let the Lies Burn First

The ash was still hot under Wantang's knees. The flames had gone quiet, but every eye in the hall was on her—or on the space where two sets of runes had just burned themselves visible on her skin.

Sephra's voice cut through first. "An abomination. The court has spoken."

Wantang pushed herself up. Her legs shook, but she locked them. No. Not yet. She'd been in rooms where one wrong word ended careers, ended lives. This was just another negotiation. She met Sephra's eyes. "The flames said I'm not Eveline. Fine. But they didn't say the vial wasn't swapped."

A murmur rolled through the gallery. Sephra's smile thinned. "You stand convicted by your own—"

"I stand accused of sending poison." Wantang's voice came out steadier than she felt. "Eveline ordered a sleeping draught. Someone switched it. That's the only question that matters."

Rowan was still frozen at the edge of the circle, staring at her hands where the runes had flared. She couldn't look at him. Not now. If she looked at him she'd see the question the flames had planted—did you open the door that killed me—and she'd lose the thread.

"Magister Thorne.