Chapter 24 · Beyond the Black Gate

"Take your hand off her, Warden, or I’ll add your name to the traitor list."

Calder Vane stood above the tribunal floor with one hand raised, his silver recorder’s chain shining against his black coat. Behind him, the Crown’s soldiers aimed crossbows at Dorian’s back.

Dorian didn’t move his hand from my shoulder.

His fingers pressed through my torn sleeve, hot and hard. Not gentle. Not quite cruel either. He was holding me upright because my knees had started shaking after the memory shard burned through my palm.

I shoved his hand away. "Try that again and I’ll fall on purpose."

His eyes cut down to mine. "You’re bleeding."

"And you’re blocking the tribunal’s favorite executioner. We all have problems."

Calder’s mouth tightened. "Mara Vale, you stand accused of bloodline fraud, theft of royal records, murder of three Crown archivists, and sedition against the city. You have no right to speak."

"Funny," I said. "You keep asking me questions."

A few people in the packed tribunal chamber shifted. The old stone benches were full of officials, guards, and citizens who had come to watch me die. Their whispers scraped across my skin.

Calder tapped the recorder chain against the podium.