Page 15 of Hallowed Games

“Leo,” I whispered. “Close your eyes, love.”

“Why?”

I gritted my teeth; I thought we’d already gone over this. “Because I said so.”

Leo closed his eyes, and I pulled him in closer. I wrapped my cloak around him.

From the platform, the Pater stared at the crowd while a Raven whispered into his ear. A few moments later, the Pater pointed at someone.

“Agnes de Vray!” The Magister’s deep and resonant voice carried out over the square. “The Archon summons you.”

“No!” A woman’s voice, tinged with panic, rang out. Around me, the crowd jostled as armed Luminari led a woman to the platform. With the metallic ring of their armor floating through the air, two Luminari gripped the arms of a white-haired woman. I could see the terror in her face, but the soldiers’ expressions were shielded by their steely helms.

The crowd shifted from them as if they exuded poison.

Agnes wore a meticulously tailored dress of deep burgundy embroidered with gold and a bodice of saffron yellow. She shouted, “Archon save me! I am innocent. I live in the light of the Archon.”

Her feet and gray cloak dragged up the stairs to the platform as they pulled her along.

I swallowed hard, cupping my gloved hands around Leo’s head. He wrapped his arms around my waist. How long would he have nightmares after this?

The Magister drew his sword. “The Archon has guided the Pater to select this woman. And if anyone wishes to save her, you can offer up to us the names of the wicked among you.”

Thorny tension sharpened the air, and Agnes seemed to be frozen on the platform. She stood hunched, a bright figure against the grim surroundings. Visibly shaking, she folded her arms and clutched at the billowing sleeves of her gown.

“Anges de Vray, do you wish to name a Serpent-touched heretic from Mistwood Shire?”

She shook her head, and sweat beaded on her brow. She croaked, “I do not know anyone who is Serpent-touched, and I, myself, have no magic. May the Archon save Merthyn.”

Archon bless that woman. She knew what was coming next, and she chose not to give a name. Fear rattled through my bones. Would I be so brave in the face of death?

The black of the Magister’s cloak seemed to devour the light. He pulled his sword, the hilt engraved with sinuous carvings. Something stirred in the darkest recesses of my memories…

“Elowen,” Leo whispered, “what’s happening?”

“Shhhh. It’s fine.” Yet another lie today. “Everything is fine.”

The wind whipped at Agnes’s lace headdress as she stared at the Magister’s gleaming blade. “Archon save me.”

I could have looked away. But somehow, I felt that we owed it to this woman to watch her die. She could have easily saved herself, but she was refusing to condemn another. This was a sacrifice she was making for us.

In a blur of movement so fast it almost seemed divine, the Magister swung his sword. The blade carved through Agnes’s neck. A scream erupted from the crowd as her head tumbled forward. Agnes’s headless body fell to its knees, then slumped backward on the platform.

Leo kept his arms around me and his eyes pressed closed. “It’s fine,” I whispered again.

“Why did they scream?” he asked into my dress.

“Shhhh.” I was all out of plausible lies at this point.

I swallowed hard. Did the Archon delight in blood, or was this all the twisted work of mortals? I had no way of knowing. None of us were meant to see the true face of the Archon or understand what he wanted.

The Pater hardly looked at the body at his feet or the blood spilling over the platform. Once more, he lowered his gaze to the crowd. With one hand, he clutched his codex to his armored chest. I prayed to the Archon that the Pater wouldn’t notice me. I lowered my eyes, hoping to go unnoticed. Chills rippled over my skin as a heavy silence filled the town square.

The deathly quiet seemed to stretch on until sharp gasps broke it. When I looked up, fear clawed at my chest.

The Pater was pointing in our direction—directly at the Baron. My blood roared, pounding so hot, I could hardly think.

If anything happened to the Baron, I needed to get Leo into hiding immediately. I pulled him in closer to me. Could I stop this?

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