Page 34 of Ironhold, Trial Four

“Let her in,” the emperor commands. “Do it or I will condemn you and Alaric right now.”

That threat is enough tomake me drop my defenses. Not because of the threat to my life but because there's a chance I might still save Alaric if I tell the truth and they see the reality of the circumstances.

Selene Ravenscroft nods. “I have access to her mind.”

“Good,” the emperor says. “Now explain what happened.”

“Callus tried to kill me,” I say. “I had gone down to the beast pensto be aloneand he found me. I had assumed thathe would leave me alone until the bout today. That he would try to kill me in the colosseum, because it would avoid any consequences for him.”

“So you're aware that there are consequences for killing outside the arena?” Selene says.

I nod, and an image of the impaling spikes flashes through my mind. I'm sure that she must see it, must feel my terror at the prospect of what might happen to both myself and Alaric. Does she feel that it is him I feel the most fear for? That I hate the idea that he might lose his life for defending me?

“What happened then?” The emperor says.

“I tried to run away,” I say. “With my dampener on, I can't fight back against someone like that.”

I raise my arms for emphasis, showing off the leather cuff that sits on my wrist even now.

“You should have some powers,” Selene says.

“Someone tampered with the dampener,” I say. “Before my fight with the stoneheart.”

The arch magistrate looks shocked, then angry. “That should not happen. If I set a control upon someone, it is precisely calibrated.”

“You can see into my mind. You know that's what happened.”

“This is not relevant,” the emperor says. “Did she play a part in murdering Callus or not?”

“He was the one trying to murder me,” I say. Images of his attack on me flicker through my mind. I see myself again on my knees in front of him with his power drawing the life from me. I feel myself helpless, feel the world closing in. I feel the moment when I collapse.

And I see the blade appear through his throat again. I see the moment when Alaric saves me, stabbing Callus. I see the shock on Callus’ face, and the last attempt to reach for me and finish his deadly mission. It is as though I was living through all of it again. I feel myself collapsed to the floor of the marble walled room, breathing hard as I stare up at the emperor.

“You need to say the words,” Selene says, helping me back to my knees.

“Alaric saved me. He killed Callus, but only because there was no other way to stop himfrom killing me.”

“It is the truth,” Selene says. “I have seen it in her.”

“And what else can you see in her?” the emperor demands.

“My emperor?” The arch magistrate says, sounding surprised.

“Look deeper. I'm convinced she has some connection to the organization of the beast whisperers. Find it.”

The arch magistrate does not look happy. “My emperor, our laws say thatI should use these powers only to address specific accusations, not to trawl through someone's mind, the protections of the law are-”

“They are for citizens!” the emperor bellows. I don't think I've heard him raise his voice to the arch magistrate before. Normally, he respects her power. “They are not for slave gladiators and beast whisperers! Now find out what she knows. There might not be another chance.”

The arch magistrate does not look happy, but I still feel her reaching into my minddigging deep. I try to push her back, knowing that I need to protect the members of the spectral covenant, but that just makes agony burst between my eyes.

“Don't fight. It will only hurt more.” Selene’s voice whispers in my mind, rather than her speaking out loud.

Despite that I keep fighting, but it doesn't make any difference. She's already in my mind, and that means she can look through every corner of it. My attempts to keep her out of specific places only mean that she gets to see them more quicklybecause it brings the memories to the surface. I know she sees me as I training the temple of Deira, as Lady Elara teaches me. I know she sees the faces of every beast whisperer I look upon.

I try to throw other memories at her. I show her my village, I show her the moment when I was taken. I throw my life since at heras if it is a weapon to use in the colosseum. I tried to throw so much at her that she can't make any sense of it but I get the feeling that Selene Ravenscroft is not so easily distracted.

I throw all my pain at her. The deaths of friends in the arena, the brutality of the training. The punishments I have endured for failing to fight, or for being accused of rule breaking. The anguish of having to fight people I cared about. Even the sick sensation that came after killing Ravenna, instead of satisfaction. If she wants to see into my mind, then she is going to see all of it. She is going to see what it is really like to be a slave gladiator within Ironhold.

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