Page 68 of Until the Stars Fall

CHAPTER 32

Lieke

My feet slipped on the stone floor as I scrambled to get them under me. The guards carried me through the hallways, their hands like vises on my upper arms. My shoulders screamed under the weight of my stumbling body.

“Slow down!” I pleaded as tears spilled down my cheeks. “Please, stop! Where are you taking me? I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”

The guards didn’t respond, didn’t shout any orders to be quiet, didn’t scoff at my claims. Their blank faces stared straight ahead as they marched down the stairs, dragging me and my useless feet with them. The steady tempo of their boots hitting the floor and my soft sobs echoed in the empty hallways.

I could have struggled more. Perhaps I should have.

But doing so would have been pointless.

Even if I had the strength to fight them off me—even if I still had my knives—injuring or killing the king’s guards wouldn’t help my case. I swallowed hard as we turned the corner. Two more guards stood in front of a pair of large, ornately carved doors that led to the great hall, where the king met with his subjects…and where he sentenced criminals.

The guards exchanged silent nods, and the doors opened.

The room was deathly silent despite the assembly of guests standing to my left. I quickly forgot about them when I noticed the three males waiting for me. King Durand, seated in a large chair atop a slightly raised dais, glared at me with disdain. On either side of him the princes stood. I couldn’t meet their eyes, couldn’t bear their scorn. Being brought before the king with a room full of fae nobles and merchants was already bad enough, but having to be humiliated in front of Brennan? And Connor?

My stomach lurched.

My head pounded.

My heart thundered.

My breathing quickened.

And then my knees struck the floor.

The guards threw me down roughly, and I fell forward, my hands smacking against the hard stone. A sharp wave of pain shot up my arms, drawing a hiss from between my teeth. I stared at the floor, surprised that my tears—which had flowed so freely earlier—had completely ceased, as if they were intimidated by the king as well.

“What happened?” the king said, his eerily calm voice ringing out.

I waited. No one answered.

Calloused hands gripped my arms again as someone pulled me up to face my king. I refused to lift my head, keeping my chin tucked into my chest and my eyes locked on the gray stones that dug into my knees.

“Look at me,” the king commanded.

Shame held me captive, and I was unable to raise my face.

A guard fisted my hair and yanked my head back so hard I couldn’t suppress my yelp. The tears still didn’t come, even as I locked eyes with the king.

I refused to glance at Connor.

I couldn’t look at Brennan.

“What did you do?” the king asked.

My arms shook as I searched for the words.

Just tell the truth.The truth will save you.

But would it?

“I…” My voice was weak and quiet compared to the king’s booming tenor. I tried to swallow, but my mouth had gone completely dry, and my lips stuck together when I tried to continue. Panic seized my chest as I watched the anger simmering in the king’s eyes.

“A fae noble is dead,” he said. The crowd behind me became a sea of mutters and gasps. The king raised a hand high, and they quieted instantly. His gaze narrowed. “How did you kill him?”

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