Page 10 of Faerie Magic

Did I have anything to add? Hell yes, I did.

I clenched my hands into fists. Where did any of these people get off thinking that this was some sort of due process? Parading me through a circus crowd, to multiple women stamping papers, no one telling me where we were going, what I’d done wrong, what we’d be doing. Everything was wrong. I had plenty to add. And these clowns just pranced around like it was business as usual and I’m some sort of criminal—of what? Banging my head and washing up on a lakeshore?

“No, Your Honor.”

I may have had a lot to say, but at that moment, I was a coward.

The judge flipped a paper up, reviewing a few things as we sat in silence.

I subtly moved my fingers in my clasped hand. What did this judge have to go on? And what was I being sentenced to if she did find me guilty?

“Based on the evaluation, I’ve recommended a placement.”

I opened my mouth and almost stood up in my chair, but a quick glance at me from the woman in charge, ready to give out my sentence, had me crashing back down. She wasn’t someone to cross. Her deadpan gaze shut me up immediately.

I wanted to ask what evaluation? I was never questioned, or asked anything at all besides my name and race. What would I even need one for? Because I had been disoriented? I’d hit my head!

“Approach, please, Ms. Fray,” she said.

Thankfully, my body went into autopilot because my mind was racing. If I’d been confused before, I was completely lost now.

The judge looked me over once and then closed up the folder. She stamped something on top that came out looking like a circular crest and moved her quill quickly, placing her signature along the bottom.

All the air in the room sucked out as I stood waiting. Watching this person closing up documents as if she was sealing my fate for good.

I balled my hands into fists as I tried to stand tall, brave. But without knowing what my crime was, or what punishments were like in this state, it was hard to appear unrattled.

The judge looked up, off to the side of where I was standing and motioned with her hand as she summoned a guard forward who I hadn’t seen yet.

He trudged toward us, his feet thudding the ground in the same rhythm as my heart. His moves seemed tired, slow.

I watched him and the longer I stared the slower he seemed to move. I turned my head to the judge, who was expressionless.

What was coming? I tried to fidget and tug on my now dried clothes, but I couldn’t. I was frozen in place, waiting for the guard to arrive in front of the bench and the judge to speak.

She glanced my way once more as the guard approached. She made a tsking sound. The guard watched me instead of the judge. His eyes narrowed, like I was about to cause trouble.

What on earth was going on here?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of whispers between the two, the judge made her final call.

“To the palace she goes.”

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