His lips curve up. I can only imagine what he has in mind.
"Wait," I bite out, annoyed to have to do this. "If he dies, they'll question how, and why. That could be problematic."
Loch told me about fae trials. They'll push to know why Caenan hurt him, asking pointed questions until they understand that Junis, for all intents and purposes, had been attacked unprovoked while acting within his rights.
Rights that I shall revise promptly, but as things stand, my stupid mother's laws are still in place. They don't prohibit any of his actions so far.
"It'll be my pleasure to rid you of this filth, regardless," Caenan retorts.
"You'd be tried formurder.I'dhave to condemn you or curse you or lock you up for life. No, we need to be within our rights, we need a game plan. Rachel, can you get Loch and Ryther? Wait, no."
I'm about to tell herI don't want her walking back there alone, but to my surprise, she holds her hand up, the commanding gesture stoppingme.
"Quiet for a moment. I'm thinking."
I blink.
Rachel doesn't give me orders. Ever. No one does. And it feelsstrange.
I can't say I like it.
I don't stop her though.
"You guys can't murder anyone because you can't lie, right? That's what your court relies on."
Caenan frowns but nods.
"I have a question for you," Rachel says, taking another step, until she's standing right in front of Junis.
My skin crawls. I join her and take her wrist, pulling her back a little.
"What would you do to me if you were free to?"
"You? Why would I care about you, you disgusting worm?" he sputters. "You're not worth my time. I'd give you to the lowest of my servants, have you naked and in the dirt, rutting like a dog, until there's nothing left of you, and I'd let wild beast eat the rest. All of you. You have no power over me, unless you want to risk the wrath of all the lords!" He cries victoriously. "Let me go. Admit that I won, that she's mine for the year. I'll have her marry me, and name me her king. Fate has sent her to me!"
"That's what I thought," says my sister.
Then she moves out of my reach, closer yet to Junis, until she's right next to Caenan.
Before my baffled eyes, I watch her pull his heavy sword out of its sheath behind his back, with two hands.
"You'll say he threatened me with rape and murder, plus other general gross stuff. And I will tell your council I had no choice but to kill him to protect myself." She beams up at me. "I willlie."
The stunned silence lasts only a heartbeat before we all realize one simple thing.
It will work. We can make this work. If every single witness were unable to lie, the court could have eventually uncovered the truth. But they can ask however many questions they want. Rachel would simply have to say…whatever she wants. That she feared for her life. That she thought he'd kill her. And she isn't his thrall, so she's well within her rights to defend herself.
"Wait." Junis's eyes are saucers.
My sister drags the sword to his throat.
"Wait, I surr?—"
She doesn't let him voice his surrender, lest anyone would ask about that. She presses the point across the skin, slicing it.
"Damn, that's heavy," she grunts, as thick, red blood drips down his throat.
She huffs a little, trying to reposition the blade as he gurgles.
