“I want to help,” she said, her voice soft, sympathetic as she held the bread and waterskin out to me.
I stumbled toward her and grabbed the waterskin before downing the water, coughing as it hit my parched throat. She settled back, resting her hands on her lap as she watched me tear into the bread and drink the water desperately.
“Why would you want to help me? Atticus is your bonded,” I said, peering at her as I bit into the bread. The lingering warmth from the oven hit my tongue, and I groaned at the taste.
“I know what your father was truly like,” she said, her voice softening. I couldn’t even bring myself to react. “I know what happened that night. Poor Calliope. She didn’t deserve that.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“I’m disgusted by what Atticus did,” she said, her voice cracking, her eyes glistening. “I overheard him speaking with one of his guards about it. If he knew I was here, I don’t want to think what he would do to me, but I can’t sit back and watch what he’s doing.”
“What’s he doing?” I asked.
“He somehow convinced The Council of a terrible lie.” My blood iced over as she spoke, her voice shaking, tears dotting her eyelashes. “He’s going to testify against you, paint you as the one responsible for your family’s deaths to clear his name of his involvement.”
My hands balled into fists. I didn’t care about Father and Mother. I’d take the responsibility for what happened to them. They deserved it...but Calliope...
Every bit of truth, every bit of what Father had done to us behind closed doors, how he had wronged so many... It would be covered up; Atticus would see to that. I had no doubts about it, and I would take the fall for him.
It should be him in this cell, rotting away, up for execution for aiding in Father’s corruption, for his abuse of power, for the abuse he had inflicted on us our entire lives.
“They won’t let you speak at the trial,” she said, and the air halted in my lungs. “Your father had too many friends in influential positions. Many have called for your immediate execution, but the laws require a trial be held with evidence presented.”
Evidence that Atticus had likely tainted.
“Atticus is a witness, but so are you,” she explained.
And yet, I would be left without a voice, without a way to defend myself, to tell them the truth of what had happened. What was the point? Atticus had far moreconnections than I did. I was nobody compared to him, a murderer in the eyes of many.
“If you allow me, I will speak on your behalf,” she said, her voice near pleading.
I stiffened. “Why would you do that? You said so yourself: you’re terrified of what Atticus would do to you if he learned you were even here. In speaking out in my defense, you would be placing a target on your back.”
Guilt and sadness dulled her eyes. “And if I sat back and watched you die for doing what should’ve been done a long time ago, I would deserve infinite torment in the depths of Tartarus.”
“You know what truly happened that night?” I asked, leaning against the bars.
She swallowed and nodded. “I only need you to sign this so I may testify on your behalf. I can share your side.”
“Why would they allow you to testify for me if they won’t allow me to speak? You weren’t there.”
“Because I overheard Atticus,” she said, glancing back and forth down the hall through the dungeons before pulling a folded piece of parchment from her pocket. “I can testify not what you shared, but what Atticus did in his own words. Then, I can share your side of the story. This gives me the ability to speak on your behalf, to represent you.”
I narrowed my eyes on her before looking down at it. Fuck, was this my only option? If what she said was true, I would be walking into a death sentence, stripped of any ability to defend myself. It would be Atticus’ word and his word alone. Fucking bastard. I wished he had burned with the rest of them, wished I had watched him turn to ashes for what he had done.
Jissena remained silent as I contemplated my options.
I had none.
“I did murder them,” I admitted. “My father and mother, their guards. They burned.”
“I know,” she said, her voice wavering. “And they deserve to burn a thousand times more for how much they made you suffer.”
I looked down at the piece of parchment. There wasn’t much to read. It essentially stated that I gave Jissena the ability to testify on my behalf, to speak for me, as she said it would.
“Together we could put Atticus in this cell,” I said, glancing at her, and I caught a hint of hesitation. “What would you do if he gets thrown in here and you’re left alone to deal with the fallout?”
She lifted her chin, her eyes lighting with a sort of determination. “I would sleep with a clear conscience.”
