Atticus nodded. “We tried to reason with her, but the moment she took out one of my men, we knew she wouldn’t listen to reason.”
“Where is Vesa?” Lord Damien asked, leaning forward to rest his elbows atop his knees, lacing his fingers together.
“She wouldn’t come quietly, tried to kill more of my men when we approached her. Unfortunately, she was killed in the process.” He pressed his handto his chest. “I wouldn’t force my men to allow her to kill them. They defended themselves.”
Lies. Fucking lies!
Vesa’s face flashed in my mind, her eyes wide, lips parted as she tried and failed to breathe as he’d slit her throat, the scent of her blood filling my nose, as fresh as it had been that night.
“We brought Calliope back,” Atticus continued. “She was hysterical, not herself.”
“And how did all of this lead to Barrett’s involvement?” the Kyrios of House Dendron asked.
“He has always had anger issues—constantly fought with Elias, causing problems for him, getting into trouble during his training for The Order,” Atticus explained, and my vision went red.
“Elias voiced his concerns to me regularly. How could someone with such a short temper and dangerous tendencies take his position as Kyrios of House Stoicheion? Barrett would be a terrible fit as Kyrios, so he placed his faith in Calliope’s union with Jude. Though Calliope was not born with the gifts of the elements, he hoped she might produce a wielder who could lead as Kyrios in his stead.”
My fists shook in the shackles.
“When Barrett learned of this, he went into a rage, accusing Elias, Cassia, and Calliope of plotting to steal his inheritance behind his back,” Atticus said. “Elias tried to reason with him, but Barrett attacked him before he could defend himself, and that was when his fire magic spun out of control. He killed not only Cassia and Calliope, but several of my guards as well.”
Hestis, the Kyrios of House Leukós, rested his chin against his hand, his assessing gaze passing over me. I held his stare, silently calling him out on his bullshit, for he likely knew the truth of that night. He averted his eyes nervously before looking at Atticus. “The flame of the Stratos family is powerful. It’s a miracle you escaped.”
“I barely made it out with my life; suffered severe burns,” Atticus said, feigning a look of fear. “Thankfully, I was able to reach a healer.”
“He’s too dangerous!” a voice shouted, and I twisted to look at the crowd of onlookers occupying the rows of seats that curved around the room high above us.
“Someone who could kill their own family can’t be trusted!”
“Kinslayer!”
I struggled to breathe as the entire room turned on me. No. They had been turned against me before I even set foot in this place.
“Is there anything more you have to share?” Lord Damien asked.
“There is nothing more, Your Majesty,” Atticus said, bowing his head. “Only the request that you serve him with a punishment suited for a murder such as this.”
The Kyrios all turned to me, I looked into each of their eyes, finding nothing but pure contempt. Damien rubbed his hand over his jaw.
“Were any remains recovered from the Stratos house?” Damien asked, looking to the other Kyrioses.
The Kyrios of House Leukos shook his head. “The power of the flames was too great. Not even bones remained.”
Damien’s gaze returned to Atticus, his brows pinched together. “And Vesa’s remains?”
Atticus shook his head, feigning a look of regret that boiled my blood. “I did not have the manpower to bring her back with us. And sadly, I don’t remember where in the forest we had found them.”
Damien let out a sigh and slouched back in his chair. “Vesa was a powerful warrior. I never took her for a deserter.”
“I was just as surprised,” Atticus said, his voice pained. “It’s a shame to lose any warrior, let alone one with such promise. I was in disbelief when I learned they had fled the village.”
Hestis looked at Damien. “I sent guards to search for Vesa’s remains, but they couldn’t locate her. Darklings likely dragged her body off to devour her.”
“Shall we continue?” the Kyrios of House Nous asked, and Damien’s attention flickered to me briefly before he nodded.
“The accused has relinquished his right to speak to a representative,” the Kyrios of House Leukós announced, and my heart faltered.
Relinquished? No. Jissena had told me I wouldn’t be allowed to...
