Twenty-three
His hands were cuffed in front of him. In all the days of the trial in the council chamber, he had scarcely spoken.
“The council has reached its verdict.” Council member Mirak rose from his seat. “On the crimes of treason, of murder, of willful trespass for the purpose of criminal acts as well as tampering with medical equipment with the intent of causing grievous harm or death—”
His glowing eyes picked Tara out from across the council chamber. She clenched her hands together in her lap.
“You have been found guilty,” Mirak pronounced. “On all counts.”
Ki’san, at her side, reached across to take her hand in his. “Do not fear, my mate,” he murmured. “He cannot hurt you. He will not hurt anyone again.”
Looking across the courtroom into the Purist’s hate-filled lavender eyes, Tara wasn’t sure anyone could promise that.
“Ra’den, the council will act with mercy if, even at this final hearing, you reveal your accomplices,” Mirak continued. “Will you name your co-conspirators?”
“I acted alone.”
It was the same statement he had made throughout the trial.
Tara had accompanied Ki’san to the capital city of Be’lyn when they were summoned days ago. As a witness herself, she too was called upon to give testimony. She’d dreaded coming, fretting about the cross-examination, but she needn’t have worried about this man’s advocate grilling her—he’d refused one.
He hadn’t mounted any sort of defense at all. He called no witnesses, he’d refuted no evidence. Not that he could; the records of him accessing the hangar were irrefutable. He’d admitted to erasing the security recordings that night.
And considering the sabotage had been accomplished in minutes, it was extremely unlikely that he had acted alone.
But whoever acted with him, he wouldn’t betray them, not even to save himself.
He had been banished from his own enclosure long before his capture, his clanbrothers making neither claim of him or any show of support at his trial. He was a pariah who’d scratched a living in the shadows of the capital until his arrest.
“No Purist acts alone,” Mirak countered. “You are a liar as well as a traitor.”
The Purist bared his fangs. “I acted alone.”
“We will uncover your accomplices in time, Ra’den.” The council member’s gaze narrowed. “And they too will face justice. Before you are sentenced, do you have any statement you wish to make? Any plea to make for clemency?”
“No.” Ra’den’s gaze fixed on Tara again. “What I did, I did because honor bound me to it.”
“You committed murder and call it ‘honor’?” Mirak mocked. “Even a Purist cannot justify that.”
“Pronounce your sentence.” Ra’den snarled. “And have this done!”
“Very well,” Mirak lifted his chin. “For your crimes, Ra’den of no enclosure, you will be taken from this chamber and transported to the penal colony on Kanut, where you will live out your days. And may the All Mother bestow Her mercy on you.” The councilor’s lip curled. “For you will find none on Hir.”
Tara held her breath out when the guards took the criminal from the room.
“Are you all right?” Ki’san asked as the chambers began to clear.
“I’m better now.” Her shoulders were aching from the tension. “Jeez, that guy hated me.”
“Not you. Humans.”
“Well, I was the human he was glaring at.”
“I wish your testimony had not been required.” He shook his head. “And if I had known how difficult this was to be for you, I would have implored the council to excuse you early.”
“No, I’m glad I helped.” She gave a faint smile. “I’m just sorry they make witnesses stay for the entire trial.”
“Fortunately not a long trial.”
“He didn’t even try to fight the charges.”
“Likely he knew the futility of it. He was caught. And he was guilty. Come,” Ki’san urged, drawing her to her feet, now that the room had cleared enough that they wouldn’t have to push their way to the door. “Let us go home.”
Tara raised her face to the suns’ light. The spring thaw had just begun for the northern enclosures; here it felt like summer.
The A’rahan clanbrothers stood nearby, ready to accompany them back to the enclosure.
“Do you think we could stay an extra day?” she asked. “I know there’s a lot to do back home . . .”
“Actually I thought you might enjoy a visit to one of the other cities. Jai is in the south, renowned for its seas. I have secured us lodgings on the beach.”
“That sounds perfect.” She smiled. “I love the beach.”
“I know.”
“Wait,” she stopped. “We just spent the last three months snowed in. How do you know I love the beach?”
“It is where you sent Hannah and William.” His gaze was tender. “And you have a kind heart, one that shares what you hold dear.”
“I worry about them, about what happened after I disappeared. And Brice . . . I need to get a message to my brother, somehow.”
“We have gained the support of another councilor.” The breeze lifted her hair, blowing some of the strands over her eyes and he smoothed them away. “We will get your message to him someday.”
“We better.” She touched her hand to her belly and smiled. “After all, he deserves to know he’s going to be an uncle.”