Chapter 107
CADE
A blood duel. Only one person survives in a blood duel. But of course Julia knew this. They all did. They had set Hannah up for this.
If I needed any proof, it was in the way Dawson's eyes had lit up like his birthday had come early. It took everything shred of control I had and the feel of hundreds of eyes watching me not to rip him apart limb from limb right there and then.
"This is crazy." The words ripped from my throat like a snarl. In that moment of shocked silence from everyone after Julia's verdict, my voice rang out as clear as a bell. "Hannah is not going to fight in a blood duel. She was set up. You set her up!”
Dawson raised his eyebrows. His expression was controlled now. The bastard didn't want to seem too eager to kill Hannah, not in front of so many witnesses.
"I'm afraid it's not up to you," he said. He raised his voice. He obviously wanted everyone to hear him, wanted all these people to believe he was being pressured to agree to send Hannah to her death. "Julia, the attacked party demands a blood duel and the law is the law. You can’t change that.”
"This isn't law," Jace roared. "This is you manipulating the law. For fuck's sake, someone is going to die if you go through with this!"
Dawson answered with a smirk. "Of course someone will die. That's the whole point of a blood duel, isn't it?"
Asher walked past me on his way to support a shaking and still crying Julia off the stage.
"Scared yet?" he mouthed, meeting my eyes.
Yes, I was scared. I was scared because someone would die in the arena but it wouldn't be my mate.
I caught a movement, out of the corner of my eye. Edward stepped forward.
About time!
"I understand that this is the law," he said to Dawson who bowed to him stiffly. "But it is a barbaric law. If Hannah really did what she is accused of then I'm sure we can find some other suitable punishment for her. She would face a panel and evidence will be gathered to support Julia’s claim. Then a civil punishment will be decided.”
Edward's eyes flickered to Hannah. There was worry in them. Normally, I would have wanted to plant my fist in his face for even looking at her, but now I was ready to consider him an ally, as long as he could get Hannah out of this mess.
"If I may, your majesty..," Asher piped in. Edward inclined his head, granting him permission to talk. "Hannah's a crazy lunatic out for revenge because her traitor father was banished from my pack. Instead of her to be grateful that we spared his life, she wants to kill us all. If this doesn't end in a duel, she will go on and on until she'll eventually gets lucky and actually kills someone. She attacked I and Julia the last time so she’s really out of her mind. If you need any witness to all her attempts, I can stand as one.”
"It's true." Julia was sobbing so hard her lips were trembling. Her face was red and splotchy and sad. Damn! But she was a good actress. If I didn't know how much of a cold-hearted bitch she was, I would have been taking in by her act. "In school she stabbed me with a silver knife and left me to die. After that she threatened to kill me many times. I've been so scared that- that-"
Her words got garbled and she started crying again. Dawson laid a paternal hand on her arm.
Julia swallowed. "I can't live in fear anymore. I demand justice from the child of a traitor."
I heard Hannah suck in a breath. All this time, I had forced myself not to look at her. If I did, if I saw the pain these bastards were making her go through, I would lose it and then we would have two duels on our hands.
"Shut your trap or I'll shut it for you," I growled, shaking my fists. “You attacked Julia! You gave no choice but to defend herself, and now you lie against her?”
Julia glared back at me, unfazed.
For a second, Dawson's lips twitched. "No need for us to get violent... Cade. There is another way to decide this."
Before anyone could stop him, he turned to the crowd, his arms spread wide, like a master of ceremonies about to announce a big unveiling. A hushed silence descended on the crowd.
"You all have heard and seen the evidence," he called out. "According to our laws, our sacred laws, Hannah must be punished to serve as a deterrent to other criminals like her. Now I ask you all... do you want a blood duel?"
There was a deafening chorus of "YES".
And then the chanting began, steadily increasing in sound until it blotted out everything else.
"DUEL! DUEL! DUEL!" they cried like crazed beings. I couldn’t believe it. More than 2 hundred people wanted a fight that would lead to the death of another, and deep down, I knew they all wished to watch Hannah fight for her life against Julia.
They were all on their feet now, their fists pumping the air, wanting to see some entertainment, not caring who got to die for it. Looking at them made me sick to my stomach.
Dawson turned away from the crowd with a satisfied smirk.
"You have heard the people, Prince Edward," he said to Edward. "They want to see a duel. If Hannah doesn't want to fight, she will be taken prisoner and locked up until the council decides what to do with her." His evil eyes locked on Hannah's. "What is your decision?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
