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Damon knows this is a pantomime. What difference does that make? The punishment is death.

Gelen says, “You remained loyal to Jur-Mattan despite receiving mercy from Damon Darekul. Prince Endrew, Duke of Vashti, had just led the Imperial Army from Jur-Mattan into Ik-Sundal as its sole high commander. To have survived at the battlefront and then come home only to be murdered is a truly horrendous fate and the perpetrators will suffer for it. When you saw Prince Endrew, you were driven mad by the sight of our own most precious young prince. Son of the heir of Azuria, beloved brother of the heir, second. So you killed him in the most foul manner, at a Pleasure Night.”

Damon wonders how long this is going to last, but before Gelen the Green can say more, Rafus stands up. His face is red and mottled from tears. He looks as if he has not slept. Damon does not think he has ever seen his father look so wan.

He wails, only semi-coherent, “My son, my baby, the light of my life.” Atticul stands and gently guides Rafus back to his seat.

Gelen the Green continues, “And to have this done by a true child of sin. A sly, Jura-born⁠—”

“Please,” Lyr says, “I told you. I am not Jura-born, I am from Klish. I—” One of the enforcers flanking Lyr slaps his face hard.

Lyr gasps, rocking on the stool.

Damon digs his nails into his palm, forcing himself not to react. He has a plan. It might even work. To carry it out he must be silent. He must sit through this.

Atticul stands. He still has a gentle hand on Rafus’s shoulder. He says, “Gelen the Green, noble enforcer of the will of Zai. We must consider the role of Damon Darekul in this tragedy. He brought this whore from Jur-Mattan.” Atticul looks at Damon. “Damon wanted that sly whore for his bed. The filthy murderer of my brother is here in Azuria because of a bastard’s sinful lust.”

Rafus removes Atticul’s hand from his shoulder and stands himself. “No, Atticul. My bastard is not on trial.”

Atticul looks angrily at his father. “My only brother is dead,” he says, half spitting the words. “It must be known to the Rose Court of Azuria that such foul desires brought this filth here.”

Selim says, from his seat on the other side of Gelen the Green. “We must attend here to the matter at hand. We have your account of events, Prince Atticul. We have many witnesses who were present at your Pleasure Night. Prince Endrew, Duke of Vashti, a celebrated hero who came to the Rose Palace in triumph is dead. This slave held the blade that killed him. He must be the one punished. The matter is closed and justice is satisfied. The slave will be taken and flogged to death in the Punishment Square. Zai, hold his soul.”

Damons stands. It’s time.

He holds his head high and the words come to him more easily than they did the last time, when he was coached to say them as a boy of fourteen.

“I wish to claim this punishment and take it in the accused’s stead.”

20

LYR

“Iwish to claim this punishment and take it in the accused’s stead.”

Lyr’s heart stops. “No!” he yells with such force he falls from the stool onto the floor, his chains clanking.

He lies there for a moment, unable to move, until he feels the hands of the enforcers on his body, lifting him to put him back in place. He cannot bear the horror of it. He has been making peace with his death at the hands of Azuria for a long time. Not just last night, but ever since he was dragged to his feet in the hall of Blackstone Castle.

His own death, he can take. He feels certain. But not this.

Damon’s death, Damon’s death in his stead, he feels like his body is dissolving, he can’t feel the flagstones under his knees. “No,” he moans again to the floor.

Damon taking a punishment meant for another. Again. Damon being so shamed, publicly shamed, beaten to death while all of Attar looks on.

It cannot be possible such a thing could happen.

Through all this, he is aware of Rafus, saying, “I cannot allow this. I will not lose another son to this horror.”

Lyr looks up from the floor as the small man in charge, says, “Only a close family member can take a punishment unto themselves. Damon cannot take the suffering for this slave.”

Damon’s voice is even. “Lyr is my slave. I am responsible.”

The small man shakes his head. “No. I am sorry. That would not come under the law of stead. A Master cannot take a punishment from a slave. The relationship must be closer than that.”

Lyr stares at Damon. He sees him take a visible breath. He feels sick in his throat. He knows what is coming now. Something even worse. There is only one way. He is stunned to realise that Damon is foolish enough to do this. Lyr whispers, “No.” There is no one close enough to hear it.

But it happens. Damon says, “I am sly. The Juran whore is my lover. He is to me as a wife. If I were able to set the Lady Inez aside and take him before Zai, I would. I am bound to him as close as any person of my blood kin. I take my pleasure from his body and I love him above all others.”