“I think I already have by coming here,” she answered, raising her chin. “Willingly.”
“An honest woman would also honor the laws of Syracuse and it’s king. You’ve dishonored me by returning here, as you were banished,” he said in a grave voice. “If you want to prove your loyalty to me, then you’ll pay the penalty for breaking the law.”
Her face paled. “Penalty being?”
“Imprisonment,” he replied.
Angelique locked eyes with him. “If I prove my loyalty, you’ll take my warnings seriously?”
“I will definitely look into them,” he replied, surprised that she was actually considering it.
“You can’t imprison a witch and she knows it,” Gaylen sneered. “Especially one who’s studied under Hecate. She could leave whenever she wanted. Even without the wand.”
“If staying will save innocent lives, I give you my word. I will not leave,” Angelique said.
“Her word? She should be hanged,” a voice called out.
Everyone turned to stare at the queen.
Lizbeth walked toward them, a look of anguish on her face. “She’s broken several laws – practicing Black Magic. Returning to Syracuse after being banned. Terrorizing the kingdom by turning into a dragon. And now… trying to coerce you into ridding yourself of the one person who can truly protect you from her? When will it ever end, Edward? She’s toying with you still and here you are, falling for it. Wake up.”
“The queen is right,” Gaylen said. “Your father would have had her executed just for practicing Black Magic. You know that.”
Edward was furious. Both Lizbeth and Gaylen were making him look like a fool and now he was the one being backed into a corner.
“I never practiced Black Magic,” Angelique retorted angrily. “Gaylen planted those things in my home.”
“Why would he do that?” the queen asked, stepping up to her throne, next to Edward’s. She turned around and sat down, a haughty expression on her face. “If what you say is true, you wouldn’t have been a threat to a powerful wizard like him. Why would he even bother?”
“He knew how much Edward and I loved each other and it didn’t fall into his plans,” Angelique said, staring at the queen.
Although Edward knew it would have been better to deny that he ever loved Angelique, he would have been lying and it would have shown in his voice. So, he remained silent.
“Loved you? A commoner? If my memory serves me correct, Edward and I were already set to be married during that time. A king would never marry a whore.” The queen replied.
Angelique’s face turned red. “I was not a whore. Edward was my first and only.”
The queen smirked. “Just like you never practiced Black Magic?”
“And to think that I am only here to protect you and your children,” Angelique answered bitterly. “I feel that I’ve just been wasting my time.”
Lizbeth laughed harshly. “I think the only protection we need… is from you.”
Edward lost his patience. He was tired of listening to the both of them and knew what he had to do, whether he liked it or not. “Enough,” he growled. “I have come to a decision. Angelique, you have dishonored me, the kingdom, and now… the queen with your lies. I hereby order that you turn yourself over to the sheriff to await execution.”
17
ANGELIQUE GASPED. SHE couldn’t believe what was happening. Not only was the king ignoring her warnings about Gaylen, but he was actually sentencing her to death.
“You’re making a mistake. Your lives are all in danger,” she said, frustrated.
Ignoring the comment, the king asked again if she would give herself up to the sheriff peacefully.
At first she wanted to tell him off, but then reminded herself that Gaylen wouldn’t just kill him and his children, but take over the throne. She had to do something. “I will agree to this only if you test the truth stone on Gaylen,”
“That’s not going to happen,” King Edward said. “As he mentioned before, the stone could be cursed. After all, you were the one who brought it to us.”
“Okay, fine. Use a different one,” she said frantically. “The lives of your family depend on it!”
The king sighed.
“What do you have to lose?” she said. “And… what if I’m right? Do you really want to gamble with the lives of your children?”
He was silent for several seconds and then nodded. “If I agree to do this, you’ll turn yourself over?”
“Yes. Most definitely. As long as I have your word that you will test him with a Truth Stone,” she replied.
“You do,” he said.
Angelique glanced at Gaylen, who didn’t look happy at all.
“Sire, in all honesty, I’ve never even heard of a Truth Stone. Ever. How are you supposed to try and locate one?” he asked in a weary voice.
The queen cleared her throat. “Actually, I believe that I could help. My father knows a wizard and I’ve met him before.”
“What of his character?” asked the king.
“He’s trustworthy. At least, my father thinks so. If anyone can get a truth stone, it will be him,” she replied.
Angelique didn’t like Lizbeth, but at least she was willing to help.
“What is this wizard’s name?” Gaylen asked.
“Don’t tell him,” Angelique warned, before Lizbeth could answer. “Or the wizard you speak of might have some kind of ‘accident’.”
Lizbeth remained quiet.
Gaylen grunted and looked away.
“Angelique you’ll need to give up your wand,” the king reminded her.
There was no way that she could ever give up The Wand of Aberdeen. It would surely go to Gaylen and that couldn’t happen. Remembering the other – retired - wand in her satchel, she nodded. “Yes. But, if I’m going to give it up, the wand can’t go to him.”
Gaylen sniffed. “I don’t need your ridiculous wand. Mine already puts it to shame.”
“Marcus, take her wand,” the king ordered.
The Wand of Aberdeen was still in the pocket of her cloak. Ignoring it, she dropped her satchel to the ground and kicked it over toward Marcus. “It’s in there with everything else I own. Just be careful with it. Please.”
He nodded.
With everyone’s attention on Marcus, she reached into her pocket, touched the Wand of Aberdeen, and whispered a spell that would make it invisible. She then carefully pulled it out and managed to slide it down the front of her tunic.
When Marcus pulled out the other wand; the frightened look on his face was almost comical.
“Don’t worry. It won’t bite,” Angelique said with a smirk.
“What shall I do with it?” he asked the king.
“Destroy it,” he replied.
Angelique’s heart sank. Although she’d stopped using it, the wand held sentimental value. “That would be such a… waste.”
“It means a lot to you, doesn’t it Angelique?” Gaylen said with a smirk.
She nodded.
“To bad. In any case, you know why you can’t keep it,” the wizard said, obviously enjoying her misery.
She gave him a dirty look. “May I have my satchel back?”
“What’s in it?” the king asked Marcus.
“Just a few belongings. Nothing else that appears… dangerous,” he replied, digging around.
Edward looked at Angelique. “Yes, you may have it.”
“Thank you,” she replied, picking the bag up off of the floor.
“Now, bring her to the dungeon until we appoint an execution date,” the king said to his soldiers.
“Don’t I at least get a trial?” she asked, stunned that he was talking about her death like it meant nothing to him at all.
Because it doesn’t.
“You were found guilty twenty-years ago,” King Edward said. “You disobeyed my orders and returned. You will not get another trial.”
“You will wait until the Truth Stone test though, correct?” she reminded him.
He nodded.
ANGELIQUE WAS TAKEN to the dungeon by the king’s soldiers and then handed over to a large, muscular guard who smelled like rotten cheese and had a scar that ran from his left eyelid to the right side of his cheek. As he walked her to her cell, the other prisoners began heckling and shouting vulgar obscenities. One of them dropped his pants and began fisting his penis, trying to get her attention.