Chapter 193

ELARA

The hall went completely still from the shock. My throat ran dry, beads of sweat forming on my forehead. I had to fist my hands to stop them from shaking uncontrollably.

"Why don't we make the question a little more specific?" Silas said as he stepped forward. "Did you kill Fiona? Are you a Soulweaver, Elara?"

"Enough of this madness!" Rowan growled. He attempted to step forward, but the female Purifier that had confronted him before got in his way. With a rough shove, she pushed him back, causing him to hit the wall.

"Hey! That's enough!" It was Finn. "You don't fucking touch him!"

"Then, tell your boyfriend to stop meddling in our business," The female Purifier said with lethal calmness, not looking ruffled one bit.

Angry Rowan tried to go for her-which was really stupid because these guys were pretty strong-but fortunately, Finn was fast enough to hold him back. Things were getting messy. The attention on me had doubled.

"Elara." This time, it was Ronan.

My Ronan.

I felt my heart crumble as I looked at him. The look on his face was questioning, his eyes cold.

Will he defend me? Get these people to leave me alone? Or will he-

"Answer the question."

My heart stopped beating. Fear like none other taking over me.

He didn't trust me. Ronan didn't trust me.

Everyone would've doubted me and I'd have still been standing strong. But Ronan doubting me as well? It was all I needed to know my fate today was doomed.

The hall went cold silent. It was crushing to know they all looked at me like I was a traitor.

"We don't have all day, ma'am." Silas said.

But I ignored him, lowering my eyes to the floor. I couldn't do this. One more wrong answer and everyone in this room would know I was a Soulweaver. My fate would be sealed.

It felt like an eternity before I looked up at Silas again.

"I can't." My tone wavered.

His eyes darkened.

Slowly, noise rose from the crowd.

"She's guilty, then!" Luna Helena gasped. "If she won't answer their question..."

"Luna Elara, what're you hiding? Why won't you answer them?" It was one of the Elders.

The voices kept rising, and I kept my eyes glued on the floor, too broken to look any of them in the face.

Who would've thought that the very day I'd planned so long for could turn out to be like this?

"Enough!"

The one voice that was enough to quiet every other. My nails dug into my palms from how hard I fisted them as I struggled to keep my tears back.

I felt like a convicted criminal about to be executed in public.

"Elara." Ronan's voice was cold as he called my name. It made my heart momentarily halt, but I still couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze.

"Elara!" He called again, more sterner.

I finally looked at him.

"With me."

He started toward the door, giving me the silent instruction to follow.

"King Ronan, do we need to come along?" Silas asked, but Ronan didn't even spare him a glance, and he knew better than to follow him without his permission.

It was hard to breathe but I forced my feet forward, going after Ronan, not knowing what my fate was about to become.

I followed Ronan into what looked like a store room, feeling guilty that I was ruining what was meant to be the happiest day of his life.

Gone was the cheerful Ronan who was ready to smile at my jokes. This one looked stern and discontented; like a King who had serious matters to attend to.

He walked to the end of the room, facing the wall as he had one hand in his pocket. I'd give anything to know what was running through his mind. "I need to know the truth, Elara." He turned to me after a minute. "In here, it's just the both of us. So, I don't want you to stuttering or lying to me about anything."

I lowered my head, soon feeling the cold tears hitting my cheeks.

"Did you have anything to do with the death of that Purifier?" His question hit me hard, feeling more painful than when the Purifiers had thrown it at me.

"That day, you'd gone missing from the party around the same time she was killed in the restroom. When you walked in on us and found her dead, you looked more ill than shocked. And when I checked on you in your room, you looked... pale." He huffed, like he was just discovering a truth he had been so blind to see.

"Had you been trying to flee when Lucian caught you that night? Did I ignore the signs when they were right in front of me?"

I sobbed even harder, my head still lowered.

"Damn it, I need answers, Elara! Are the Purifiers telling the truth?! Are you a Soulweaver?"

The rage in his voice made me recoil a little. I lifted my eyes to meet his and the look in them was terrifying. He didn't just look confused, he looked hurt. Betrayed. It killed me to know I was responsible for that.

"I'm so sorry," I whimpered, slowly beginning to accept the fact that I was doomed.

I could ignore the Purifiers, but I couldn't ignore or lie to Ronan. I didn't want to risk him going fully mad and unleashing hell on me.

"What're you sorry for, Elara?" His eyebrows were tight, as if a sliver of him still hoped this was just a deception.

"You can take me to them," I put some of my hair backward with shaky fingers. "I-I won't blame you. I know I'm not supposed to exist. I shouldn't be here, in your life. I'm so sorry." I was hardly making sense, my emotions bursting forth in chaotic phrases.