House of Ravens (The Nightfall Chronicles Book 2) (26 page)

The realization burns through my grief, my sorrow, my pain and fills me with rage. With the need for vengeance. For justice.

Because it all makes sense.

Thane had been a ward of Varian's, because his family had been traitors.

Crixus admitted his family had helped Nephilim and had died for it.

Crixus used illegal means to accrue wealth.

Thane possessed wealth most speculated he did not come by honorably or legally.

Thane has always been ambitious and is a Cardinal in the Catholic Church. He would be in the running for Pope should the current one die.

And Crixus wanted me to kill the Pope.

Thane hated Kai. He wanted him dead.

Anger replaces my grief, fueling a new fire in its place.

I storm over to Thane, who is standing with Varian and Jax. Corinne and Wytt watch me.

Other members of the Order are present, mingling. My grandfather is here.

I unsheathe Kai's sword. It hums in my hand as I hold it up. "Cardinal Thane, Knight of the Fifth in the Order of Inquisition, I hereby publicly and with those present as witness, accuse you of murder."

There's a gasp as everyone stops talking to stare at me, disbelief etched in every face.

"You were the Black Night who killed Prince Kai. You are Crixus, the rebel leader of the Red Eagles who caused the slaughter of so many at the Tournament Festival, and you will pay for your crimes."

Thane laughs. "I think your grief is getting the best of you, girl. You don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you should go back to your room and cry over your boyfriend alone."

I take a deep breath to stop myself from thrusting this sword through his heart right here and now. "I saw you stab Kai in the heart."

Varian walks over to us. "What is your evidence?" he asks.

"He fights like the Black Night. Kai saw it. And I have videos to prove it. He's also injured in the same place Jax injured the Black Knight during the tournament."

Varian looks at Thane. "Lift your shirt."

Thane smirks. "Surely you aren't taking her seriously?"

Varian places a hand on the hilt of one of his swords. "Lift your shirt, Thane."

Thane sighs and lifts his shirt, revealing a bandage seeping blood on his side.

"How did you come by this injury?" Varian asks.

Thane drops his shirt and shrugs. "During training. Accidents happen."

Varian turns back to me. "We already had the Pope confirm the identity of the Black Night. It wasn't Thane."

"That would be easy enough to lie about," I say. "Thane wore the armor after another person officially registered."

Varian is silent a long moment. My palms sweat, and I rub them against my cloak and try to slow my hammering heart.

"Take him into custody," Varian says.

Two Teutonic Knights come over and handcuff him. Thane is still grinning. "This is all just a big misunderstanding."

Varian faces Thane, a hard look in his eyes. "My family protected you, raised you, gave you every advantage we could. If Scarlett is right about this, you will pay for what you've done to my son."

Corinne runs up to me as they take Thane away. She pulls me to the side of the arena, her eyes huge. "What the—" She stands, mouth agape. "I can't even believe this."

"I figured it out when I saw Thane limping just now. Kai knew. He was about to tell me when everything happened."

"Are you sure?" Corinne asks. "Really sure?"

"Yes." I say.

Corinne nods. "Then the Orders will find him guilty. He will be sentenced to death. We will testify to what we know."

"What if they don't?" I ask.

"They will," she says, her face determined. "The system isn't perfect, but it does work. Trust them to do the right thing. My father will never let Thane free for killing Kai. You can trust that if nothing else."

***

The trial is set for later today, and we all attend.

The Council Members are seated in their respective places, and though my grandfather is technically in charge, Varian has clearly been given a lot of authority in this, for obvious reasons.

Since I'm the primary witness, I testify first. With Evie's help, I show videos side by side of Thane and the Black Knight fighting, noting similar techniques and mannerisms used by each. I go through a list of all the reasons Crixus and Thane are the same person and conclude by calling on Corinne to testify about his injury. She confirms that his injury is consistent with the exact injury the Black Knight received from Jax. Grandmaster Marian speaks up. "The Princess is correct. I would have a hard time believing Thane received this wound in regular training. It's entirely too coincidental."

There seems to be no dissent in the Order about Thane's guilt and yet through it all, Thane has maintained his arrogant gloat as if nothing can touch him.

Ragathon slams his fist into his podium. "I hereby vote to convict Cardinal Thane to death for crimes against the Orders and against the people."

Varian matches eyes with his brother and nods slowly. "I've studied the videos myself," Varian says, "and I agree with Miss Night. That is Thane fighting as the Black Knight. I second my brother's vote."

Marian nods. "I agree."

Both my grandfather and Grandmaster Ella vote for his death.

Corinne looks over to me, a sad smile on her face. She was right, her system worked for us, and convicted the correct person with the correct and just punishment.

Varian stands. "I hereby declare that by the ruling of the Order Council, Cardinal Thane is deemed—"

The door to the private council chambers opens and a Teutonic Knight walks in holding a note he hands to Varian.

As Varian reads the note, revealing nothing on his stoic face, my heart sinks. Something bad has happened, I can feel it.

Varian is silent for a long time. So long it feels repressive.

Finally, he clears his throat. "By order of the Pope, our ruling is overturned and Cardinal Thane is to be released without further prosecution or penalty."

"What?" Ragathon rages at his brother. "You can't let him go. He killed your son."

Varian glares at his brother. "I don't have a choice. This goes far beyond any of our stations. He's a Cardinal and under the authority of the Pope."

Thane smiles and stands, adjusting his coat. "I wish I could say it's been a pleasure, but that would be disingenuous. I will instead wish you all a miserable day and take my leave."

We all sit in stunned silence as Thane walks out of the room. I click on Evie and tell her to alert Zorin. I'm going to need his help. Corinne was wrong after all. This justice system is too corrupt to be effective. Sometimes justice has to come from the shadows.

***

I leave quickly, ignoring a call from my grandfather, Corinne and Wytt.

I have to catch up to Thane before he gets away. Before I lose him forever.

The rain is once again pouring down when I step outside the castle walls. It's a dark day, with heavy clouds obscuring the sun. I pull my cloak around my head and run into it, searching for Thane.

I see him turn a corner and I follow, catching up to him several minutes later as he walks into the forest outside the castle.

He turns when I get closer, his lips pulled up in a derisive sneer. "What are you doing out here, girl?"

"How did you get away with this?" I ask, stepping closer to him.

"Get away with what?" he says with a laugh. "Didn't you hear? I'm innocent."

"You're not innocent, and we both know it." I put a hand on his arm and enter his mind. Memories flood me. I have to be sure. Before I do what I'm about to do, I have to be sure.

Flashes of his life pass before me. I see him as a boy, playing with blocks in a mansion. Varian enters and informs him that his parents were traitors, and they were executed. Thane will live amongst the House of Ravens.

He finds friends there. Two brothers and a sister.

But they grow older.

Thane tests Zenith. His abilities are pathetic. He can summon a centimeter of flame above his fingers. Nothing more.

Thane is told he is nothing compared to those he has grown to love. They are royalty, and he a son to traitors.

Thane works harder. He achieves nothing.

He begins to manipulate those around him for advantage. He creates the persona of Crixus and the Red Eagles. He accrues wealth and eliminates his competition under the guise of a rebel. As Thane, he becomes a Knight of the Fifth and a Cardinal. As Crixus, he inspires people to follow him.

He is no longer that weak boy. He knows better than everyone. They are children, and he must guide them. He will eliminate the Pope and secure his election.

He enters the tournament as the Black Knight. He defeats all opponents. His plans go well, but he is still full of hate.

Kai was once like a brother, but now he cares nothing for Thane. So Thane arranges for a vial of Kai's blood to be transported to an island and given to a dangerous creature. During the trial, Kai will die, and finally he will have revenge.

Kai lives.

But not for long.

The memories fade, and I look into Thane's eyes who doesn't know I've just seen into his soul.

He shrugs my hand off of him. He wipes the rain from his face. "Those in power need Crixus. He can do what they can't. I was never going to be prosecuted. I'm safe. Untouchable."

"You're not safe from me," I say.

And I spread my wings as my eyes glow silver.

"You?"

I nod. "Me."

"You can't take me alone, even with your wings." He holds up his hands as fire forms around them.

"Who said I'm alone?"

Zorin drops down behind Thane and strikes him in the head.

The Cardinal drops to the ground, and I stare down at him. "You will be prosecuted for your crimes," I tell him. "And you will be found guilty."

"Is everything set?" I ask Evie.

"It is," she says in my ear. "Your feed will stream live across the world, interrupting all major broadcasts. I have made sure it is auto-translated into local languages."

"Good." I check myself in the mirror to make sure I haven't missed any pieces of Scarlett, but I'm all Nightfall. My silver wings glow around me and my eyes glow in the same silver hue. Beneath my chest armor I wear the necklace Kai gave me for Christmas and my father's Token of Strife. I can't avenge my parents yet, but at least I can bring justice to Kai's killer.

Corinne—Raven—walks up to me in her mask and golden eyes. "Are you ready?" she asks.

I nod. "How do you feel about all of this?"

She looks over to the room where Thane is being held. "You were right. The system failed. We need a new system, and I think Nightfall is the way to get it." She looks at me, her golden eyes unyielding. "You have to be strong. Unwavering. You have to show the people you are the leader they need."

I hug her. "Thank you."

***

I step up to the podium on Diamond Mountain. The rebel groups have gathered below. A camera faces me. It represents the face of every man, woman and child who is watching this live feed. I have to speak in such a way as to touch the hearts and minds of everyone listening to me tonight. If I don't, I will have failed all those whose lives were lost this year.

Thane is brought out gagged and handcuffed and placed on his knees next to me.

"Earlier today, the Council of Four Orders sentenced Cardinal Thane to death for the murder of Prince Kai of the House of Ravens and for inciting rebellion and terrorist acts at the arena and against the people of this nation as leader of the Red Eagles. But that judgment was overruled by the Pope." I let my words sink in a moment.

"We live in a corrupt society and it is my mission, and the mission of those who work with me, to fight that corruption. To bring peace and equality to everyone. To create an egalitarian society where everyone's voice is heard and everyone's needs are met and everyone's rights are respected. The Pope and the current world government would crumble under this system. They would lose their power, and so they fight it. It is in their best interest to keep us divided. To keep us afraid. To keep us as enemies. But I am not your enemy."

I point to Thane. "He is your enemy. The Pope is your enemy. I am one woman trying to fight for the justice I know you all deserve. I am not a terrorist. I am not a tyrant. And I will not allow terrorists to kill innocents in the name of my cause or any cause."

I hold up Crixus' helmet. "This man tried to use me and my people toward his own end, for his own political and financial gain, and he killed many in that pursuit. I commit to you now, today, that anyone who puts at risk the innocent, whether Zenith, human or Nephilim, will answer to me. Terrorism is not the way to peace. Tyranny is not the way to peace. We must find a new way. Together."

I pull the gag out of Thane's mouth, but he doesn't have a microphone on him, so no one hears as he hisses at me. "What are you going to do? Keep me locked away forever? Keep me prisoner?"

I don't answer as I draw my mother's dagger.

"You won't kill me, Nightfall. You don't have the guts."

I ignore his words. "You will never be loved."

"And you—"

I pull the sharp blade across his throat.

And he slumps over, the life bleeding out of him.

I take a deep breath and address the audience. "You can join me, or you can continue on your own. But if you do it at the cost of innocent lives, this will be your fate."

I toss Crixus' helmet to the floor and turn away. As I do, a chant rises through the mountain. "Nox Aeterna. Nox Aeterna."

It gets louder as I leave the podium.

I smile sadly. They can't believe in themselves. But they can believe in me.

They can believe in Nightfall.

***

I walk up the center of the mountain as TR catches up to me. I clasp his hand in mine. "You did good today," I say. "I was worried the chanting wouldn't work, even with you starting it up."

He squeezes my hand. "That's just it, I never had a chance to start it. They did it on their own."

Evie beeps on. "Scarlett, the chanting has spread worldwide."

TR and I walk to the edge of the mountain, where Trix, Zorin and Raven wait for us. "Show us now," I tell Evie.

She projects multiple videos from all over the globe, each one displaying hundreds, thousands of people chanting Nox Aeterna and making the sign for the Nephilim in sand, on windows, anywhere they can.

Zorin puts his hand on my shoulder. "You've done what only the most successful leaders in world history have accomplished."

"What's that?" I ask.

"United the masses to your vision. You've become their god," he says.

I shudder. "I don't want to be anyone's god."

"You shouldn't," he agrees. "Humanity has a history of killing their gods."