by W. J. May
And that’s when it hit her.
The words no one would want to hear her say. The ones she had to say anyway. The solemn vow she had made when she set foot in the courthouse today.
To tell the truth.
With a surprisingly steady hand, she lifted her arm and pointed straight at her father.
“We cannot kill this man.”
The room didn’t erupt. Didn’t talk. Didn’t move. It just stared at her. Every single pair of eyes—trained on her face.
She inhaled a sharp breath. “This man who has killed so many, many people himself. Who has slaughtered, and butchered, and tortured, and killed. This man who—of all men—deserves to die. We can’t kill him.”
A snake-like hiss of whispers echoed through the room.
Keene himself leaned down. “Rae, you’re not making any sense. If you’re saying he’s guilty, then—”
“There’s no death that can equal what he’s done. There’s no elaborate murder this court could conjure that would let him atone for his sins. That would somehow even the score. It cannot begin to be evened.” Her voice shook a bit as the images flashed again through her mind. “And if there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s that no amount of bloodshed provides any amount of resolution.”
Death or life in prison? Death or life in prison?
Rae’s voice rang out in the courtroom as she turned to stare at her father. “Death’s too easy a thing to punish Simon for his sins.” She waited till everyone held their breath for her to finish. “He should have to live with them.”
* * *
Although it was Rae who’d made the call, it was Keene who would make the announcement.
The entire courthouse stood on the steps of Lawrence Hall, staring out at the breathless crowd as they waited for it to happen. The force field had come down, and people were pressed in as close as they could to find out what would become of the infamous Simon Kerrigan.
Rae had yet to talk to anyone since it had happened. She hadn’t been able to look at her friends as she’d sat back beside them, and they were too spread out for her to catch any of their eyes now. Beth, Angel, and Gabriel were similarly out of reach. Although they were all standing in a line together on the stage, Rae felt very much alone.
Keene didn’t tease with a big wind-up. He got right to the point. The second he read out the sentence, the crowd was in an uproar. Screaming. Shouting. Demanding a harsher kind of justice. A justice that could only be paid in blood.
Rae watched them silently, wondering vaguely at the different ways in which her world was about to change. A slight movement caught the corner of her eye, and she glanced over to see Samantha walking over to Devon who was standing at the end of the row.
He inclined his head so she could whisper in his ear, then looked down with a frown as she pressed something into his hand. A second later, she was gone.
Before Rae had time to telepathically ask, the announcement was over. Keene was stepping off the podium, and the crowd began to disperse.
At least, they were supposed to disperse. Instead, they were hovering angrily in place, like a pressure cooker building up steam. Working their way to an eventual explosion.
An explosion Rae didn’t want to be there to see.
As the people on the stage began to slowly make their way down, she slipped behind the rest of them and made her way over to Devon, taking silent comfort with every step she took.
In a strange way, she felt almost relieved. It was finally over. The sins of her father had finally been put to rest. Her part in his legacy was finally done.
“Hey.” She tucked her hair behind her ears, glancing warily at the crowd. “We should probably get out of here. Give everybody a little time to calm down.”
Devon stepped forward to meet her. His eyes were glassed over as if he could hardly see.
For a split second, the two of them stared at each other. Lost to the rest of the world, safe in their own little bubble. She reached up to stroke his cheek. He leaned in to her fingers.
Then, without a word, he plunged a silver dagger into her chest.
THE END
Second Chance coming February 15th
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2VS501
The Chronicles of Kerrigan
Book I - Rae of Hope is FREE!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B1NNFR0
Book Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gILAwXxx8MU
Book II - Dark Nebula
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B46UWNO
Book Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca24STi_bFM
Book III - House of Cards
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LPIAFL0
Book IV - Royal Tea
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SGIN35W
Book V - Under Fire
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YVNJECW
Book VI - End in Sight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015HGNL0C
Book VII – Hidden Darkness
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018SSJEZC
Book VIII – Twisted Together
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPSQZFY
Book IX – Mark of Fate
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C4TYUZU
Book X – Strength & Power
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CK8MBRE
Book XI – Last One Standing
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DYFPVAG
BOOK XII – Rae of Light
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F5MXY7S
PREQUEL –
Christmas Before the Magic
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0195ZSB3I
Question the Darkness
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GNLNVRS
Into the Darkness
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HSJ7V9S
Fight the Darkness
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HSJ7V9S
Alone the Darkness
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L1AIW9I
Lost the Darkness
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/
SEQUEL –
Matter of Time
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYOY2BX
Time Piece
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NCJA4GF
Second Chance
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Glitch in Time
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Our Time
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
Precious Time
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/
More books by W.J. May
Hidden Secrets Saga:
Download Seventh Mark part 1 For FREE
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H17FQCC
Book Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_vVYC1gvo
Like most teenagers, Rouge is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. With little knowledge about her past, she has questions but has never tried to find the answers. Everything changes when she befriends a strangely intoxicating family. Siblings Grace and Michael, appear to have secrets which seem connected to Rouge. Her hunch is confirmed when a horrible incident occurs at an outdoor party. Rouge may be the only one who can find the answer.
An ancient journal, a Sioghra necklace and a special mark force life-altering decisions for a girl who grew up unprepared to fight for her life or others.
All secrets have a cost and Rouge's determination to find the truth can only lead to trouble…or something even more sinister.
RADIUM HALOS - THE SENSELESS SERIES
Book 1 is FREE: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IFSS4ES
Everyone needs to be a hero at one point in their life.
The small town of Elliot Lake will never be the same again.
Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, Zoe, a high school senior from Elliot Lake, and five of her friends take shelter
in an abandoned uranium mine. Over the next few days, Zoe's hearing sharpens drastically, beyond what any normal human being can detect. She tells her friends, only to learn that four others have an increased sense as well. Only Kieran, the new boy from Scotland, isn't affected.
Fashioning themselves into superheroes, the group tries to stop the strange occurrences happening in their little town. Muggings, break-ins, disappearances, and murder begin to hit too close to home. It leads the team to think someone knows about their secret - someone who wants them all dead.
An incredulous group of heroes. A traitor in the midst. Some dreams are written in blood.
Courage Runs Red
The Blood Red Series
Book 1 is FREE
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VC8HSFE
What if courage was your only option?
When Kallie lands a college interview with the city's new hot-shot police officer, she has no idea everything in her life is about to change. The detective is young, handsome and seems to have an unnatural ability to stop the increasing local crime rate. Detective Liam's particular interest in Kallie sends her heart and head stumbling over each other.
When a raging blood feud between vampires spills into her home, Kallie gets caught in the middle. Torn between love and family loyalty she must find the courage to fight what she fears the most and possibly risk everything, even if it means dying for those she loves.
Daughter of Darkness
Victoria
Only Death Could Stop Her Now
The Daughters of Darkness is a series of female heroines who may or may not know each other, but all have the same father, Vlad Montour.
Victoria is a Hunter Vampire
TUDOR COMPARISON:
Aumbry House --A recess to hold sacred vessels, often found in castle chapels.
Aumbry House was considered very special to hold the female students - their sacred vessels (especially Rae Kerrigan).
Joist House -- A timber stretched from wall-to-wall to support floorboards.
Joist House was considered a building of support where the male students could support and help each other.
Oratory --A private chapel in a house.
Private education room in the school where the students were able to practice their gifting and improve their skills. Also used as a banquet - dance hall when needed.
Oriel -- A projecting window in a wall; originally a form of porch, often of wood. The original bay windows of the Tudor period. Guilder College majority of windows were oriel.
Rae often felt her life was being watching through one of these windows. Hence the constant reference to them.
Refectory -- A communal dining hall. Same termed used in Tudor times.
Scriptorium -- A Medieval writing room in which scrolls were also housed.
Used for English classes and still store some of the older books from the Tudor reign (regarding tatùs).
Privy Council -- Secret council and "arm of the government" similar to the CIA, etc… In Tudor times, the Privy Council was King Henry's board of advisors and helped run the country.