School of the Crown Assassins

11

We marched through the golden halls again, passing the large windows and down the staircase, back towards the throne room, hooded Oswald in stow. He had woken up in the pod on the way back to Cressida and struggled, shouting curses, but to no avail. Now, he walked like a limp rag, shoulders hunched and head hung in silence, as he accepted his fate.

Arielle and Xavier led the group, their capes swirling around their feet. We had changed back into our uniforms on the way back. Knox and I stood on either side of Oswald, guiding him through the halls and down the stairs while making sure he didn't get any stupid ideas. Nydia and Damien took up the rear.

I glanced outside one of the windows, watching the sun set over the city in the distance. The water reflected the shades of blue and orange, looking even prettier than before. My heart ached. Why did a place so beautiful have to belong to people so treacherous?

We turned a corner, leading away from the hallway we had first taken to exist the throne room and walked out another exit, back into the main foyer where the Blood Laws hung high on the wall. I figured they wanted us to enter through the main throne room entrance for formality.

Once again, we pushed through the large golden doors and into the throne room. The main Court of Assassins were present, lining the sides of throne room of their respective Crown Assassins, wearing their uniforms. These were the highest members of the Court of Assassins, gaining their positions by working their way into the Crown's favor or being a direct descendant of the original Court members.

The hushed conversations among the Court members fizzled to a stop as we entered the throne room, pushing Oswald with us. Once again, the Royals kneeled once before the Crowns before standing upright and joining us as we dropped Oswald directly in the middle, fanning out behind him. Nydia yanked the black hood off his head and Oswald looked around, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.

The Crown Kingston spoke, "It is my understanding that you have confessed to stealing from a Court Assassin to fund your drug operation."

Oswald looked up, head held high. "Yes."

The Crown Fortier snorted. "That must be the easiest confession I have ever heard."

The Crown Kingston stared Oswald down, taking his partner's words into consideration, before continuing, "However, we have also heard that when questioned on where your money earned is going, you refused to answer and attempted to kill the Crown and Royal Heirs. Is that true?"

Oswald remained silent.

The Crown Kingston leaned forward and repeated his words with an icy bite that reminded me of his eldest son. "Is that true?"

Arielle gave him a sharp kick when he still didn't answer. Finally, he blurted out a, "Yes."

"You are already in our hands and face a death sentence," the Crown Kingston proclaimed. "However, if you were to reveal information on your money flow, we could barter for your-"

"No!" the Crown Fortier interrupted. The Court bristled. I blinked. The Crown Kingston looked him over with a cool expression, though I wasn't quite sure how much of his unbothered countenance was real.

"He has stolen from an Unassailable," the Crown Fortier explained. "He committed one of the highest crimes of this nation and you want us to let him go?"

"He was ready to risk committing an even higher crime to hide this information. We should learn exactly what it is."

"He had offended an Unassailable and it is my job to make sure a member of my Court is properly represented and avenged. To hell with the information! I will stand to do my job."