Chapter 79: Truce???
"Are you ready?" Lucien asked in a low voice beside her.
Emerald glanced at him briefly as they walked side by side down the estate’s main steps, the morning sun barely warming the early chill in the air. Her hood was drawn low, shadows cast over her tired features. "Does it matter?"
Behind them, Talia stood tall, even though she was flanked by two guards and had wolfsbane chains around her wrists.
Her face was bruised, and her lip was split, but she held her head high. She looked defiant and proud, but there was something almost delusional about her strength.
Trailing her were a dozen others: elders, guards, former allies... all guilty, all silent.
They made their way toward the town square, where a crowd was already gathered.
Hundreds of pack members, families, warriors, merchants, and even children sat perched on shoulders, stood waiting in tense silence. Some looked afraid, others angry. All waited to hear what was going to happen.
Lucien stepped forward onto the platform. Emerald took her place slightly behind him, beside two of the remaining loyal guards. She watched as Talia and the others were led up in front of the crowd.
Lucien’s voice rang out across the square. "These are the ones who betrayed you."
A hush fell...not even the wind stirred.
"They conspired to overthrow this pack’s leadership. They manipulated, threatened, and murdered their way into power. And they nearly succeeded."