Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 126358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 421(@300wpm)
“Where are we going?” I asked the guard, but he only grunted. A moment later, I found out for myself.
It was the Auditorium—the very first place I’d ever been inside the Academy. Had it only been six months ago? Then I had been sitting by Jorn-o, listening to the Head Master’s address to the new cadets. Today I would have to hear him accuse me.
And all because I was a woman instead of a man.
My heart burned with the unfairness of it, but there was nothing I could do but follow the guard to the very front of the Auditorium where the long stage had been set as a kind of courtroom. I tried not to look at the cadets and professors watching me—all of them were sitting as close to the stage as possible. I wondered if they had been instructed to sit there or if they just didn’t want to miss the show.
On the right of the stage, behind a tall podium, the Head Master stood with a stony look on his face. He was wearing his dress uniform—minus the jeweled dagger I’d used to stab the Madling, of course, and he frowned coldly as he saw me take my place.
The guard placed me in the center of the stage where a wooden box had been built. I sat in a hard wooden chair inside the box, feeling like it was just another kind of cell, though at least I could see out.
On the left side of the stage was another, shorter podium. It was empty for now, at least. Probably they would call witnesses to stand there and speak against me, I thought dully.
“what is it? where are they taking you? what’s going on?” L’eesha demanded to know.
“It’s a trial,” I thought back to her. “I can’t talk about it now. But here…”
I opened my mind for a moment, allowing her to see through my eyes.
“where is Ryse?” she asked after a moment of looking. “why isn’t he there defending you?”
I had been wondering the same thing myself. But before I could reply, the Head Master began to speak.
“Aurora Lysandra of the Great House of Lysandra,” he boomed, his voice coming out sounding deep and self-important. “You stand before us today, accused of High Treason. You have deliberately and knowingly infiltrated the Academy and pretended to be male, though you are a female. Are you aware that female dragon riders are against the code of the Academy?”
“Yes,” I said, lifting my chin. I wouldn’t lie, I told myself, but I wouldn’t let them shame me, either.
“And yet you took your brother’s place and infiltrated our ranks,” the Head Master went on. “You even Impressed an egg and bonded with a dragon, all the while knowing full well that it is against our laws for a female to ride a dragon. Do you deny the charge?”
“No,” I said. “But—”
“Answer my questions and nothing more!” thundered the Head Master. “I won’t tolerate any more of your lies, young lady! You are here on false pretenses and your very presence violates the Academy’s code of conduct.”
I heard the cadets murmuring in the audience and wondered if all of them agreed with him. Was it really so bad to find out they’d had a woman among them? Did I somehow invalidate all their glorious traditions and tarnish their honor, just by being female?
“And now, I will call the first witness,” the Head Master said. “Jorn-o Twaller, come to the stand.”
My friend came up to stand behind the podium on the left. He glanced at me, and I could see the misery on his face.
“Son, you have been in classes with this female,” the Head Master said to him. “Did you ever have any inkling that she was not what she claimed to be?”
“No, Sir,” Jorn-o said miserably. “I thought…I mean, she looked like a boy. Just another cadet.”
“Yes, she had us all fooled.” The Head Master nodded wisely. “She wore a magic pendant around her neck that caused her to look like a man. That is all—you may step down.”
Jorn-o stepped away from the podium and started to walk off the stage—then he turned around.
“Everyone is saying it was Auri and her Golden Queen that helped win the battle with the Madlings,” he said. “Without her, we would have lost!”
“That is enough!” The Head Master said sternly, glaring at him. “We are well aware that the accused meddled in the battle. That charge will be addressed in just a moment. You may step down. Now.”
Jorn-o shot me a glance, and I could tell he wanted to say something else. But the Head Master was glaring at him so sternly, he clearly didn’t dare.
Shoulders slumped, he walked off the stage and went back to his seat by Toady and Leaper and Bugs, all of who had glum looks on their faces.