Page 80 of In Rising Tides

They would gladly welcome the death of one of their own forspeaking.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, and with each thump, she longed to feel her magic awaken.

She couldn’t allow this.

They couldn’t allow this.

Aegir snapped his fingers, and the guard unshackled Sienna’s wrists before shoving her head to the ground.

Lyra looked around, her eyes pleading for anyone to say something, to stop this.

Her eyes burned with the ghost of tears when Sienna began wailing and pleading.

“I meant no harm.Please. Please don’t do this!”

Lyra wished Wilder were here.

He would know what to do and how to stop this.

She wished she could speak with him now and ask him what to do. Lyra winced as pain lanced down her throat.

The guard pulled a long whip from his belt and raised it into the air.

He was going to whip this woman in front of them all, and no one was going to do a thing to stop it.

Time slowed, and Lyra’s gaze swept across the crowd.

Mermen stared in delight at the violence taking place. But there was a handful who could no longer hide their horror.

All of her sisters stared in varying degrees of disgust, or had lowered their heads to avoid looking.

Several members of noble families had their eyes closed, including Marina and her father.

Lyra reached for the thread of magic around her heart as if she could coax it back into existence, but Aegir threw a hand out towards her.

“It is because of mermaids like this,” his finger jutted towards Lyra, “that you think your voice should be heard.”

Lyra froze, and Aegir’s face twisted with utter contempt.

The acolyte’s arm moved quickly, the whip slicing through the water and then cutting Sienna across her back.

She screamed as blood floated up from her wound.

He reeled back and unleashed another gash.

Lyra flinched.

Drystan squeezed her hand and whispered, “Stay still.”

Again, the guard whipped Sienna.

Two more times.

Sienna had screamed herself hoarse, and the room was tinged with red.

Lyra had forced herself to watch each whip.

After the last one, she looked into the crowd.