Page 88 of Wings of Ice and Steel

Ariadnne

It was damp and dark in the cells. Ariadnne wrinkled her nose, the smell of sewage and rot overpowering as they passed cell after cell. All empty, save one. From the back of one of the darkest, a dark skinned and heavily scarred prisoner eyed them with blank curiosity. With a double take, Ariadnne realised he wasn’t dark skinned at all; rather his face was completely inked—like the raiders who had attacked their camp in the hills, so many weeks ago.

I have been into the cells… I can assure you he lives…

Ariadnne frowned as she took in what details she could. The prisoner was emaciated and had clearly been a captive for a while, but a fierce power rippled out from his body, hinting at his destructive capabilities. The walls and door to his cell were heavily warded to keep him contained. Her curiosity burned, but she pushed it down; he wasn’t why she was here.

They continued down the corridor, to the last cell on the left.

The part of her that couldn’t believe Nieve killed Melixanthe recoiled at how they were keeping her. Stripped of her armour, she sat in a mound of straw by the wall wearing a simple tunic and breeches, already filthy. The cell was revolting. A decomposing rat lay against one wall, a bucket for waste against the other. Nieve’s silver hair shone, but her eyes were dim and her skin smeared with dirt. A chill crept down Ariadnne’s spine; this was her fault. She tried to swallow that wedge of emotion, reminding herself she didn’t know Nieve’s innocence for sure.

Nieve scrabbled to her feet, coming to the bars.

‘Ariadnne…’

Ariadnne motioned for the guards to step back, needing space. Reluctantly they moved down the corridor to talk softly between themselves, casting her furtive glances.

Ariadnne turned to Nieve, tears of confusion pricking at her eyes.

‘I—’ she began, then swallowed. ‘I need you to tell me what happened. The truth.’

Melixanthe’s lifeless corpse flashed before her eyes and she kept a few paces away, forcing herself to ignore the swell of emotion in her chest.

‘I’m so sorry, Ariadnne… I had no idea what she was to you…’ Nieve’s eyes shone with silver, her voice cracking. True grief spooled into Ariadnne’s chest as Nieve shuddered.

‘I swear I didn’t hurt her.’

The words rang with honesty, enough that Ariadnne allowed herself a glimmer of hope.

‘She sent me a letter, inviting me to meet with her,’ Nieve continued.

Coldness slithered through Ariadnne’s gut. ‘Did she give you this letter herself?’

‘No, Councillor Leth passed it to me. It was sealed with her mark.’ Nieve frowned, her ice-blue eyes holding Ariadnne’s own, making it difficult to think straight, a complex mixture of confusion and longing swelling in her breast.

‘It said to meet her in the dining room. That she needed to discuss you with me.’ Nieve’s fingers gripped the bars with white knuckles. She glanced at the guards, who were staring fixedly into space a short distance away. ‘The guards let me in because I had the sealed letter, but when I got to the dining room I…I found her like that.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I drew my blades in case the attacker was still present and ran to her side. That is what you saw. I’m so sorry, Ariadnne, that she’s gone. I know how much you respected her. I would never have taken her from you.’

Ariadnne could feel nothing but raw truth through their bond, filling her with overwhelming relief. Nieve was innocent. She was still the person Ariadnne believed her to be. She was still her person. The sense of aloneness that had consumed her since Melixanthe’s death retreated a fraction, and she released the breath burning in her lungs, stepping forward.

‘I… I need to apologise. I should have stopped them taking you.’ Shame heated her temples.

Nieve’s cheeks dimpled. ‘You came. That means everything.’

‘But why are you still here if you’re innocent?’

‘The Councillors don’t believe me. They say there’s no evidence that anyone else was there.’

‘Or the Councillors are behind it.’ Ariadnne moved closer, inhaling deep. Despite the grime and filth of the cells, Nieve’s forest scent was still the same.

‘Ariadnne… they say that they’ll try me in ten days, but if no other evidence is brought to light then it’s over. I’ll be executed.’

Ariadnne grew cold, the world blurring at the edges.

‘No,’ she hissed.

No. No. No.

Nieve rested her forehead against the bars. ‘I don’t know what to do.’ Her voice cracked—the Council had likely already decided their verdict.