Celestia's POV:
There was chaos in the castle. Father Oberon was yelling at someone. Darius was trying hard to handle the situation. It looks like they came to know about the missing crown. I hurried to the courtroom to see what was happening there.
Father Oberon was not seated on his throne. Well, he can't sit on the throne if he doesn't have his crown. All the High Fae Lords were present in the courtroom. My father was reading each of their minds with physical touch.
Holy Aiden! If he reads my mind, then he will find out that I stole the crown. It is better if I just run away from here. I turned on my heels and tried to leave the room. But Darius spotted me before I could do it.
"Celestia, where have you been?" he shouted.
Now, if I run away, it will just make him skeptical. I walked back into the room. "What is happening here?"
Darius raised his eyebrows at me in shock. "Our father's crown has been stolen by someone. And we have no idea who did it. But he thinks that the Perspicacious Faes are the ones who stole the crown."
But why would he suspect the Perspicacious Faes? Then it flashed me! Those Faes have a strong Psychic Shield that no one can penetrate through their minds and read their thoughts.
Even if someone touches their hand, they won't be able to see through their minds. Since my father doesn't have solid proof that they are innocent, he suspects them.
"But he can't just blindly accuse them. If we are not able to read their minds, it doesn't mean that they are immoral," I asserted.
Darius smirked. "Try saying that to our father. He is going to throw all the Perspicacious Faes into the dungeon below now."
This is unfair! I can't let someone else suffer for the mistakes I made. Perhaps I should just surrender for what I did. Then I realized that it is not an option anymore. Theo made me promise that I will never confess to my father no matter what happens.
Father Oberon made all the other Fae leave the room. Now only the Perspicacious Fae were present in the courtroom. The Fae were glaring at King Oberon anxiously.
"Which one of you stole my crown?" my father roared. " If the wrongdoer doesn't surrender to me, then I am going to lock up every one of you in the dungeon."
The eldest Fae stepped forward and said," My lord, we are all loyal to you. We would never do anything to offend you."
But my father wasn't buying it. "It has to be one of you because only a pure-hearted Fae can touch my crown. All the other High Faes are innocent as I read their minds already. So it brings you down to you Perspicacious Faes."
"But father! Is it possible that we could have mistaken?" Darius interrupted. " Perspicacious Fae has never betrayed us in the past."
Father Oberon turned to Darius and almost pierced him with angry stares. " Anyone can betray anyone."
My father is right! I betrayed him, and he would have never thought in his wildest dreams that I would cross him one day. I can't remain silent anymore. Or else innocents will get punished because of me.
"Father, Darius is right. These Fae are innocent. I know who has the crown now," I said.
Everyone turned to me at once. My father was speechless. Darius was the first one to talk.
"Who has the crown now?"
"The Silver Shadow has the crown now, and you should let them go," I said out. Tears welled up my eyes.
My father was gazing at me in horror. He has never seen me cry. No one has ever seen me cry except Theo. Because I never really had anything to worry about. But now all I do is worry!
"My child, stop crying. You are the dawn, and if you cry, the whole Celestial realm will lose hope," he said to me.
My father still has hope in me. They all don't know what I did. Will they look at me the same way if they come to know what I did?
"Your majesty, we are leaving the castle now," the
Perspicacious High Fae announced. My father waited for them to leave the room.
Then he fixed his amber eyes on me. " My child, tell me what happened. Why are you not doing your duties these days? And how did Silver Shadow steal the crown? An impure half-breed like him can't enter my throne room and steal my crown."
I fell silent. If I say anything, then I would be just lying. I have already sinned for an eternity, and I don't want to sin anymore.
"Maybe the Silver Shadow made her do it," Darius interrupted. "Celestia will never betray us if she is in her right mind."
Another tear rolled down my cheek. I am in my right mind, and I betrayed them. All I want is to be with Theo, and I never knew that I would have to sin this much to fulfill my wish.
"I am sorry, my daughter. I would have to chastise you for your own good," he said. He then closed his eyes and chanted something. I wasn't able to comprehend what he was doing. '
But suddenly, a circle of fire formed around me. "Father, what is happening?" I screamed out.
This is not an ordinary fire that is lit up by someone's energy. This is the Holy fire, and my father summoned it by chanting the Holy God Aiden's name. Only my father is gifted enough to invoke the Holy fire. But I can't touch this fire. If this touches my skin, then I will become mortal.
"You are right now trapped in the Ring of Holy Fire, My child. You are going to be in here until you are disillusioned," my father announced.
How can I explain to him that I am not under a spell or illusion? It looks like I am going to be trapped in this fiery circle forever.