Orpheus clammed up, realizing he had been seen through. Surely, they would spare him for his honesty, wouldn't they? He glanced nervously around.
"It's said that the blood quill requires blood sacrifices to function. What did you do to procure those sacrifices?" Michael's voice was cold.
Orpheus's eyes darted nervously. If he confessed the truth…
"Don't even think about lying. The truth will come out during cross-verification," Michael warned.
Backed into a corner, Orpheus took a deep breath and began recounting his crimes.
"I… First, with Nicholas and the knight commander, Xenon, we targeted a few slash-and-burn farming villages. And then…" Orpheus faltered, unable to continue.
A swift punishment followed. Slaps landed across his face until he broke down in tears, spilling the rest.
