Astraea's POV
I sat rigid on the cold bench with my arms crossed tightly against my chest and my legs crossed at the knee.
For three long, maddening days, I'd been confined to my room with no explanations and not even a chance to defend myself. All I had was the deafening silence and the seriousness of the accusations that had been hurled my way.
Murderer. Traitor. A disgrace to the House of Vaelthar.
The words haunted me, even though I'd only heard them from the guards that were stationed outside my door.
False accusations, every one of them. I did not kill Prince Caldris of Arkarion like they all believed I did.
Arkarion was the neighboring kingdom that governed the southern underworld, and the fact that they all thought I was daring enough to infiltrate another kingdom to kill their only heir made me wonder how come they suddenly thought so highly of me.
Try as I might to explain that I was innocent, no one believed me—not my own brother, Demon King Therion Vaelthar, not the Assembly, and certainly not the one who orchestrated this entire charade: Valkyrie, Therion's adopted daughter and the kingdom's golden child.
Valkyrie. Just thinking her name made my nails bite into my palms. Clever, calculating, and dangerously charming, she'd positioned herself as the perfect heir in Therion's eyes—a role I'd never wanted but now seemed forced to defend.
My innocence wasn't just a matter of my pride; it was my life on the line.
The doors of the hall opened, and I straightened, my heart pounding with dread. The assembly entered first, and I scanned their faces as they took their seats one by one.
Eryndor, the eldest of the Assembly and a man with piercing silver eyes that seemed to see through your soul, settled at the center. To his left was Kaelor, who had an expression of disdain on his face as usual.
On Eryndor's right sat Selyna, the lone woman among them, her face as unreadable as the stars she was communed with, and last was Galdric, the youngest of the Assembly but no less intimidating.
And then came Therion.
My brother walked into the hall, with his dark horns curled back against his head, and his eye, once warm, now cold as steel. He didn't even look at me as he climbed up his throne at the center of the dais.
"Let the trial of Astraea Vaelthar commence," he commanded.
I stood up from my seat, my chin held high despite the quiver in my knees. The hall was awfully silent, except for the crackling of the fire pits that lined the room, and I could feel all their eyes on me—judging, scrutinizing, and condemning.
"Astraea," Eryndor began, "you stand accused of the murder of Prince Caldris of Arkarion, and the evidence against you is substantial. Witnesses claim to have seen you in the vicinity of the Arkarion borders on the night of his death, and a dagger bearing your insignia was found at the scene. What do you say to these charges?"
I took a deep breath, steadying my voice. "I am innocent. I did not kill Prince Caldris, and I was nowhere near Arkarion that night. I was here, within the palace walls."
"And yet," Kaelor interjected, his lips curling into a sneer, "your dagger was found plunged into his heart. Are you suggesting someone stole it? A rather convenient excuse, don't you think?"
"It's not an excuse; it's the truth," I snapped, my temper flaring. "Someone framed me—Valkyrie. She's the one who—"
"Careful," Selyna warned. "Accusations against the King's heir are not to be made lightly."
I turned to Therion, my desperation getting the better of me. "Brother, you know me. You know I wouldn't do this. Valkyrie has always hated me. She—"
"That is enough, Astraea," Therion cut in. "This trial is not about Valkyrie. It is about you and your actions."
His cold response shouldn't hurt anyone, but it did. How could he look at me with such indifference? How could he not see the truth?
"Why would I kill Prince Caldris?" I argued, my voice rising despite myself. "What possible reason would I have? Arkarion has been our ally for centuries, and I gain nothing from his death."
"Perhaps you sought to weaken our alliance," Galdric suggested. "Or perhaps it was a personal vendetta. Did the prince spite you in some way?"
"No!" I shouted, feeling frustrated. "I have no vendetta, no motive. This is all Valkyrie's doing. She has everything to gain from this. She's the one who—"
"Astraea," Therion said sharply, his eyes finally meeting mine. "Do not test my patience."
I clenched my fists, swallowing back the words threatening to spill out. How could they not see it? How could they be so blind?
"Do you have any evidence to support your claims?" Eryndor asked, his silver eyes fixed on me. "Anything to prove your innocence?"
My mind raced. Evidence. Proof, but what could I offer? I'd been locked away and denied the chance to investigate, and defend myself. All I had were my words, and they were clearly not enough.
"I..." My voice faltered, and for the first time, doubt crept into my mind. What if I couldn't convince them? What if this was the end?
Therion leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "This is your chance, Astraea. Speak now, or accept the verdict."
I met his eyes, searching for even a shred of the brother who had once stood by my side, but all I saw was the Demon King, cold and unforgiving.
"I am being set up," I said finally. "I don't have proof because I've been denied the chance to find it, but I swear to you, on my life, that I did not kill Prince Caldris. Someone else planned this, and I believe it was Valkyrie. If you won't believe me, then at least give me the chance to prove it."
"Unfortunately, Astraea," Selyna chimed in, "there will be no opportunity for you to prove yourself. King Aldrin demands justice for his son, or else the alliance between Arkarion and Vaelthar will crumble, and that—" she paused, her piercing eyes locking on mine, "is a consequence we cannot afford. Thanks to your brilliant idea of killing an ally's son, we are at the brink of war."
My breath caught, and my fists clenched as my temper flared. "I didn't kill him!" I snapped. "Why won't any of you believe me? I've told you a thousand times—I was framed!"
A snort came from Galdric, who leaned forward with a sneer etched across his rugged face. "Why won't anyone believe you?" he repeated mockingly. "Perhaps you should ask yourself that question, Astraea. You've always been stubborn and rebellious, always defying authority. You've made it easy for people to think you capable of such... impulsive violence."
I turned to him, not bothering to hide my disgust. "So that's it?" I said. "I'm rebellious, so I must be a murderer? Is that really all it takes for you to condemn me?"
Instead of responding, Galdric leaned back in his seat, his expression impassive. I glanced at the others—Eryndor, Kaelor, even Selyna—and was met with silence. Not one of them could meet my eyes, and their averted gazes told me everything I needed to know.
They weren't interested in justice. They were interested in preserving the alliance at all costs—even if it meant sacrificing me.
No matter what I said, no matter how much I protested, I was going to be punished for a crime I didn't commit.
I turned my gaze to Therion, who sat silently, his expression unreadable. I knew my brother had the power to save me. He could put an end to this farce with a single word, and yet, he said nothing.
I straightened, forcing myself to remain composed even as my heart pounded with fear. "Therion," I called out. "You know me. You've known me my whole life. Do you really believe I'm capable of this?"
For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something in his eyes—a flicker of doubt, of hesitation, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the hard gaze of the Demon King.
He stood up from his throne, and the room fell deathly silent as he spoke.
"I have made my verdict," Therion said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Astraea Vaelthar, for the murder of Prince Caldris of Arkarion, you are hereby sentenced to permanent banishment from the underworld."
The words didn't register at first, and I stared at him, my mind struggling to process what I'd just heard.
"Banishment?" I repeated, my voice barely audible. "You're banishing me?"
His expression remained impassive. "You leave at dawn."
I felt the ground tilt under me, as if the entire world had shifted. "No," I said, shaking my head. "You can't do this. You know I didn't do it. You know I'm innocent!"
Therion's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.
"Therion!" I shouted, my voice cracking with desperation. "Look at me! Do you really think I'm capable of killing Caldris? Do you honestly believe that?"
"I believe what the evidence suggests," he said. "This is not a decision I made lightly, Astraea, but as king, I must act in the best interests of our kingdom."
I laughed bitterly. "The best interests of the kingdom? You mean the best interests of Valkyrie. She's the one who did this, Therion! She's the one who—"
"That is enough!" he roared, shutting me up. "Your punishment has been decided. You will leave the underworld, and you will not return. This is final."