The Unblessed Dead by Rhiannon Frater

Author:Rhiannon Frater [Frater, Rhiannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

The Accuser

The shrill screams of my only friend slice through me like a knife. The piercing sound ricochets around the room. The three older men wince at Prudence’s emotional display while Quade takes several steps toward her before hesitating. His gaze slides to me and Carrie. We both shake our heads. Fingers twitching at his sides, Quade grunts with frustration.

“Don’t touch her,” my father says to Quade. “I can see you wish to console her but it’s our way.”

“At least get her mother in here to take care of her,” Quade replies. “She’s clearly devastated.”

Prudence rips at her hair with her hands, rocking back and forth on her chair. I don’t know how the Elders expected her to respond to the news of her brother’s death. If someone told me my brother was among the Beloved Dead, I wouldn’t be able to contain myself. I scoot toward the edge of my chair, tempted to console her. Prudence stood by my side during my worst days and I want to do the same for her. I start to stand but Carrie grabs my wrist to hold me in place.

It’s too late. Prudence sees my aborted attempt to go comfort her and she lets out a terrifying, guttural cry. “You did this!”

“No, no! Never!”

“You lured him to the cemetery and… and… afterward killed him!” Thrusting an accusing, shaking finger at me, Prudence’s red face hardens with hatred. “You killed my brother to protect your Pious Standing!”

This is why we are all in here, Ilyse. It’s a trap.

It’s difficult not to look at Quade when I hear his voice in my head. I know he’s right. I realize a bit too late that Elder Johan is the Interrogator. He placed us in this room to coerce the truth from us. Prudence is our greatest threat.

“How can you say such a thing?” Carrie glares at Prudence. “My sister had nothing to do with your brother.”

“That’s a lie!” Prudence roars back, lunging out of her chair toward me.

My instinct is to verbally defend myself but Quade makes a subtle move in my direction.

Let Carrie deal with her.

Carrie intercepts her, pushing her away from me. “No, it’s not! I saw your brother attempt to engage her more than once and my sister ignored him!”

“Is this true, Carrie?” my father asks hopefully.

“Of course, it is!” Carrie stares at my father with shock and disappointment. “You know my sister is faithful to the Lost Texts.”

“No, she’s not! She killed him! I know it! I never should have trusted her! She’s just like her mother!”

My father pales at this slight and raises a shaking hand to his brow. Prudence’s words obviously sliced deep and my anger against her grows.

Elder Alvus’s watery eyes regard us from beneath his shaggy salt and pepper eyebrows. He raises one age-speckled hand, gesturing for Prudence to return to her chair. “Calm yourself, Prudence, and explain your accusation.”

Wiping away tears and snot with the back of her hand, Prudence automatically obeys, years of training taking hold despite her outburst.

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