Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Chapter 1398

At precisely three in the afternoon, the long execution block was brought forward.

The block was forged from ironwood, solid and unyielding. It was the only one of its kind in Starhaven, used solely for execution by Torso Cleaving.

The block had been kept in storage for years.

Augustus had once deemed the act of Torso Cleaving too brutal. Even those who committed the most grievous offenses were spared this form of execution. Yet, the punishment had not been abolished. It remained a tool to strike fear into the hearts of would-be traitors.

The cruelty of Torso Cleaving lay in the fact that after a person was cleaved in two, the upper body could still crawl, struggle, and leave behind a bloody trail.

Normally, Torso Cleaving wasn't meant to be witnessed by the public. But treason, betraying the kingdom, and plotting to overthrow the throne were considered unforgivable crimes.

Salvador didn't know how many people had dealings with the traitors, and some conspirators were too deeply hidden to uncover. So, he decided that such a gruesome spectacle would serve as a warning for any who had ever harbored treasonous thoughts.

Oliver's clothes were stripped away, and two guards held him down on the execution block. They pinned his shoulders firmly in place to prevent any movement.

rolled

the moment the executioner raised his great sword, many in the crowd averted

their eyes forward. Their necks were locked in place, and they were unable

only shut their eyes, trembling with

was the weakest of them all. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, releasing a high-pitched scream as the sword

his eyes open and watched. His gaze was as deep and still as the night.

when the executioner moved on from Oliver to Celeste, Clifford never looked away. The screams and gasps around him seemed to fade as he focused solely on watching the two crawl on the ground. Only

had already left with Evelyn, but Zoey remained. She

wasn't until she heard the people around her saying that Oliver was dead and not moving

bodies were not displayed to the public. Family members were required to retrieve them. Otherwise, they would be discarded at

simple grass mat, and she asked the executioner to help roll Oliver's body up. She then hired men to bury him in the mountains, ensuring that his remains wouldn't

small mound of

his body, but she had heard that if an ancestor's remains weren't buried, it could affect their descendants. It was for the sake of their descendants that she arranged for his burial. And, of course, she feared what Evelyn might do if Oliver's body was

for Celeste, Zoey had seen

Zoey to Hell Monarch Estate to dine

had been in a low mood ever since returning from