Shadow Slave

Changing Star's words brought the room to dead silence. On both sides of it, people were slowly preparing themselves, dark resentment burning in their eyes. It felt as though the tension reached critical mass and was about to explode into a storm of violence.

Only three people remained calm and unaffected by the direness of the situation: Nephis herself, Sunny… and Tessai.

The giant bared his canines in a grin. His eyes, however, remained cold as ice.

"What a… revelation. And here I was, thinking that you are a great defender of justice. Were you not, Changing Star? Or is your sense of justice reserved only for the crimes of those who don't serve you?"

He sighed and added, his voice full of disappointment:

"That huntress of yours is accused of murder. Why are you trying to prevent me from bringing her to justice? I thought that you, of all people, would not get in the way of fairness."

Nephis frowned.

"Accused does not mean convicted. Why do you claim that she is guilty?"

Tessai stared at her and said, his low voice sending tremors through the stone hall:

"There is plenty of evidence. There are plenty of witnesses. So many people came forward to give a testimony! Her guilt is undeniable. How will you answer that, Changing Star?"

Sunny smiled slightly.

'How peculiar. So many people apparently saw Effie slaughter those fools. Did I imagine killing them or what? I was a bit crazy at the time, to be fair. Ha.'

Before Nephis could answer, Kai suddenly took a step forward and shouted:

"That is impossible! I…"

young man hesitated, then

Star turned to the

for so long, and wasn't informed of these…

expression. Sunny did not take his eyes off of Tessai, however, his shadow stared at

disappeared from her face, replaced

with her. All of us are, in fact. We are awfully curious to see that evidence and hear those witnesses. And, most of all, we are all dying to see

a deep frown, he looked down on Neph from his oppressive height and

you think that you

looking at him. Then, her eyes suddenly shone with furious white light. In a voice that promised agony and death, she said with

to

at her with a complicated expression. It seemed

a mask, though. A masterful performance to hide his true

Triumph and jubilation.

true goal had always been Nephis. She was the one Gunlaug wanted to

Changing Star was as far

a demon

with something that resembled pity. Meanwhile, Tessai slowly shook his head and said, his

the Castle, if you want. Bring your rats with you. All of you will witness the

***

the tall huntress by the shoulder. Her hands were tied behind her back with a flimsy rope — more of a symbolic gesture than a

members of Changing Star's faction were right behind them, throwing menacing looks at each other. Their faces were grim and full of resentful indignation. Sunny had

toward the Castle, more and more slum dwellers surrounded

"They got Effie!"

"Bastards! Let her go!"