Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 1064

All the eyes filled with anger and hatred seemed to merge into blazing flames, flames so hot they felt as if they could scorch her.

At that instant, Aurora felt as though she were being roasted alive. Fear squeezed her chest, almost crushing her heart. Her entire body was wracked with pain.

The cries of the crowd rang out like thunder.

"Kill her! Kill this demon and offer her as a sacrifice to the spirits of the villagers she slaughtered!"

Aurora trembled uncontrollably, unable to hold herself together. She curled into a ball in the cage, too terrified to open her eyes and face them. The sounds of shouting and violence filled the air around her.

Leroy raised his arm. "Move aside, everyone! Clear a path! We're taking this prisoner to the grave pit. Once there, I will release her, and you can do as you wish with her. But…"

He paused, his voice taking on a sharp edge.

"One thing—her head must be left intact. We need to bring it back to the capital to report to the king. You can tear her to pieces, but do not destroy her head, or the king won't recognize her."

Everyone had waited for this day for so long.

Their eyes burned with blood-red rage, but the deed was done. The prisoner had been brought to them. They weren't in a hurry. First, they would take her to the grave pit. Then, they would deal with her there in honor of those who had died.

The spirits of the fallen would be avenged today.

The ox cart moved forward, with someone from the village guiding the way. When counted carefully, there were only about thirty villagers left.

They walked on, shedding their outer garments to reveal the black mourning clothes underneath. These people had once been whole families, with parents and children. They weren't wealthy, but they had lived together in peace.

A group ahead of them raised a black banner. They had come from a small side path and formed a line, with those on the left holding the white banners and those on the right scattering flowers.

But at least, if someone else was there to die with her, it would be better than facing death alone. Back at Victory Pass, Barrett had promised they would face whatever came together, through life or death.

He had said it.

"Barrett... Barrett, please come. Please come..." she mumbled to herself, as if uttering his name could ease some of the terror tightening around her chest.

By the time they reached the grave pit, Barrett had not arrived. All around Aurora were the deafening shouts of people calling for her death to pay for her crimes.

She looked around, her eyes wide with panic. The hatred in the eyes of the villagers seemed capable of burning through her.

The suffocating sense of death loomed over her. Her stomach churned violently. She retched, vomiting the sour remnants of yesterday's meal onto the ground.