The Marquis froze. The faked tears on his face seemed to turn to ice in an instant. The court went deathly silent for a heartbeat before exploding into a frantic mumble of shock.
"Assassin?" the Judge stammered. "An assassin in the Duke's estate?"
"Bring him in," Alaric commanded.
The side doors opened, and Sir Kaelen led a figure in heavy chains. The man was dressed in the blackened leather of a high-ranking killer, his bruised face and broken nose screaming of how much beating he had received before coming here. The Marquis felt his heart drop into his stomach as soon as he saw him. It was him. It was the Reaper.
How? the Marquis's mind screamed. His reputation says he is supposed to be a ghost. No one catches him! So why is he here? How did he get caught?
The assassin was forced to his knees in the center of the hall. The Emperor finally leaned forward, his bored expression replaced by a sharp, hungry curiosity.
