"I won't accept this punishment," I said, forcing the words past the fear that clawed violently at my chest like a living thing.
"I did nothing wrong."
My voice rang out across the open field, stronger than I felt, echoing into the tense silence. But the field itself didn't react. It didn't care. The silence that followed only confirmed they had all expected this from me.
Of course Nyx Vaeloria would resist. Of course she would fight back until her last breath. A typical Nyx would never simply lower her head, accept her fate quietly, and submit without clawing and screaming against the injustice.
Two Sentinels stepped forward before I could utter another word. Their cold, armored hands clamped around my arms with brutal, unyielding force, fingers digging into my flesh like iron vices. They handled me as though they expected me to bolt at any second, or worse, turn violent and attack.
