THEN SO BE IT

"I want to be tried by the Moon Spirit."

It took only three seconds of absolute quiet before the entire hall erupted into utter chaos.

Everyone began screaming and cursing at Polly, as though she had just committed a crime worse than the murder she was already accused of.

"How dare you request a trial by the Moon Spirit? Have you no shame left in you?"

"Do you wish to desecrate the sacred stream with your cursed soul?"

The crowds cursed at Polly, their voices toppling over one another, but she just shut her eyes, unmoving.

The guards struggled to calm the crowd, but the more they tried, the more frantic the uproar grew.

Rael stood motionless, staring at the woman kneeling before him. He wasn’t sure if he was amused or simply stunned. The Polly he knew wasn’t this smart.

He had expected her to collapse, sobbing and begging for mercy. Instead, she had demanded to be tried by the sacred Moon Spirit.

Rael’s lips curved into a smirk. There was only one outcome for a person tried by the Moon Spirit- death.

So... she was ready to die?

He tilted his head slightly, studying her trembling form. Her fingers clutched the edge of her shawl as though her life depended on it.

The crowd was not calming down one bit; their voices were growing louder and louder. She was guilty- how dare she invoke the holy trial? Trials by the Moon Spirit were reserved for crimes not involving death, certainly not for the murder of a Luna.

Well, if that was what she wanted, he would gladly grant her wish. It was the perfect opportunity to eliminate her and weaken her father's influence. Killing two birds with one stone. Perfect.

"If that is what she wants, then so be it."

Adelaide's head snapped up at him, her gaze locking onto Rael.

His smirk was filled with cruel anticipation and something that looked like amusement.

The hall gradually quieted at the Alpha’s utterance, the crowd exchanging uneasy glances, confused as to why he had decided to support her all of a sudden.

"The princess claims she did not kill my mate. Shouldn’t we give her the benefit of the doubt?"

"No!" Polly’s mother screamed, springing to her feet. "She doesn’t know what she’s saying! She didn’t mean that!" Her voice quivered as she shot desperate looks at Polly, as though pleading for her to take back her words.

Adelaide sighed inwardly as she rolled her eyes. Polly must have committed so many crimes that even her own mother couldn’t believe she was innocent.

Rael folded his arms behind his back, fixing Adelaide with a penetrating stare as he waited for her reaction.

Adelaide knew he wanted her to go back on her words like a scaredy-cat. But she was not Polly, neither was she stupid.

Straightening her spine, she took a deep breath and repeated, her voice unwavering:

"I did not poison the Luna. I admit giving her the box of strawberries, but they were not poisoned. No one here will believe me, and the only way to prove my innocence is through this ritual. If I die, then so be it."

Rael’s smile deepened, cold and vicious. He was enjoying this far too much. What better way to rid himself of a nuisance?

"We have no power to oppose a Moon Spirit Trial. As the accused has requested it, it shall be granted—"

"However, I have one condition," Adelaide interrupted sharply, cutting him off.

Rael raised a brow, his expression amused and skeptical.

"You are hardly in a position to make demands now, don't you think?" he drawled.

"That’s only if I’m found guilty," Adelaide said calmly. "If I am proven innocent, I demand a public apology from the Alpha for insulting and disgracing a princess so shamefully."

The hall fell into stunned silence.

Alpha Rael's expression darkened, the color draining from his face.

What did she just say?

The Polly he remembered could barely meet his gaze without trembling like a frightened cat. Now, she stared him down boldly, and not only that, she had the audacity to demand an apology?

The crowd shifted uneasily as they exchanged glances between themselves, uncertain how to react. Her words had begun planting doubt among them.

What if she truly hadn’t killed the Luna?

Would the Alpha really have to apologize to that girl... publicly?

Adelaide almost laughed at the sight of Rael’s stunned face.

His expression wavered between disbelief and concern, as if he was trying to decide whether she was serious or just completely unhinged.

Yes, of course, I'm unhinged!

Do I look like the pathetic Polly you know? she cursed internally.

How could the old Polly dare challenge her oh-so-beloved Alpha?

Pft!

Adelaide’s lips curled into a slight, taunting smile, her eyes forming sinister crescents, silently taunting him as he watched her in disbelief.

What’s wrong, Alpha? Cat got your tongue?

Imagine the scandal that would sweep through the packs if word spread that the revered Alpha Rael had wrongly accused a princess of murder, forced her through a Moon Trial, and then refused to apologize when she was proven innocent.

Especially now that his Luna had died under mysterious circumstances, Adelaide was sure he wasn't stupid enough to turn her down.

Clearly thinking along the same lines, Rael inhaled slowly, controlling his rage.

"Fine," he said tightly. "It is only fair that I apologize to an innocent person falsely accused of murder. But that’s only if you survive- of which I highly doubt, given the overwhelming evidence against you."

He spoke barely looking at her now, as if she were insignificant, as though even acknowledging her was beneath him.

Turning to the hall, he barked, "The Moon Trial will be held tomorrow. Inform the High Priestess immediately. We need to get this over with and proceed with the Luna’s burial."

Without another glance at Polly, he strode out of the hall.

The moment he disappeared, Adelaide released a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

In an instant, Polly’s mother rushed to her side, clutching her chained hands.

"What have you done!" she cried. "You cannot survive the Moon Trial- whether you are innocent or not! You will still die!"

Adelaide blinked, and then blinked again.

What?!