“It’s true,” Tyr says in a soft voice, but if he was planning to say anything else, it’s drowned out by a chorus of shouts and condemnations.

My eye catches on the door, and I recognize Halo, one of the Tributes. Seeing her frightened face and her hands clasped, my shoulders tighten. I was afraid of this.

Earlier this morning, Tyr asked that a message be sent to Apricia requesting she return to her home in the Twenty-Fourth District. He’d spoken with the Mirror, which confirmed it had chosen her through Atlas’s deception, and it wouldn’t be right to proceed with a bonding.

In fact, every remaining Tribute was granted a pardon and told they could return to their former lives. Some might be happier about that news than others.

The Mirror told Tyr that he could hold his own Trial to determine his bonded partner at a later time. I doubt that will ever happen, but I was all too happy to have the news delivered to Apricia. I wanted to handle it myself, but then I was called to this stupid meeting.

I was hoping she’d go quietly with her tail between her legs, but from the look on Halo’s face, I know that was also naive and wishful thinking. She spots me and then scurries to where I’m sitting. No one seems to notice; everyone is too busy arguing amongst themselves.

She bends down and whispers, “We need help. Apricia hasn’t taken the news of her dismissal well.”

I notice Cornelius Heulfryn eyeing the two of us from across the table. I try to decide whether soliciting his help would be better or worse. Can he calm his daughter down? In hindsight, maybe I should have discussed all of this with him to begin with. He’s always struck me as a reasonable man, but I rushed through the process in my excitement to get Apricia out of here.

“I’m coming,” I whisper to Halo. Then I look over at Cornelius and jerk my chin towards the door. He nods and pushes himself up, proving that he’s also a smart man.

I stand too as Erevan gives me a quizzical look.

“Sorry, I need to go,” I say. I feel bad leaving him and Tyr, but I have no authority here, and they’ll have to sort this out on their own.

Cornelius and I follow Halo out of the room and through the palace into the queen’s wing. Even from a distance, I hear the screech that’s so adept at shredding every eardrum located within a square mile.

Halo walks in front of us with her hands clasped and tosses a worried look over her shoulder.

“What is the meaning of this?” Cornelius asks, peering down the hallway.