If Kiva hadn’t been so shocked by the woman’s sentence, she might have questioned the origin of Jaren’s knowledge. She herself had heard whispers throughout her years at Zalindov, legends of prisoners who had received the unforgiving sentence. But she’d known nothing of the Trials prior to her arrival.

“Elemental t-tasks?” Tipp’s forehead was bunched. “But only the r-royal family has elemental m-magic these days.”

“The tasks might be inspired by magic of old,” Jaren continued sharing, “but it’s said that if a person is truly innocent, they’ll be able to make it through the four Ordeals without needing any kind of power.”

“So . . . if this woman d-does these Trials, she’ll be able t-to leave Zalindov? Free?” Tipp asked, looking awed by the thought, as if he wished it for his own future.

“No one has ever survived the full Trial by Ordeal, Tipp,” Kiva broke in softly. “One or two of the tasks, maybe. Just enough to lull them into a false sense of security. But never all four.” She whispered to finish, “It’s a death sentence.”

Jaren nodded grimly in agreement.

Tipp paled, then looked toward the unconscious woman. He bit his lip and said, “I guess that m-makes sense, if she r-r-really is who they think she is.”

Kiva finally unfroze her fingers to remove the cloth from the new arrival’s face. “Who do they think she is?”

It was Naari who answered as Kiva drew the rags away, revealing the woman’s features.

“It’s believed that she’s Tilda Corentine,” the guard said. “The Rebel Queen.”

Kiva’s heart stopped as she stared down at the middle-aged woman.

Straight nose, thick lashes, dark hair and brows. Her tanned skin had an unhealthy tinge to it, and when her eyes opened for a brief second before fluttering shut again, they were milky white. The woman was blind, and, with her both shivering and sweating at once, it was clear that she was very ill.

All of this Kiva took in within the space of half a breath, because that was how long it took for the shock to hit her.

“King Stellan and Queen Ariana want to make an example out of her,” Naari went on, “especially since she was captured while recruiting more followers in Mirraven, and Evalon doesn’t have an extradition treaty with them, given the tenuous relationship between our two kingdoms. The best the king and queen could do was petition to have her sent here, where justice could be served, even if it meant they couldn’t interrogate her beforehand.” Naari looked at the sick woman. “Though . . . in this state, I doubt she would have been able to reveal anything, even if they’d been able to intercept her before arrival.”