She met my eyes and I recoiled from the hatred burning inside.

“So he will die, and I am glad for it. I am glad.”

I nodded, silencing myself. It wouldn’t matter if I told the guardsmen who were coming to collect him what to do, anyway. It was too late. He’d lost too much blood. They opened the gate, slipped into the arena, and scooped the groaning Gala into their arms. They carried him out as quickly as they could, black blood dotting the sand behind him.

I prayed he would die quickly. Iltani was likely praying he wouldn’t.

Uruku raised his hands. Next to him, Gudanna fanned herself, panting heavily, holding her belly. It visibly contracted under her filmy tunic, and she grunted.

“Farmer and Guardsman,” Uruku commanded, his face twisted in pain, the gochala still at work in his blood. “You have not proven your innocence to me or to this city.” His face went white. “One of you must die!”

The crowds began to chant for them to be released. One lone voice in the back, then everyone joining in.

“Turn them loose! Turn them loose! Turn them loose! Turn them loose!”

Uruku’s face contorted in rage. “Guardsmen! Start the trial again!”

Rage welled up inside me like fire the louder the crowd yelled. The council members stood, conferring with one another, some confused, some angry. As the people below us chanted louder and louder, stronger and stronger, Uruku shook with fury.

“Listen to the crowd, Uruku. Let them go!” I cried.

“Yeah, you lice-infested donkey!” Iltani screeched.

He turned to look at us, his eyes glittering.

“They have proven themselves true, so let them go,” I demanded. Though it might cost me, I had to listen to my heart. And it was telling me to fight.

“Tell me where the nin is, and I will,” Uruku said through gritted teeth, gripping the edge of the viewing box until his knuckles were white.

And as soon as I did, we would all be dead.

“No.” My voice wavered with anger.

He slammed his hands down on the side of the box. “Tell me where she is, or you will join them in the Pit.”

Iltani spoke up. “You’d never accept her word, anyway, so why don’t you just suckle Alani’s teat in the Netherworld.”

A grin spread across Uruku’s sickly face as he stared at Iltani. “Then I’ll take your little healer friend to the party!”

Iltani launched herself at him in a growl, but he punched her in the jaw to the floor.

Roughly, he grabbed my arm and dragged me down the staircase. Iltani heaved herself up and tried to follow, but two burly guardsmen held her back. She screamed my name and kicked and clawed, but they held her fast. We tore through the crowds, them parting as he shoved me through. He pushed me down a side ladder into the Pit, where I crashed into the dirt. He followed and yanked me up by my hair, locking his arm around my throat.