Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Falsely Accused

I paced in my tiny cell, buried at the bottom of the Seat, deep under the mountain while my mind whirled and argued and fought for focus.

Pagomaris hadn't given me even a second to explain. "How could you?" She gasped as I reached for her with Grandmother's magic, wanting her to understand I had nothing to do with her beloved Ruler's death.

But Pagomaris took the touch the wrong way.

"How despicable," she hissed, hovering over the body as though I tried to take Ahbi's physical form away from her adoring aide. "Murdering your own blood and stealing her power for your own. You disgust me. Guards!" I trembled as I tried to put two words together, heart screaming "No!" while my lips opened and closed in silence even as a pair of giant demons in uniforms grabbed me and clamped stone shackles around my hands.