When they bring the children in, my stomach twists. I told them not to do this. There's no honor in making the children watch their parents die. They're kids, half of them won't even understand what's happening. They're staring at their parents, some of them calling out. It looks like some of them are even playing with rocks, because children are still children even when you torture them.
Augustine doesn't look at me. Tauri is smirking, and it looks awful on him. I think about the last argument I had with Cardulo, three days ago, and I can't shake the feeling that maybe she was right, that Isaac was right, that Asher and I have wasted so much time for nothing.
Where is the righteous anger that burned Aretia? Brennan is still dead. That didn't bring him back. Neither will this.
Augustine is *pointedly* avoiding looking at me now; I don't like that. I watch him as he watches Tauri finish his sanctimonious speech.
*Codagh isn't speaking to me either,* Aimsir tells me. *You did the right thing, speaking for them.*
*It meant nothing,* I reply, nearly missing the end of Tauri's speech.
"-have already destroyed their city with their lies," he says, his words carried on Augustine's magic, "and now they will watch their future be destroyed as well."
Codagh starts to move and it's a moment before I realize he's not turning to face Fen and his people. Outrage pours down the bond from Aimsir as I reach the same conclusion she has.
The children.
"Melgren!" I shout, but he levels a glare at me and shakes his head. I'm surprised he heard me, given the shouts from the rebels, but like hell I'll stand here and let him make me party to-
Codagh's flames shoot across the open courtyard before anyone can do anything. I look instinctively, and see Fen's boy putting himself in front, a few others right alongside him including Cardulo's youngest, as if it will do them any good. The fire is so hot I can't see, but I can hear children screaming and I brace myself for the aftermath.
And then I realize something is wrong with Codagh's fire. The color is fading, the flames are fading, and then I see that the children are still standing.
I looking over to the rebels and I see the pride and the relief on Cassandra Mairi's face. I don't know what happened, but I'm not surprised she does. Brilliant fucking woman.
It hits me all over again what a waste this is.
"Sorrengail, get your-" Austine hisses my name and I snap back to attention.
"Aimsir refuses, sir," I say before he can get the command out, even though it's obvious I didn't ask her. She comes to my rescue anyway, supplying me with a reason a moment later. "It would make Codagh look weak."
He can't actually argue with Aimsir, but I can see Tauri seething behind him. Melgren stiffens, then turns to his king to provide whatever explanation Codagh has provided.
"General Melgren's dragon has seen fit to mark them," Tauri says, with Melgren hissing at his side. Sure enough, when I look back at the children I see what looks like dragonflame burned into the arm of Cassandra's children and all of the others. Tauri is announcing some bullshit about how this is supposed to keep them in line, and then Codagh turns to the rebels.
There is no miracle this time.
I didn't expect one.