As Alice was having lunch, she heard a horn.
Chris soon walked up to her afterward, his friends behind him.
“What happened to your eye?” she asked Chris, who appeared to have a black eye.
“Never mind that, the council would like to see you and your friends”
“The council?” Alice didn’t know the Secret Woods had a council, although it made some sense.
Soon after, they’d gotten all of their friends to come to a big treehouse in the center of the village, where the council was.
“So these are the 6 children who will save Iddenu?” An old man with a white beard asked.
“They’re nothing!” A gruff-looking man shouted, his yellow eyes flashing.
“Order! Order!” Chris shouted, waving his hand. “I have brought before you, Richard Calibaster, son of Robert Calibaster, a member of Bellona, who killed Jackson Verlice, general of the Secret Woods, and my father!”
There were gasps and whispers from the council, and Skylar’s mouth gaped open.
“Chris, how can you say that? We never knew who killed Papa!”
“But I remember this boy, Skye,” Chris argued, “He stood there as his father cut Papa down. Don’t you see, Skylar, that this boy is the son of our father’s killer? I know you’ve wanted revenge on whoever killed father for years.”
Tears sparkled in Skylar’s eyes as she stared at the floor, unable to look at Chris or Skylar. “I-I don’t know…I’ve wanted revenge…but it’s not his fault-”
Chris stormed over to Richard, spitting in his face as he said, “Do you remember, Calibaster? Do you remember the day you went on a ‘hunting’ trip with your bastard of a father? Do you remember as he murdered my Papa? Do you remember running away like a coward?”
“I-I…” Richard began to say, staring at the floor. Then realization hit his face as if he’d remembered something. “I-I do…I remember now.” Richard looked up at Skylar, who had fallen to her knees in pain and anguish. “Skylar, I’m sorry for whatever my father has done. And…I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”
Chris was not done, though, as he glared at Richard and protested, “This boy’s father has killed at least one of our own, and this boy was there to witness it. Who knows if he is capable of the same things his father is.”
The council murmured approval, as Skylar cried softly while Alice and Helen comforted her.
“We must suspend Richard Calibaster in the detention area until further notice to guarantee the safety of our people.” The council once again nodded in approval, and two Protectors walked over and grabbed each of Richard’s arms. Richard didn’t fight them, just looked down in shame.
But Alice saw Luke and Peter nod at each other, and they ran to the Protectors holding Richard. “Let him go!” Peter shouted, “He’s innocent!” Luke said.
But the Protectors had to be at least 5 years older than them and easily pushed the two to the ground.
That was when Helen stepped forward. She walked to the center of the room, bravely looking each of the council members in the eyes. The room was silenced.
“Council of the Secret Woods,” she said, “you must understand that Richard is innocent! He wasn’t the one to kill a member of your village, his father was. You cannot blame him for his father’s crimes.”
“He can be just like his father!” A councilman shouted at her, throwing his pen at Helen’s face. Alice saw Luke glare at the councilman, making him shrink in his seat.
“You cannot make that decision just from a feeling! You cannot throw an innocent boy to prison because of what you assume!”
“If that is the case, Helen,” Chris said darkly, “then why don’t you go with your boyfriend to our detention center?”
“I will,” Helen said bravely and walked over to where the Protectors were holding Richard.
“So will I,” Alice was surprised to hear Peter say.
“As will I,” Alice agreed.
“I will,” Luke gave the council member who’d thrown the pen at Helen a glare.
They all walked over to Richard and Helen like they were protecting him. Chris rolled his eyes.
“Come on, Skye, this is stupid.”
Skylar’s eyes were pink and puffy from her short fit of weeping, but now they had that defiant glow everyone knew. “No, Chris, this is wrong. I am part of something bigger than my family now. Something you could never understand. I do not blame Richard for Papa’s death. So if you don’t mind, I will go with my friends. No matter where they lead, I will always follow. This is my purpose, far greater than anything you could’ve planned for me.”
Chris looked shocked, mouth and eyes wide open. But Skylar had made her decision. “Come on, I’ll take you to the detention block."250Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlY3O9ERltc
