Chapter 20: Ramsay on His Knees

Hazel's POV

Ramsay knelt in the dust with the book held up in both hands, and I did not take it.

"Why now?" I said.

"Because the Chair is going to ruin me for it." His voice was hoarse.

"He'll say I was the architect, and the Court will believe him, because I'm the one who held you."

"You did hold me."

"Yes."

"For ten years."

"Yes."

He didn't look away.

"The Chair's people kept the official logs. Ruby wrote the true doses here, every month, and I made her sign each page."

"Why?"

"Because I knew the day would come when her father needed one of us to fall."

That was the first confession I had ever heard from him that came with no excuse.

It made me sick.

"Get up," I said.

He stood.

I took the book out of his hands. The strap was soft with years of being touched, and the leather was warm from his chest.

"Read it," I said.

"Hazel."

"Out loud. Start at the first page, and stop when I tell you."

The gray-braided Alpha stepped beside me.

"The Court will hear it," she said.

Ramsay opened the book with shaking hands.

"Day one," he read. "Eight drops, morning. Subject quiet. Cried after the second cup."

The courtyard was so silent I could hear the flags.

"Day nine. Raised to twelve. Subject asked for her grandmother's quilt. Quilt withheld."

"That's Ruby's note?" the gray-braided Alpha said.

"Yes."

"Go on."

He read for what felt like an hour.

He read the dates and the doses.

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