Chapter 7: The Night They Finally Saw Me

The words [Subject Status: Deceased.] remained suspended above the altar.

No one dared to speak.

Three days ago, I had died alone in the forest while the people I loved celebrated Elara's birthday.

Now they were finally being forced to look at the truth.

Theodore took one unsteady step toward the Settlement Stone.

"Show us what happened."

The elder looked at him for a long moment before nodding.

"Phase Two will begin."

The altar lights suddenly dimmed.

A cold silver glow spread across the stone.

[Phase Two: Determine the circumstances surrounding the subject's death.]

The first image appeared.

I was running through the forest.

My dress was torn. My face was wet with tears. Blood covered one side of my body.

My father stared at the image in horror.

"That's the night of Elara's birthday..."

The next image showed me falling into the mud as several rogues surrounded me.

The crowd gasped.

My mother covered her mouth.

"No..."

Theodore's face had gone completely pale.

The recording continued.

They attacked me.

I fought desperately, but I was already injured. Every time I tried to escape, they dragged me back.

Then the image showed me crawling toward my phone.

My fingers were shaking so badly that I could barely touch the screen.

Theodore recognized the scene immediately.

His breathing became ragged.

"No... don't show this."

But the Settlement Stone continued.

My phone screen appeared above the altar.

One contact.

Theodore.

The call connected.

My weak voice echoed across the entire altar.

"Help me... Theodore... I'm dying..."

Theodore's knees nearly gave out.

Everyone heard his reply.

"Diana, enough! This is Elara's big day. Have some decency and stop competing for attention!"

Then the call ended.

A collective gasp tore through the crowd.

Theodore stared at the ground.

He couldn't even look at my image anymore.

Maria was crying silently.

The recording wasn't finished.

A new message appeared on the screen.

[Emergency Pack Bond: Disabled.]

The elder turned toward my parents.

"Who disabled her emergency bond?"

Neither of them answered.

The Settlement Stone answered for them.

[Authorization: Diana Mitchell's parents.]

My father stumbled backward.

"We thought she was dangerous! We believed she'd deliberately exposed Elara to silver!"

"You disabled the emergency bond because of an accusation?" the elder asked coldly.

My mother began sobbing.

"We didn't know..."

Maria's voice cut through the altar.

"You never wanted to know."

Theodore suddenly looked at Elara.

"You said Diana gave you silver."

Elara's face drained of color.

"I... I thought she did."

"You thought?"

His voice was dangerously quiet.

"You told me she poisoned you."

Elara's lips trembled.

"I was scared. I was sick. I didn't know what else to think."

The Settlement Stone flashed.

[Intent Verification Requested.]

Elara froze.

"No."

The elder raised his hand.

"The system will now verify the source of the silver exposure."

A final memory appeared.

Elara stood alone in my room.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a small silver object.

Then she smiled.

The crowd fell into stunned silence.

My mother shook her head violently.

"Elara..."

The image changed.

Elara placed the silver object inside the gift box I'd prepared for her.

Then she carefully closed the lid.

Theodore's eyes widened.

His entire body began to tremble.

"You did this?"

Elara immediately started crying.

"Theodore, I was afraid! She was always better than me. Everyone loved her achievements. I only wanted you to stay with me!"

"So you framed her?"

Elara couldn't answer.

The crowd erupted in anger.

"She planted the silver herself!"

"She knew Diana would be blamed!"

"And Diana died because of it!"

My father looked at Elara as if he had never seen her before.

My mother sank to the ground.

Adrian backed away from his sister.

And Theodore stood completely motionless.

For years, he'd believed Elara was fragile and innocent.

Now he was finally seeing the person she had always been.

The Settlement Stone displayed one final message.

[Cause of Death Confirmed: Rogue Attack.]

[Contributing Factors: False Accusation. Emergency Bond Disabled. Mate's Refusal of Aid.]

Theodore's face crumpled.

"I killed her..."

Maria stepped toward him.

"No. Diana was killed by the rogues."

She looked directly into his eyes.

"But you made sure no one came to save her."

Theodore's eyes filled with tears.

He looked toward the empty seat where I should have been sitting.

"Diana, I'm sorry."

I stared at him silently.

Three days ago, I would have given anything to hear those words.

Now they meant nothing.

The Moon Goddess's voice echoed across the altar.

"The truth has been revealed."

[Phase Two Complete.]

[Phase Three: Determine the debt owed to the deceased.]