Chapter 46 Acquitted
~ Taren's POV ~
The fact that I had pleaded not guilty clearly did not sit well with most of the people present, because almost immediately, low murmurs began to ripple through the crowd. The sound reached my ears like the buzzing of angry insects, thick with disbelief and quiet condemnation. I could feel their eyes on me, weighing me, judging me, already deciding my guilt in their minds.
Even the judge looked as though he could not quite believe what he had just heard. His brows drew together, and his gaze lingered on me longer than necessary, as though he were searching my face for cracks or hesitation.
“Are you saying you did not betray your Alpha?” he asked, his voice firm but probing, as if he wanted to be absolutely certain that I understood the gravity of my words.
“I did not,” I told him, my voice steady despite the tension coiling in my chest.
“And you are saying that you did not provide access to forbidden magic to the prisoner?” he continued, pressing further.
“I did not do that either,” I answered with confidence, even as a quiet fear stirred deep inside me.
I could not help but wonder if I was digging myself into a deeper pit with every denial. Still, I trusted Alpha Kael. I trusted that his message had meaning. At the same time, I did not want to die. Not yet. Lyra still needed me, and the thought of leaving her alone hardened my resolve.
The judge nodded slowly, then picked up a paper from the desk before him. His eyes skimmed over it briefly before he began to read aloud.
“Taren Wallace, where were you, and what were you doing, on the morning that Gordon moved the prisoner out of the pack house?”
The first question landed heavily, echoing in my mind even before I answered.
“I was with Kaitlyn that morning until it was time to get the prisoner’s food from the kitchen,” I explained, choosing my words carefully but honestly. “I never saw Gordon until I was almost at the dungeon entrance.”
There was no fear in me concerning this accusation, because I knew without a shred of doubt that it was false.
“If Kaitlyn is called upon, will her testimony be the same as yours?” the judge asked.
“I believe so,” I replied.
“Come forward to the witness stand, Kaitlyn,” he called.
Kaitlyn rose from her seat and walked forward, her steps calm as she entered the witness box. The room grew quieter as all eyes turned to her.
“Do you swear by the Moon Goddess to speak the truth and nothing but the truth before all present here?” the judge asked.
“I do,” she answered without hesitation.
“Is it true that Taren was with you on the morning of Gordon’s treacherous act?” the judge continued.
“Yes, it is true,” she said. “He was with me that morning, and I never saw him speak with Gordon, even while he was heading to the kitchen.”
“If he claims to be innocent, then why did he not report the issue immediately?” Beta Dagan suddenly interjected, his voice sharp and accusatory.
“I did report to you, Beta Dagan,” I answered, unable to keep the confusion from my voice. He had been the first person I went to that day.
“Yes, you reported minutes after they had already left,” he sneered, his lips curling with disdain.
“Leave the questioning for the judge, Beta Dagan,” Elder Rowan snapped, his tone carrying authority.
“Well, he is not asking the right questions,” Beta Dagan fired back.
The judge lifted his gaze sharply to Dagan, his eyes hardening. “Would you like to continue asking the questions,” he said coldly, “or perhaps take over my position, since you seem to believe you can do my job better than I can?”
A heavy silence followed. No one spoke. Even Beta Dagan had the sense to retreat into quiet.
The judge turned his attention back to me. “Taren,” he said, “if you were not in collaboration with Gordon, then why did you not report to the Alpha that the witch was using magic, despite being in the same room while it was happening?”
“No magic happened in the room,” I replied without flinching. The words from the night before echoed in my mind, clear and unwavering. Deny everything. “I do not know where such accusations are coming from.”
“Are you suggesting that the Alpha and the witness are lying?” the judge pressed.
“No,” I said firmly. “I am only stating what I know from my own experience. They may have seen something that I did not.”
The judge studied me for a moment before speaking again. “Miss Brenda, please step into the witness box.”
My brows furrowed immediately. Why was she being called? What exactly had she seen? A knot of unease twisted in my stomach.
“Do you swear by the Moon Goddess to speak the truth and nothing but the truth in the presence of all seated here?” the judge asked her.
“I do,” she replied.
“Your testimony states that you saw flashes of strange light coming from the prisoner’s room while Taren was still inside. Is that true?” the judge asked.
My confusion deepened. So she was the one who reported it. But how had she even seen that? Or was this all carefully arranged to trap me?
“It is true,” she said again.
“Please recount to the court what you saw that day,” the judge instructed.
“That evening,” she began, recounting her experience in detail. She spoke of what she saw, how the light appeared, and how everything unfolded from her perspective.
As she spoke, understanding dawned on me. She was not lying. It had been the day Lyra struggled to control the fire spell that misbehaved despite her efforts. I had believed that incident was long past, something contained and forgotten. I never imagined it would resurface and place me here, standing trial.
When she finished, the judge turned back to me.
“Taren,” he said, “do you still deny that any magic took place in the room while you were there?”
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.
“Were you, or were you not, caught with a paper containing instructions of magic by Alpha?” he asked.
“Alpha took a paper from me,” I replied calmly, “but the paper did not contain instructions of magic. It was a page from a book I was reading. It was meant to uplift the spirit of the prisoner, because I noticed she looked downcast the previous day.”
“Was it your job to uplift her spirit?” the judge asked.
“My job was to feed her and ensure she was well taken care of,” I said. “Ensuring her mental and emotional well being is part of that duty.”
The judge turned toward the Alpha. “Alpha, can you confirm what he is saying?”
After a brief pause, Alpha Kael spoke. His voice carried clearly across the grounds. “After carefully reconsidering what I saw and scrutinizing the paper I took from him, I can say with certainty that he is telling the truth. The paper was indeed a page from an inspirational book. As for his connection with Gordon, we have no concrete evidence supporting that claim. I do not believe we can hold him responsible for that.”
The judge nodded slowly, absorbing his words.
“In light of all testimonies, witnesses, and the lack of sufficient evidence,” he announced, “Taren Wallace is hereby found not guilty and acquitted of all charges.”
The words hit me all at once. My knees gave out, and I sank to the ground as relief flooded through me, sharp and overwhelming. For the first time in days, I felt as though I could breathe properly.
I would see Lyra again.
That single thought was enough to make my chest ache and my eyes burn with tears I did not bother to hide.