Dear Readers,
The cross-examination with Amara continued. On her statement regarding Inga as the sole victim, I raised an "Objection!", presenting Dhurke's mysterious bloodstains. Again, I was quiet in thought for a moment after I raised it. Oh boy... it was time to drop the bombshell...
I asked Amara if she knew and she said about what. I then said I was going to tell this court if she wasn't. I declared this case had a second victim, one of the two people found alive in the tomb after the minister's murder, except this person was already dead.
The queen was silent. Nahyuta mocked me and encouraged me to share my theory on who the second victim was.
The screen went dark around me and new music started playing. Very heavy music. I had a lot of trouble believing it myself, but it was the only way I could go on if it was the truth. This was Dhurke's big secret, the one he couldn't tell me. I presented his portrait with a "Take that!", which made the screen flash. I thought back to him saying he was dying and he'd be betraying a certain someone if he told me the secret.
Nahyuta couldn't believe it. Phoenix couldn't believe it either! I said out loud that Dhurke was the other victim. Nahyuta objected and demanded an explanation! I said I didn't know when or why Dhurke was murdered, but the facts and evidence spoke for themselves and this was where they led me.
Nahyuta slammed his bench and said my explanation couldn't be the truth and that I daren't present evidence that it was. I told him I wished with all my heart that it wasn't true and that I was wrong... but I did have evidence. I asked for someone to go check the sarcophagus in the tomb as that would be the quickest way to find out.
The judge was anxious to search the sarcophagus at once. He asked Ga'ran if they could, since Amara was now found alive. She granted it and Nahyuta said Ema was still there. Amara didn't change her expression. She was silent...
Some time later, Ema came to court and took the stand. The judge asked for her report. She said she'd start with her findings. I thought to myself, please let me be wrong about this! I just wanted things to be back to where they were! I thought of Dhurke with his joyful laugh...
Ema was silent for a moment. She had a serious expression, then a sad one. She said a body had been found in the sarcophagus and it was several days old.
I started sweating and begged Ema to tell me it wasn't Dhurke. She said she had a photograph of the body and... with a sad expression she said she had positively identified it as... Dhurke Sahdmadhi. She showed the picture of his lifeless body in the sarcophagus.
I closed my eyes and slammed my face on the bench in anguish yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and just thought... why? Why did this have to happen? Nahyuta clutched his beads and said how could this be?
Ga'ran laughed, saying this was a joyous day, happy to see Dhurke's followers demoralised.
I wondered who or what was I even fighting for? What was I supposed to do now?
I thought back to Dhurke's words... A dragon never yields... I shouldn't have an expression like the one I was having right now... I may have to face a truth difficult to accept but he believed in me and knew I could handle the truth, no matter what it turned out to be...
Memories of Dhurke flashed in my memory, including when he saved me in the cave. Was that Amara channelling Dhurke all along?
It was a struggle but I came out of it. Dhurke left me with two things I had to do.
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