I paced in my tiny cell, buried at the bottom of the Seat, deep under the mountain while my mind whirled and argued and fought for focus.

Pagomaris hadn't given me even a second to explain. "How could you?" She gasped as I reached for her with Grandmother's magic, wanting her to understand I had nothing to do with her beloved Ruler's death.

But Pagomaris took the touch the wrong way.

"How despicable," she hissed, hovering over the body as though I tried ...