Banished

I couldn’t believe my own cousin had said that word to me. Before I could do anything, I heard him order, “Guards, arrest Hal.” The doors of the throne room opened, and the guards and crowd flooded back in. They didn’t go far. Everyone was waiting for the king’s decision.

People looked at me—some were shocked, some were puzzled, some looked at me with pity, and some were gloating over the situation.

However, I noticed that none of my pack members were there. They must have ...