Chapter 65
The air was thick with silence and anticipation as the criminals were lined up on their knees before the crowd. Shackled, bloodied, and beaten, they trembled under the scorching afternoon sun. The execution grounds reeked of sweat, dried blood, and fear.
Azalea sat tall in her seat beside the First Queen, her fingers curled tightly around the armrest of her throne-like chair. Her eyes scanned the crowd below, fixing on the execution platform as Federico stepped forward, sword in hand.
There was no ceremony. No warning. No final words.
The first swing came fast, clean, brutal, and final. The sharp edge of Federico’s blade sliced through a man’s wrist, then another’s ankle. Screams pierced the air, but no one moved to stop them.
Azalea’s stomach churned. Her heart beat faste
