He Sold Me Into Slavery I Returned As Queen Chapter 04
When Cedric was brought into the hall, he was still wearing his candidate’s uniform.
He wore the old stone badge and looked pale, yet his expression was calm.
He was very good at playing the part.
There was a restrained defiance in his eyes, the kind that comes from being humiliated by power, but his back was perfectly straight.
He looked like some innocent young wolf, oppressed by the strong but refusing to bow.
He dropped to one knee before the throne.
“Candidate Cedric Vale greets the Lycan King.”
Lucian sat on the throne.
“Today, your character is under review. If your conduct is found to be blameless, the court will restore your honor and allow you to take the trial. But if you are found to be morally unfit, you will be permanently barred from all royal selections.”
Cedric lowered his head.
“My conscience is clear.”
At those words, several councilors in the hall looked openly pained.
Marcus stepped forward from the line of officials.
“Your Majesty, I must again request that the Queen be questioned first.”
“On what basis did she determine that Cedric is morally unfit?”
“If a review can be initiated without cause, public doubt cannot be assuaged.”
One of the supervising elders immediately followed.
“I agree.”
“The capital has been in upheaval for days because of a single, unsubstantiated statement from Her Highness.”
“Her Highness cannot simply control the selection at will. If there is no evidence, then she ought to apologize publicly.”
Quiet murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall.
Every gaze fell on me, as if to nail me in place as the criminal who had disrupted the order of the royal court.
Cedric bowed his head and said, “I would not dare blame Your Highness.”
“I simply don’t know how I could have offended you enough to deserve such a malicious accusation.”
Rosalie stood in the family seating area, tears welling in her eyes.
“Your Highness, he’s never even met you. If you only heard some rumor, please give him a chance to explain.”
Never met me.
The thought was so absurd I almost laughed.
I walked down the steps and stopped in front of Cedric.
“Cedric, do you really not recognize me?”
He looked up. His gaze rested on my face for a moment.
My wolf recognized the scent of pine resin and smoke before I did. The back of my neck went taut, and old warnings surged through me.
Cedric’s breathing didn’t so much as hitch.
“Your Highness is of exalted status. I would never have had the chance to meet you before.”
I turned to Alaric.
“And you, Alpha Alaric?”
Alaric frowned.
“What exactly are you trying to say, Your Highness?”
“Ironwood has no old grudge against you.”
“If this is some private vendetta you bear against Cedric, then say so plainly.”
I nodded.
“Very well.”
“Since none of you recognize me…”
“Then let me ask you to recognize a few objects first.”
I signaled for Tessa to bring forward the wooden box.
She opened the lid.
Inside lay half a moonstone birth token, a torn page from a slave registration ledger, the wren-embroidered cloth pouch, and a charcoal rubbing of a gold pendant.
The moment Alaric saw the moonstone token, his face changed.
Before he could speak, I had already picked it up.
“Alpha Alaric, do you recognize this?”
He stared at it for a long moment, his voice tight.
“It looks like an old Raine family possession.”
“Not ‘looks like.’”
I turned the moonstone token over.
Beside the broken edge showed half a wren and the remains of a name.
“This is the birth token Luna Selina left for the Raine family’s eldest daughter, Ella.”
Rosalie’s head snapped up.
At last, something flickered in Cedric’s eyes.
Slowly, I said, “Fifteen years ago, on the Full Moon Festival, Ella Raine—the girl the Ironwood Pack registered as dead—did not die.”
“She was sold by someone she knew to a slave trader, resold seven times, and lived for fifteen years as a slave.”
There was no sound in the hall.
“And I am Ella Raine.”
Alaric took a staggering step back.
“That’s impossible…”
Rosalie’s face drained of all color.
Cedric stared at me, his lips turning white.
I gave them no time to breathe.
“The person who sold me was Cedric Vale.”
“The Court of Judgment has found the slave trader from that year. Bring her in.”
The guards dragged in a gaunt old woman.
The moment she reached the witness stand, she dropped to her knees and begged for mercy.
“Spare me, Lycan King! I’ll tell you everything!”
I looked at her.
Fifteen years ago, those hands had gripped my jaw and told me I’d fetch a good price.
Softly, I called out, “Cedric.”
“Do you still want to say you’ve never met me?”