Reborn I Refuse To Save The Traitors (Margaery) novel Chapter 145

**Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 145**

The air in the room crackled with tension, and Dashnell’s eyes burned with a fierce, murderous intent.

Tessa felt her heart race, her breath hitching in her throat as she instinctively lowered her gaze. Her fingers clenched tightly, and a cold sweat broke out across her brow, a testament to her rising anxiety.

*What will I say if Margaery is found innocent? How can I possibly explain myself?* Tessa’s mind spiraled in panic, each thought more chaotic than the last.

“Lady Margaery, please,” one of the matrons implored, her voice slicing through the thick atmosphere like a knife.

As Tessa grappled with her thoughts, desperately searching for a way to salvage her situation, the two matrons stepped forward, their intentions clear as they guided Margaery into the inner sanctum of the chamber.

Alicia, who served the Queen Mother, watched with a simmering discontent but remained silent, unwilling to confront the matrons directly.

Marcus stood by, feeling no compulsion to intervene. He was caught in a whirlwind of embarrassment, realizing that this was his first formal meeting with Margaery, and yet here they were, thrust into chaos before the eyes of everyone present.

*This is all the Hadley family and the Wallen family’s doing,* he thought bitterly. *What a bunch of inept fools. They can’t even manage a simple situation involving a young girl!*

His gaze fell upon Tessa, who knelt on the ground, her fear palpable. The murderous intent in his eyes could not be masked, and he felt a surge of frustration.

Tessa sensed the weight of scrutiny from both princes, and a shiver of dread coursed through her. *What should I do now?* The only defense she knew was to feign vulnerability, to play the victim.

Her lips trembled as tears threatened to spill, and she felt the urge to cry rising within her.

Dashnell was the first to break the silence, his voice slicing through the tension like a blade. “If Margaery is proven innocent shortly, those who sought to tarnish her name today will face dire consequences.”

He swept his gaze around the room, his eyes finally locking onto Tessa’s face, cold and unyielding. “Lady Tessa, you claimed to have seen her with that beggar. If you’re found to be false, don’t blame me if I take one of your eyes!”

Panic washed over Tessa, her complexion draining of color. Instinctively, she looked to Raul, her father, seeking protection. *Father, I…*

Raul stepped forward, positioning himself between Tessa and Dashnell. “Prince Dashnell, even if Tessa spoke in error, such punishment is unwarranted…”

He couldn’t ignore the fact that Tessa was his own flesh and blood.

“Unwarranted?” Dashnell’s laughter was chilling, devoid of warmth. “I understand the Chancellor’s bias, but I assure you, I will be fair. Tessa has attempted to ruin Margaery’s reputation, and thus, I offer her two choices: she can walk through the streets in disgrace for three days, or I will gouge out her eyes and sever her tongue. In either case, her eyes are of no use, and her tongue is merely good for spreading gossip.”

His words, though not shouted, reverberated through the banquet hall, plunging the room into a suffocating silence. The weight of his internal energy rendered everyone speechless.

Callum and Nathaniel exchanged worried glances, their expressions shifting as they chose to remain silent, taken aback by Dashnell’s unexpected ferocity.

Raul felt a chill seep into his bones. He recalled the sting of the slap he had received earlier. *If Dashnell unleashes his wrath, Tessa might not survive.*

With no other option left, Raul made a desperate choice. He turned sharply and struck Tessa across the face, his voice filled with anger. “Are you tired of living, slandering your sister?”

The force of the slap was heavy, and blood immediately welled at the corner of Tessa’s mouth, her hair ornaments scattering across the floor, leaving her disheveled and vulnerable.

“Father, I…” Her voice trembled as she tried to protest, but her delicate features swelled, and tears began to stream down her cheeks, each drop a testament to her helplessness.

Raul glanced at Dashnell, whose expression remained impassive. *This is not enough,* Raul thought, desperation clawing at him.

Seeing Dashnell’s gaze still locked onto Tessa, his murderous intent unwavering, Raul felt compelled to deliver another slap. “Do you still dare to argue? Do you understand the gravity of your mistake?”

He knew he had to prevent Dashnell from taking matters into his own hands. Otherwise, Tessa would face certain doom.

Tessa fell to the ground, blood spilling from her mouth, her body crumpled in defeat.

*I won’t admit my fault,* she thought stubbornly, her heart aching. She managed to whisper, “Father, I only wanted to protect you from Margaery’s troubles…”

“Slap!” Raul struck her again, the sound echoing through the hall.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify