The Rosewood Prophecy

Chapter 24

A hush fell over the crowd. My mouth fell open. I looked at Aaron in a different way, even though he still stood the same way there on stage, calm and patient. This time, though, I didn't miss the fire in his eyes, or the pain and anger that leaked through his composed demeanor.

I remember vaguely asking Aaron about his family a long time ago back at the Academy. He told me that his mum died when he was young, and that his father raised him and his older brother alone. He seemed really sad when he talked about it so I dropped the subject. I've always assumed his mum died from a disease or an accident or something. But now, apparently the well-known Athelia Edwards Kane had died from murder.

Eric seemed a little dazed at this fact too. A weird look crossed his face but he quickly composed himself again. "So? You still have no proof that I used the Lotus Needles on Reginald." I blinked, suddenly realizing what he said. Several fast-thinkers in the crowd began shouting, having realized what I realized.

Aaron smiled triumphantly. "I never mentioned the name of the trick you used, Eric. How did you know I was talking about the Lotus Needles if you didn't use it?"

"I—I read about it," Eric spluttered, face red. He, too, had realized his mistake. Too late. "It matched the description you provided, so I assumed—"

"Tsk tsk, Eric. No use denying it."

"You still can't prove anything!" Eric was shouting now, his fists balled at his sides.

"Oh yes I can. If you unbutton Reginald's shirt you will see five black spots on his chest in the shape of a star. Any surgeon would be able to extract thin silver needles from his skin. Want to test my theory?" Aaron smiled humorlessly at Eric, who was getting more and more flustered. "If I'm right, you're a cheater. If I'm wrong, you get to humiliate me in front of the whole world right here."

The crowd began chanting for Reginald to be checked. A local doctor and two assistants walked up the stage where Reginald's dead body still remained, and proceeded to peel open his shirt.

"No!" Eric made a lunge for the doctor, who screamed and cowered away. Aaron yanked out his sword and blocked Eric's movement.

"What, scared that your true intentions will be unmasked?"

"No, but—" Eric started to protest and think of an excuse.

"No? Then you have no reason to be afraid, right? After all, it's my reputation that's at stake here, isn't it?" Aaron's cool voice only seemed to anger Eric, but he stepped back to let the doctor conduct his inspection.

The doctor and his assistants gasped in unison. I craned my head to look, standing on my tiptoes. What happened? What did they see? I saw the doctor's back to the crowd, doing something. His assistants were wide-eyed in disbelief.

After a short while the two assistants carried Reginald's body to the front of the stage for all to see. I gasped with the crowd. Indeed, like Aaron said, there were five black spots on Reginald's bare chest in the shape of a star. And in the hand of the doctor, catching the light of the torches, were five super thin silver needles. All were tipped with black.

"Eric is a cheater!"

"Eric murdered Reginald on purpose!"

"Banish him!"

"Kill him!"

"Avenge the fallen fighters!" Everyone was shouting, even louder than before. Several people were beginning to rush up the stage. Here was the proof that Eric was playing dirty. He could be eliminated from the competition forever. Eric's goons were starting fights with the fighters who tried to go up and murder Eric. The police tried to stop the rioting but were having little success. Tempers were running high. The tension after all these years finally broke.