Fallen (Undergoing editing)

Chapter twenty:

I was just beginning to tiptoe into the little tendrils of sleep before I jolted awake to the crash of ice cold water thrown on me. I screamed and jumped to my feet as two big Capital guards came in and snapped handcuffs around my wet wrists as I stood dripping wet.

"WHAT THE—?"

  "Sleeping is for the dead, miss. We don't have time for a royal wakeup."

I swept my wet hair out of my eyes as I moved shakily and damp to my feet as the other guard tossed me an old raggedy smelly towel. "Here, don't want to get in trouble for getting you a little wet, miss."

I only glared as I snatched the towel from his hand and briskly wiped myself dry, throwing the towel back to the guard. Somewhat dry, they led me away through the dungeons and up to my fate.

The courtroom was packed; fuller than it was yesterday. In it, I made out Gwen's splotchy red face with Thor beside her. Still cold from this morning water wakeup call, I tried to hide my trembling and wrapped my wings tightly around myself.

"All rise for the Capital!"

Everyone rose as Nicoli entered the room and sat down at his desk, rustling through a small stack of papers before looking to me.

"Lilith Black?"

 "Mh—yes?" I trembled through chattering teeth.

 "You have committed heinous crimes against this city and shamed your title as a Guardian. The council and I have throughout discussed your punishment." His eyes moved over to a woman that stepped forward with something small in her hands. "We have decided in contrast with decisions you've made, that you no longer carry the right to have the gift of the flight." Nicoli motioned the woman over with a flick of his wrist. "Ms. Black, we have concluded that your wings shall be taken permanently and you will spend the rest of your days in a far away facility for angelic traitors."

 The room exploded into what felt like chaos. I hadn't even noticed as the woman marched over to me and pricked me in the shoulder with something sharp. I winced and jerked away from her, glaring at the needle she held.

"What—what is that?" I demanded, reaching for my shoulder, feeling warmth spread all down my arms like a hot chill.

 "It's so you don't bleed out when your wings are removed," she informed me curtly.

Removed.

Blood.

I felt my heart quicken in my chest as my whole body began to fall into a distant feeling of nothingness. Bodies seemed to crowd around me, hands everywhere, pinning me, holding me. Moving around in the corner of my eye, a guard wearing black armor came over beside me with a long curved bladed axe that seemed to have a shimmering magical purple aura around it. Instinct kicked in and I reefed and resisted against the guard's, twisting with all my might, but fighting against whatever that woman had injected into me was hopeless. I sagged down to my knees, the guards holding me in place as two other guards rushed in, grabbing my wings and unfurled them, holding them out straight from my body.

 "Please no! NO!" I cried fighting with all my strength that was failing.

"Make the cut now," a voice from behind me said.I screamed and fought against them, my mind racing with panic, but my body was failing and I was reduced to just moving my head. Sighing with defeat, I glanced up to the sea of faces that watched with horror-struck faces. I made out Enrique who watched with a stony complexion, two guards standing on each side of him, probably the only things keeping him from coming to my aid. Then there was Sonya with the sly grin on her face as she watched with an evil glint in her eye. Even this was too much for what she'd ever hoped for.