May the truth set you free

"May the truth set you free."

Keith's hands shook when the Canorda leader shot a white liquid into Lance's neck, making him tense and clench his fists.

"You were accused of attacking our most selfless clan, the Daroi and causing mass destruction. Is this true?" The leaders voice was scratchy with age and it set Keith on edge.

Lance stood in the center of a circular platform and all around him were the Canorda species and the paladins, along with Allura and Coran. The blue paladin felt the truth serum rushing through his veins, making his head spin and skin prickle uncomfortably.

"No." He heard himself say and looked up at the elder, his gaze unwavering.

"So what happened then?" He asked and Lance clenched his jaw before continuing.

"We were framed, the galra attacked and by the time we got there, the city was in ruins." Lance said and he saw his interrogator nod thoughtfully, looking to another elder.

"Opolla, you cannot be considering that-" the elder hushed himself as Opolla raised her hand for silence.

"He is under the power of juda, there is no possibility of lies...." Opolla frowned for a moment before looking at Lance. "Blue paladin, you say that the city was in ruin when you got there, if it was so... why did you stay?"

Lance, unprepared for the question, looked straight at Keith.

"I wanted to, I wanted to leave so badly." Keith felt his breath catch.

"But I was waiting for someone, Keith, I was waiting for Keith because I would go to hell and back before I even thought about leaving him alone out there."

Opolla nodded, sending small once to the red paladin before looking at Lance. "Now the juda has been fulfilled, it may leave your body."

Immediately Lance deflated like a balloon and he blinked rapidly.

"Red paladin, come forth." Opolla gestured for Keith to approach and with great hesitance, Keith got closer to the alien.

I don't want to do this. I don't want to do this.

With an almost painful breath in, Keith felt the needle enter his neck and the liquid burned him instantly. He had secrets to hide. And it wanted to expose them all.

"Paladin, your comrade says that he was waiting for you. Were the two of you separated during the staged attack?" Keith took in a steady breath, and let it go. It was fine, he was going to be fine.

"Yes, I was trying to find surviviors with the allying rebel forces." Keith said before he could control himself and then bit his lip, eyebrows pulled together into a deep frown.

"So you can say that you didn't harm any Canorda or allies, and that the galra were behind this?" Opolla asked and Keith's veins felt like fire, the juda burning him from the inside out.

"No."

All around him, whispers erupted and Keith felt the now intense stares burrowing into his back. Standing in the semicircle, Keith squirmed and gritted his teeth, trying to keep his mouth shut.

"The more you resist, the more pain you will feel. "Opolla said gravely and Keith felt a small whimper pass through his lips.

"I..... I don't-" Tears started to prick at Keith's eyes and he bit his lip harder to push them back.

"I can't..." Keith made eye contact with Pidge who was looking on with Shiro and his guilt came washing in tidal waves. "I- Please." Keith looked at Opolla but she shook her head.

"May the truth set you free."

After an excruciatingly long moment, Keith finally let the first tear slip. Lance's expression turned from concern to a deeper more complex emotion, and at the front was fear.

"Did you harm and Canorda or any of your allies?" Opolla repeated and Keith wrapped his arms around himself, trying to shake off the burning in his body. "I-"

"Did you harm any Canorda or any of your allies?!" Opolla said once more and it made the juda in Keith writhe inside of him.

"I did! I did." Keith held back as sob as two more tears trickled down his face. The paladin hid his face in his chest and looked at the ground.

"Who was it?"

"A rebel-" A choking sound came from Keith's throat. "I watched them die first..."

"And?"

"And-" Keith shook with the force of jus keeping quiet, his head feeling like it was going to explode. "And Matt! I killed Matt."

There was a silence.

With it out in the open, Keith felt the pressure decreasing but not enough.

"See, that's just what happens when people get close to me... they die."

Unshed tears flooded Keith's eyes and he tried to blink them away with no avail.

"I killed Matt."