Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)

Chapter 815

When they arrived at the execution ground, Henry was dragged out and forced to kneel in the center. The executioner, a burly figure holding a gleaming blade, stood beside him. The sight of the blade sent Henry into a panic, and he found it hard to remain kneeling. He desperately scanned the crowd for help.

The noise around him was deafening, yet all he could hear was the pounding of his own heart. It was like a drumbeat, and it felt as if it might burst from his chest at any moment.

He didn’t see Rafael, the official overseeing the execution, but he faintly heard the prince’s voice. He tried to turn and catch a glimpse of the man, but a board tied to his back blocked his actions. All he could see was the executioner’s disgusted expression as he covered his nose.

At that moment, Henry realized he had lost control of his bowels. The sheer terror felt like a venomous snake, burrowing into his very skin.

He was beyond terrified.

Finally, amidst the throng, he spotted a familiar face.

A wave of relief washed over him, and his voice came out hoarse and tremulous, “Chaya…!”

Hayden stood at the edge of the crowd with the plump woman beside him. Chaya’s dark eyes were fixed on Henry. Their gazes met, but she seemed entirely indifferent to the fear and joy radiating from her dad. She looked at him with an expression devoid of emotion.

“Do you want to give him something to eat?” Hayden asked Chaya.

“I think he’s had enough to eat,” she replied.

Hayden nodded. “Yes, they usually serve people a lavish meal at the Supreme Court before their beheading, but do you have anything you want to say to him?”

Chaya pondered for a moment. “Can I go up and talk to him?”

“You can deliver a last message.”

“Then, there’s something I want to ask him.”

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to meet the supervising officer. He’s my nephew, so he won’t mind my old man scent.” Hayden chuckled.

“I don’t mind your smell either. I just think you’re old,” Chaya replied as she followed Hayden.

Her outfit fit well today, making her look more rounded than particularly heavy–an appearance that exuded a certain fullness and prosperity.

Hayden led the way to the execution platform and said to Rafael, “She wants to ask the soon–to–be- beheaded man a question.”

Rafael glanced at Carissa, who nodded. “I’ll go with you.”

While there wasn’t much affection between Chaya and her dad, she had been sent to Hayden’s side. Carissa’s presence would prevent any trouble from arising during their exchange.

“Alright, I appreciate it, Commander Sinclair,” Chaya sad, understanding the need to avoid any problems.

As they approached the execution ground, Chaya added, “I just have one question. I won’t take up too much time.”

“Sounds good!” Carissa replied.

She didn’t ask what the question was and simply accompanied Chaya.

When they reached the execution ground, Chaya knelt in front of Henry and stared at him.

Henry’s lips moved as he tried to process the sight of her, excitement bubbling within him.

“Chaya, you came to see your dad! You came to send me off, right? You’re here to collect my body, aren’t you? Oh, Chaya, you’re such a good girl.”

Chaya shifted back slightly, using a handkerchief to cover her nose. “I’m not here to collect your body. I just want to ask you–what does it feel like to be facing execution? Are you scared?”

Henry froze, staring at her as if he hadn’t quite understood her words. “What?”

“I don’t know if I’ll get dragged into this, but if I do, I might end up facing the same fate. So, I thought I’d come and ask how you feel about it. I need to be mentally prepared.”

Henry’s chest heaved, his face turning ghostly pale. “You…”

Chaya lowered her handkerchief. “Do you believe in karma? Mom said that doing bad things comes back to haunt you, and that it can affect your children. Being your daughter is my misfortune.”

With that, she stood up and turned to Carissa. “I’m done now. We can go.”

Henry let out a mournful wail. “No! This isn’t what I wanted!”

Carissa hadn’t expected Chaya to come just to deliver such an offhand remark. As they walked back, she said, “You won’t be executed.”

“I know that. I just wanted to taunt him a bit. My mom and I both loathe him. He ruined her life.” Chaya shrugged. “I didn’t choose to be his daughter, but I didn’t have a choice.”