Free Chasing Xaris by Samantha Bennett Page A

“We are supposed to act as a just court. It’s only fair we let her speak.”
    “ Ohi .” Prytanis shook his head. Silver-black braids slapped across his broad back. “Foreigners bring nothing but malice. For centuries, we rescued them from the sea, only to have them pollute our island with their languages and ways. They tricked us into wars.”
    Several of the older Aletheians shouted their agreement.
    “Many of you lost family in those wars, like I did,” Prytanis said, softer. The crowd leaned forward, captivated by their leader. “You know why we created a law forbidding foreigners from our home—and why the punishment carries death. We must never let foreigners spew venom into our midst again.”
    The crowd erupted in applause, hollering and yelling like an animal with many voices.
    My ears rang with the pulsing sound, and I hugged my arms across my middle. I had the strongest sensation of sinking.
    “Let her speak,” Ari said. He banged his spear against the podium and finally looked at me. For a moment, the noise of the crowd dimmed for me. All I sensed was Ari, speaking directly to me. “She returned lost xaris to us. Maybe that was her aim.”
    Helena eyed Ari. “Ariston has a point,” she said, turning her weathered face to me. “Is that why you came to us, girl?”
    I wanted to tell them the truth, the whole story. But Ari was still watching me with that intense look.
    “Yes,” I said.
    “Of course it is.” Delphina marched to the edge of the platform. “Come here, girl.” She waved me toward the platform with her spear.
    I glanced at Ari, who had decided to ignore me again. Fantastic.
    With a shaky breath, I uncrossed my arms and climbed the stairs to the warrioress.
    Delphina lifted my hands, pretending to assess me. “She doesn’t look very dangerous to me, Mother.”
    In the crowd some of the younger Aletheians laughed quietly.
    “Do you have any plans to start a civil war, Chandler Bloom?” Delphina asked.
    “Of course not. I know how messed up the Civil War was for America, so yeah, I’m really anti-civil wars.”
    Several people in the crowd had stopped scowling at me. People murmured, pointing up at me.
    “How did you come to possess our xaris?” Delphina asked.
    “I found it on Santiago’s journal,” I said.
    The crowd suddenly hushed.
    “ Parabatis ,” someone shouted. Others joined in.
    Delphina banged her spear, undaunted. “How did you come by this journal?” she asked.
    “My teacher is a local historian,” I said. “He had the journal, and the xaris was on its cover.”
    “And how did your teacher come by the journal?”
    “Someone mailed it to his college. He was a professor at the time.”
    “She lies!” someone shouted from the crowd. Others joined in, banging their spears and yelling up at me.
    My pulse hammered.
    “We must have order,” Prytanis said, banging his spear. “She may be lying, but we must have order so we can try her according to our nomos .”
    “Let us remember that a missing xaris has been found,” Helena said. “That is cause for great joy.”
    “And Chandler is the one who so graciously returned it to us,” Delphina said. “She is a hero. We must welcome her warmly. We are Greeks—a generous and hospitable people.”
    “ Ne ,” Helena said with a nod. “That’s true.”
    “The abuse of those qualities led us straight into war,” Prytanis said, banging his spear. “We should judge her now by our nomos .”
    “But what crime has she committed?” Ari asked. “Other foreigners may have betrayed us, but she has not. Are we going to judge this girl for the crimes of others?”
    He paused, letting his words waft above the crowd. People, young and old, began shifting their attention to him. Their eyes shone with admiration.
    I realized Ari was like a prince to the Aletheians. A very popular prince.
    Delphina, however, was scowling at him, which made no sense. Weren’t they both trying to save my life?
    “We should vote,”