A tense silence fell, and Anika and Garreth froze, their faces turning as pale as paper. The Empress's blunt question flabbergasted them.
V smiled faintly. She was well aware that something was odd about this case. "You do know, don't you? Accusing the imperial family without solid evidence can be a terrible mistake. If you demand and accuse the emperor without proof, that's slander. You could be charged with treason and rebellion."
Anika reached into the pocket of her battle attire. She pulled out a piece of blood-stained golden-embroidered silk robe. Anika threw it at Vienna's feet. "This was left in my son's coffin! No one would have such luxurious fabric if not for the imperial family! This must belong to the emperor! Stop defending your cruel, tyrannical, murderous husband!"
"And there's a witness who claims to have seen the emperor killing our son that day?!" Anika added, hissing with clenched jaws.
