Chapter 16
- Whit and Wisty are in a courtroom… in a cage. Okay, this courtroom is pretty weird.
- Whit scans the room. He's picking up a decidedly unfriendly vibe.
- Also present: The One Who Judges and a very serious-looking all-male jury. Sounds like this trial is going to go great.
Chapter 17
- Sadly, The One Who Judges is not Judge Judy. His name is Ezekiel Unger.
- Wisty wants to know what she and her brother are being accused of. The judge says they're practicing the dark arts, which is obvious because of recent events and the Prophecy, whatever that is.
- Whit pleads not guilty, and the bailiff smacks him with a nightstick. The judge cheers the bailiff on.
- The judge asks the siblings how they plea. Still "not guilty." The judge says they're in contempt of court, and with that, the trial is over.
Chapter 18
- Whit watches all the jurors give a thumbs down—evidently this is how things work in cage court. Whit is totally unimpressed with the New Order.
- Judge Unger pronounces Whit and Wisty guilty: She's a witch and he's a wizard, and their sentence is the death penalty. Seems harsh.
Chapter 19
- Wisty is upset about the whole death penalty thing. Fair enough.
- The judge says they can't be hanged until they're eighteen. Whit is about to turn eighteen, unfortunately; the siblings are to stay in jail until they're executed.
- The judge throws his gavel at Whit. (Unprofessional!) Whit, like, controls it with his mind or something, though? In any case, the gavel doesn't hit him. This doesn't exactly support their "not guilty" plea.
Chapter 20
- As Whit and Wisty are dragged from the courtroom, she's still trying to process that they've been sentenced to death. It's just unbelievable.
- Whit and Wisty are in another van. From the window, they see a billboard with their parents' photos on it that says they're wanted dead or alive. Whit is relieved they got away.