The people don’t take the rajah’s decision standing down, and go to his house en masse to protest. They state that Amaya was given a hard time and treated unjustly– she didn’t deserve to be removed just because Lamitan hated her. They thus ask the rajah to restore Amaya to her position because they believe she’s right for the post. They don’t need a priestess who can walk on water– they need one who will be able to help them as Amaya has done in the past. The rajah doesn’t want to change his decision, though– what he’s said, he’s said.
Amaya goes to see Lamitan to confront her, not about the trial, but about Marikit. Lamitan sneers at her, saying that with just one word, she can have Amaya’s throat cut. Amaya asks if she wants the rajah to know what she’s been doing, and Lamitan smacks her one. This escalates into another catfight, only broken off when the rajah arrives. Lamitan immediately whines to the rajah that Amaya wants to kill her, but Amaya tells the rajah Lamitan is lying, and spills the beans about how Lamitan got Bagani’s child aborted, forced Marikit to marry him, and then gave her opium to keep her compliant. Lamitan of course flies into a rage and denies everything, saying she’s a mother and couldn’t possibly do that to her daughter. Amaya stands by her words, though, and the rajah asks who will prove who’s telling the truth. He asks Kayang, but she’s terrified of her mistress and says she knows nothing. Amaya challenges the rajah to go check on Marikit, but Lamitan questions the need to drag Marikit into it. The rajah again chooses to believe her and calls for Songil, but Kayang is more afraid that Amaya will suffer, and screams out that the rajah should go and ask Mantal the truth.
When the rajah asks Mantal about the matter, she looks guilty but denies any knowledge, which makes Lamitan crow in triumph. Amaya throws herself at Mantal’s feet and begs her to tell the truth, while Lamitan tries to drag her away. Amaya appeals to Mantal’s love for Marikit– if she doesn’t tell the truth, Marikit will get worse and might die. The rajah orders Amaya to stop, for she will be punished, but Mantal’s guilt wins over her loyalty to Lamitan, and sheconfirmsthatAmaya
