The melody started up again, and my attention was pulled to the middle of the room. Chains that connected to either side of it came together there, binding thin wrists.
A person. A woman, to be exact, with long hair that fell over her face as she hung from the chains. She was on her knees, her white dress stained with so much blood it was starting to turn black in places.
Her soft voice carried across the room.
What the fuck?
As if sensing me, she looked up, her eyes meeting mine. Black veins ran up her face, down her arms, and into her hands.
Cedar woke up with a gasp, grabbing onto me. She forced me to look at her, fear crossing her features.
“This is bigger than we thought. It’s not just him. Her father too. All of them have been gaining power through her. We have to let her go. We have to tell Aurelia she?—”
The singing got louder, pulling both of us to the women in the middle. She slowly got to her feet, swaying unsteadily.
“Aurelia…” she moaned. “Stay fierce.”
Her singing sounded more haunting now. Like a child’s lullaby, but with a dark edge to it.
“Hush now, little princess, don’t you cry,
Daddy’s coming soon, so wipe your eyes.
You know how he listens for the smallest sighs.
Hush now, darling, don’t make a sound.
Daddy doesn’t like it when your tears are found.”
Horror hit me like a tidal wave.
Is this…?
There was no possible way the woman trapped in the dungeons was who I thought she was.
“It’s her,” Cedar forced out, her hands holding my shirt. “It’s her mother.”
The women swayed before looking up at the rising sun.
“Today’s the day. You’ve come to save me, sweet hunter,” she sighed, then looked right into my eyes. “The prophecy is coming to fruition and finally… We will be free.”
I sat there, unable to move, as realization hit me.
The prophecy is way bigger than anyone ever imagined.
Aurelia
Where are they?
My hand lingered on my chest. Underneath my dress, I held the one gift Cedar and Vesper had given me. I always kept it on me, though I tried to keep it out of sight, especially when we had company.
I put it on today. I would need the strength.
I looked around at the crowd gathering. The royals were in place, most of them not looking at me. The Underground had yet to show up. No sign of any witches. And no hunters.
Most importantly, no Vesper or Cedar.
Just like on the day of my wedding, I was alone, but instead of feeling betrayed, I felt something else.
