“Nothing to say, my dear King?” she taunted as she stepped in front of him. I could barely make out his profile, just enough to see that she was running her finger along his face. I could only imagine how much he wanted to rip it away from his skin.
“Well, I suppose that’s for the best. Anything you have to say will only hasten your demise.” She laughed cruelly. “Your precious Jacinth, oh, I’m sorry, your preciousLady Linnea,that should be, shouldn’t it?” She gasped dramatically, putting her hand over her mouth as if shocked.
If my body wasn’t already stuck, I absolutely would have frozen then. As it was, it felt like my heart was going to explode as the implications crashed around my mind. Each one was like a dagger to all of my hopes and dreams.
“Oh, did you think no one knew who you were?” Sania laughed cruelly as she stepped in front of me. “Did you think it happened by chance that you were caught that day?” She smiled widely, seeing something she was pleased by in my eyes. Likely, the panic was bubbling away like a nearly finished potion in there. “Oh yes, we knew long before you stepped foot in Ruby Court. He went to great pains to find you, you know. One little Marit rat still skittering around in the gutter. Just where you belonged.”
She looked at Azurill then, smiling widely, and I could only imagine how he must be straining to move, his eyes likely gone fully silver, if the way her smile dropped was anything to go by. It was satisfying to at least some true nerves rise to the surface of her haughty exterior; looking distinctly unsettled as her eyes skittered away.
“Unfortunately for you, neither House Rousseau nor Helmi can allow you to live,” she said with a faux frown on her face. “Fortunately for you, however, you still have a purpose to serve.”
She walked forward, until we were directly face-to-face, no more than mere inches separating us. “Your family was smarter than they appeared, and placed a damn blood lock on the vaults. You must be wondering why Carnelian hasn’t killed you?” she asked, cruel satisfaction practically dripping from her words. “With our loyalty to the future king, he will help us unlock the vaults using Marit blood, letting us finally access all the wealth of Pearl Court that should have long been ours.”
She reached out and gripped my hair, pulling my face to hers with a sneer. “Years, we’ve had to rely on Carnelian for support as we withereddue to your insipid family locking away everything! But now, not only will we finally have everything we’re owed, but with the deal done, and Carnelian king, I will marry Casaan, and become the next High Queen after Sienna.”
“All it’ll take is getting rid of the king, and then you.” She stepped back, letting me go with a shove hard enough that I tipped back and fell to the floor. Unable to catch myself with my frozen limbs, my head hit the floor hard, leaving me blearily blinking as she walked over to Azurill, pulling a potion from her pocket. She cut her eyes to me with a wicked smirk.
“Might want to say your goodbyes to your precious High King. This is where it ends for him.” With that, she poured the black, opal, pink, and green potion down his throat, reaching out to block his nose and force him to swallow.
My soul seemed to cry out from inside me, even as my heart broke into pieces. I should have known this was all too good to be true, but I’d finally believed something better was in store for me. The loss of Azurill meant there was no future. It all would end with his death. I’d lost too many already, and I didn’t even want to continue on without him. There would be nothing left worth living for.
Not that I’d have long, presumably. At least I would be joining him soon.
That didn’t stop my fingers from trying to move, grappling for purchase so I could claw my way over to him. It didn’t stop my heart from disintegrating into dust, or my soul from screaming even as I tried to use my voice to join it. I was a storm of despair and rage, wrapped in a block of ice that couldn’t even weep. All of my tears, screams, and desperate begging were locked behind frozen lips, even as my teeth tore into them in helpless panic.
The world seemed to pause as I watched Azurill fall to the ground, his skin turning an alarming shade of blue, before Sania grabbed me by the hair, beginning to pull me away.
“It’s time for you to serve your purpose.” She spat, dragging me behind her. Leaving my eyes locked on Azurill, fighting for any last look I could get.
One I would wrap around my heart and keep with me until I could join him in the Otherworld.
Chapter forty-nine
Linnea
Having dragged me back to Carnelian’s rooms, Sania smiled happily when he opened the door. His eyes widened as she presented me like a prize, before he yanked her into the room by the arm.
“Casaan, grab her!” Carnelian demanded, pointing at my prone body. He turned rapidly to Sania, his eyes narrowing on her and making her smile fall from her doll-like face, withering under his intense gaze. “What have you done?”
“I thought you’d be pleased! I killed Azurill and got the Marit bitch so we can carry out our plans,” she said, crossing her arms petulantly, looking like she was torn between pouting and crying.
“We had a plan!” he snapped, smoke practically coming out of his ears; he was fuming so hard, his face turning an unnatural shade of red to match the rest of him. “What did you use to supposedly kill him?”
“A potion!” she cried, holding her hands up in defense as he closed in on her, grabbing her arms and shaking her hard. “I made it myself, using onyx, pearl, and emerald.”
“You absolute fool!” he yelled, spittle flying from his mouth and hitting her cheek, making her flinch back. “That won’t kill him!”
“What?” she said, confused, mirroring my own thoughts.
“Azurill is the High King, you silly little girl! You have no idea of the magics you’re dealing with.” He harshly rebuked her, but she stood her ground, squaring her shoulders back as she met his red eyes.
“I saw him turn blue!” she argued, putting her hands on her hips. It made Carnelian pause, and he turned to his son.
“Go check,” he commanded, and Casaan nodded before taking off without a word, clearly knowing when not to push his father. “The rest of you, prepare to leave.”
He turned then to face me, a slow smile growing on his face. “At the very least, we have a way to lure him out should he have survived.”
“You really think he did?” Sania asked meekly.
