Leave the country for good. After she killed two people. Jesus fuck. I don’t know which to focus on. I’m being ripped apart from the inside out, pulled in every direction. That’s whyshe had her backpack full of her things. She wasn’t coming back, but not for the reasons I thought.
Sebastian peers down at her. “You realize all of this is treason? Everything you’ve done is grounds for us to lock you up and throw away the key.Ifwe decide not to see you executed for your crimes.”
“Yes, sir. I’m well aware of that, and if that’s your choice, I won’t fight it. I’ll plead guilty and take my punishment. Lord knows I deserve it for the crimes I’ve committed. But my younger half-sister, Jaqueline, is thirteen. She’s not a monster,” she says, her eyes flicking over to me before returning to Sebastian. “I will do anything you ask, give you any information I possess, but please, please don’t let her die.”
He ignores that. “Did you play my brother for a fool?”
“Sebastian—” I bark, but he holds up a hand, cutting me off.
“I have to know, and it better be the fucking truth.”
“No, Your Majesty. The only fool was me.” She turns and looks at me, tears lining her eyes that cling and don’t fall. “I tried to stay away so many times. I told you I wasn’t good and that it couldn’t happen between us. I was trying to protect you, but I was also trying to protect myself.” She swallows audibly and returns to Sebastian. “I fell in love with your brother, and it was the best and worst mistake I’ve ever made. I don’t want to hurt you or your family. I want…” She trails off and looks up at the ceiling before she laughs ruefully. “It honestly doesn’t matter what I want at this point. I never expected to be a princess. I didn’t give in to him time and time again with ulterior motives. Sometimes feelings and desires are bigger than us and override the path we’re set on. That’s all I know.”
Before she can utter another word that would eviscerate me further, I leave the cell. I have more questions. A ton of fucking answers that I need. But after hearing that…I can’t breathe through my shredded lungs to even ask them. I need a break from her before I lose myself further. Sebastian follows as I hear the door shut and lock behind me.
“Watch her cell,” he says to the attendant before he walks past me, knowing I’ll follow. “Gabe, can you check on my children and stay with them for a bit as an extra precaution?” That puzzles me, but Gabe wordlessly goes to keep an eye on the children.
We have a lot to talk about. But I’m stuck.
She loves me. I believe her. And it’s fucking killing me.
41
MARCELLA
The door closes with a resounding bang, the lock clicking into place, and my heart plummets into my feet. I can’t stay here. Every minute I’m here is a minute closer to Jaqueline being murdered. Rowan hates me. That’s not going to change. I told him how I felt, and he looked like he was ready to douse me in gasoline and set me on fire. Not that it matters. It doesn’t.
I was going to leave. Ihaveto leave.
There’s no future with the prince of Messalina.
I’m not the girl who gets the guy and the happily ever after.
I have to get out of here. I have to stop Signoria.
I walk over to the door and press my ear against it. There’s no sound, but that doesn’t mean someone isn’t on the other side. There’s also a camera in the corner, but fuck it. I’m out of options.
I test the door, already knowing it’s locked. But much like a lot of other things in this palace, it’s old and in need of updating. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot in here to work with. The chairs, table, and bed are all fixed to the floor, and even if I could free them, the door is thick and won’t bebroken down.
It’s going to either have to be the hinges or the lock. The lock is the easiest, and I grab the zip tie since that’s all I have—oh shit. I have the drive in my pocket. They took my backpack, but they didn’t frisk me.
It’s not a pin or a wire, but I bet between the two I can pick the lock.
I slip the drive into the lock and leave it in place. Then I bend the plastic in half and slip it above it to create a makeshift key. I twist the two but…nothing. Fuck! I try two more times and get nowhere. I need tools to pick the lock.
Frustrated, I bang on the door.
“Yes?” someone answers from the other side, and I practically cry out in glee.
I press my mouth to the door and speak against it. “Um, hi, I need to use the restroom. It’s an emergency.”
A silent beat. Then, “I’m sorry, mademoiselle, I’m not allowed to let you out. His Highness’s orders.”
Of course.
“I understand, but please, I really need to use the restroom. Surely by law, you have to allow even prisoners the ability to use the bathroom, and there isn’t one in here.”
More silence.
