Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-four
Jacinth
Igrabbed Amatista’s hand after her elimination, looking over at her and getting a nod in return. I knew she had purposely blown the trial, not wanting to get any further into the competition as we approached the final few rounds.
But I would really miss having her here for this. At least she and Faiza would remain at court, thank Erodite.
“For you ladies remaining in the Diamond Queen Competition,” Azurill continued, as I forced myself to continue avoiding his searching eyes.
“Your next trial will only be revealed to the public after it’s concluded, so please go see Lady Arianell after this for your instructions.
For everyone else, since we have a spare night tomorrow, we will be holding a ball.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all there. ”
I quickly ran to find Arianell after we adjourned, and she smiled as she handed me the potion that would impart my instructions. I gave a soul-deep sigh. After the last potion, I was hesitant, but I downed it anyway.
The knowledge came quickly. Our challenge was to be of a political nature, and the ball was no coincidence. We were each assigned to find out a piece of information by the end of the ball. A test of our competence when it came to court intrigue and political acumen. An important skill for a queen.
I was given the task of figuring out the marriage plans of Opal Court’s heir, Laxus Beryl. Opal Court had remained very quiet about the issue thus far, and no one had been able to figure out who he had his eye on, if anyone.
I figured that was an easy enough task. I was sure this trial must have been Emrys’s idea, as the man in charge of the most intrigues of them all.
He surely didn’t want to deal with a queen who was inept at politics and navigating the court—and we all knew gossip and intrigue were the name of that game.
I knew the best way to get to Laxus was going to be his sister. I had hardly spoken to her during the entire time I’d been here, but with both of my friends now out of the competition, perhaps she wouldn’t find it too strange for me to reach out.
Or it might be incredibly obvious.
Either way, I had to try. And I had just the opportunity as I spotted her walking just ahead of me on the way to dinner that night.
“Lady Allirea,” I called to her, and she paused, turning around to face me with surprise.
“Lady Jacinth.” Her voice was soft, and her opal eyes swirled with color while her bright white hair shimmered with the odd trace of blue, green, and pink.
The white created a beautiful contrast against the ebony of her skin, and I found myself wondering why Azurill would be interested in someone like me when Allirea was here.
“We haven’t had much of a chance to speak yet, and I find all my regular dinner companions now gone.” I smiled slightly and was rewarded when she laughed quietly.
“Indeed.” She agreed with a nod. “Lady Ophira was the only one I really knew.”
“Would you like to sit with me tonight?” I asked her and was happy when she agreed. As she began to tell me about herself, the fact that she was a healer stood out to me.
Plans circulated in my mind and I couldn’t help saying, “I had a friend come down suddenly with a sickness. She began to just waste away, and regular treatments did nothing for her. Another has taken over her care for now, but I have to admit that healing has never been my specialty, and I wasn’t able to identify what the illness was. ”
Her opal brows scrunched together as concern flickered in her eyes. “Wasting away?”
“Yes,” I nodded, sighing sadly. “She got worse and worse as time went on, until she could barely get out of bed, and then, not at all.”
“I would need to see her to be sure,” Allirea said carefully, but her eyes darted around, and her voice lowered.
“There are two things it could be. One of them is indeed natural, but the other…” she paused, meeting my eyes, “The other is a silent killer. A poison that sucks the life from the victim. I can’t know for sure, like I said, but if she suffers from this still, I promise you now, on my honor as a healer, I will do everything I can to help. ”
She reached out to clasp my hand, and I found myself squeezing it back. Was it possible? Could Ula have been poisoned? Why? By who? Who would have anything to gain from a street rat falling sick—
The thought lodged in my gut. Only one man had benefited from it thus far. My eyes found Carnelian across the large hall, thankful he was otherwise engaged. He was speaking with Lord Darcel, Sania’s father, as they were seated next to one another tonight.
If he had poisoned Ula…it meant that he had to have found me before I ever broke in, which didn’t make any sense at all. He would have just killed me. He wanted any who possessed Marit blood dead, and he could have taken me out then with none the wiser.
I sighed silently, not sure whether to be relieved or not that it was likely natural.
That wasn’t even the only issue now, as Carnelian held the keys to her freedom.
I certainly couldn’t get her help while she was locked up in his castle.
I had no idea how to overcome that obstacle, and it was becoming ever clearer I was going to need help in that respect.
I looked at Azurill, who was sitting beside his family tonight. I watched him laugh with his brother and mother, smiling softly at the sight of his joy. I would have to shatter that happiness soon, but for now, he could live in the illusion.
I turned back to Allirea, continuing our conversation even as I tried to work out how to get Ula to her.
I found, to my surprise, that she was very kind, which maybe I should have expected of a dedicated healer, but as a noble…
well, one glance across to where Zumra sat glaring at me set the expectation.
“So your brother is the heir, right?” I asked, leaning my chin on my hand as I looked at her.
“Yes, he’s to be the next lord of Opal,” she answered, with a gentle smile. “Laxus will be a good lord, just like my father.” Her smile dimmed slightly, “Though, I do hope he’ll not force his daughters into such spectacles as this.”
My eyebrows flew upwards, “Your father forced you?”
She nodded hesitantly, “It’s my duty as a daughter of Opal Court, of course. But I wish to heal, not marry. A husband will expect me to stay home with children, and would that not be a waste of the good I can do in the world?”
She looked so despairing, her eyes falling to her lap where her fingers tightened on each other. I sighed, sick of this same story. Lord after lord forcing their daughters into marriages they didn’t want. Faiza. Amatista. Allirea.
“I’m sorry, Allirea,” I told her honestly. “I hope that, whoever wins, they are able to change things for future generations.”
Her eyes shone with her agreement, nodding silently. I wanted to steer the conversation back to her brother, so close to getting what I needed early, but it wasn’t to be. Ophira came over to see Allirea, and I wasn’t able to turn the discussion back to where I needed it.
As I readied for bed, I thought of perhaps going to see Azurill now, but my confidence was lacking. I wasn’t sure I could find the right words yet, so I decided to put it off. I settled into bed and decided I would glue myself to Allirea at the ball tomorrow.
I awoke in the middle of the night, something having disturbed my sleep.
A blurry shadow crept across the room, and for a moment, I was sure I was having a nightmare of the past. The one I’d had last night had been more intense than normal after taking that potion, so maybe I was still caught in one.
But the shadow crept to my bed, and my heart began to race wildly.
Through slitted eyes, I saw their arm rise, the distinctive gleam of a dagger in their hand.
My eyes went wide, and I rolled quickly as the dagger plunged down, hitting the mattress instead of flesh.
I let myself roll off the other side of the bed and jumped up, fully awake now.
I’d spent years sleeping lightly, having to wake quickly to avoid being robbed or killed, and a few weeks in a palace didn’t erase those instincts. My assailant came around the bed, chasing after me with a growl, but I kicked out as they approached, surprising them and making them fall back.
“Alfrikr!” I yelled, even as I moved forward, punching out as the man stood back up.
As the commotion of my guard breaking in reached us, the man tried to run, heading to a tapestry hanging on the wall.
I grabbed him by the back of his jacket and threw him backward before delivering another punch that sent him down hard right as Alfrikr burst in with his sword drawn.
His purple eyes alighted on me first, frantically taking in my ruffled appearance, before falling on the masked man lying out on the floor, groaning in pain.
“I woke up to this man trying to kill me. He had a dagger drawn and was going straight for me,” I explained, still panting. “I managed to roll away, thank all the gods.”
Alfrikr glared at the man, moving quickly to disarm him and take him into custody. More guards poured in, the others on duty having alerted them at my scream for help, and we all watched as Alfrikr ripped the mask off my attacker’s face.
He revealed a man with light green hair and eyes, clearly from Emerald Court, which had me raising a brow. Could Zumra really be so stupid as to send an assassin after me that would implicate her? Then again, I’m sure she didn’t expect him to be caught.
“Jacinth!” I turned my head to the door, finding the High King himself running frantically through the doors.
Balthazar and Ruri were right behind him, both grave-faced.
Azurill immediately began checking me over like he might find me bleeding out from a wound I was unaware of, so I grabbed his hands in mine, squeezing them comfortingly.