Chapter 48
Chapter forty-eight
Linnea
As the time ticked ever closer to midnight, we were forced to get out of bed, bathe, and redress.
We knew the scent of sex wouldn’t help sell our lie, but there was also no way Azurill was about to let me bathe alone.
He certainly attempted it, of course, but he was quickly drawn into the water with me.
I limited us to one round there, knowing he would go all night if I let him.
“Once we’re done with Carnelian, we can spend as much time in bed as you want, Az, I promise.” I rolled my eyes at him, but he pulled me back into his chest, wrapping his arms around me from behind as his chin rested on my shoulder.
“I don’t care if we just sleep, I just don’t want to let you out of arms,” he murmured in my ear, making me practically melt back against him.
I wrapped my arms around his, closing my eyes for a moment as we swayed back and forth, enjoying a moment where we could just be.
I hoped that once Carnelian was gone, this could be how it always was.
A knock at the door had us both sighing and pulling apart.
He dropped a quick kiss on my head before we walked out into the main living area, opening the door to let Balthazar, Alwyn, and Ruri in.
I wrapped my arms around myself, the nerves hitting me suddenly as I realized this was it; it was finally time to carry out the vengeance my family was due.
I had always thought that when the time came, I would avenge them with bloody glee, but now, I had something to lose.
“Don’t worry, my Queen,” Alwyn smiled charmingly with a bow, “We’ll make sure this all goes swimmingly.”
“She’s not queen yet, Wyn, it’s not proper to call her such until she’s taken the vows,” Ruri grumbled slightly, but there was a teasing note to his voice that warred with it.
“She’s queen in all but name, now shut up so we can go over the plan, little brother.” Azurill chastised him, making Ruri roll his eyes, but he sighed and nodded in defeat.
“Carnelian will be here at midnight,” Balthazar began as we all sat down. “So we’ll be waiting in Azurill’s bedroom for you to lead him in there. Then we can ambush him when he’s least expecting it.”
“Unless he is expecting it.” Alwyn pointed out, raising a sapphire eyebrow.
They argued back and forth, but there was no indication that Carnelian knew anything, so we could only follow the plan and hope for the best. Alwyn, Balthazar, and Ruri stood and went to determine where they’d position themselves in Azurill’s room, and Azurill shut the door on them with a smile before turning to face me.
He opened his mouth to say something, but the door flew open before he could, and our heads turned to face the intruder.
My heartbeat tripped over itself in my chest, fearing Carnelian had realized what we were up to, when it slowed in confusion at the sight of Lady Sania.
Her orange hair was up in a high ponytail, and she wore leather trousers with a peasant blouse, looking very unlike I’d ever seen her, more like I dressed when I was up to no good.
I stood up in alarm, her orange eyes glowing with hate as she stared at me, a sneer on her lips.
But as Azurill stood, everything moved too fast for me to react—Sania had already thrown a potion on the floor before us that exploded when it hit, black and pink liquid going everywhere before it turned to smoke, rising from the floor and assaulting my lungs.
I tried to move, only to find that I couldn’t. I was completely paralyzed. My eyes frantically tried to find Azurill’s, but they were frozen as well. All I could see was the triumphant look on Sania’s face.
“Sorry to ruin your plans,” Sania smiled, a nasty thing that I wanted to claw off her face.
“Actually, no, I’m not.” She laughed, sauntering forward toward where we stood like statues.
I listened for the others, but no noise came from Azurill’s room.
I could only hope they were at least hearing this, even if the potion had reached them, too.
“Watching the two of you was honestly sickening, I must admit.” She rolled her eyes, “But it did help with the plan, even I will never understand what you saw in her over me, Your Majesty.” She bowed mockingly as she spat his title.
“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 precious Lady 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 withered due 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.