Chapter 288
“Rosalyn… ugh. Rosalyn is in danger.”
“What did you say?”
Claude caught Sebelia as she nearly collapsed. Sebelia clung to his hand, her voice barely a whisper.
“Mrs. Gren… she’s targeting Rosalyn again…!”
Boom—!
A sudden explosion made Sebelia flinch instinctively. For a moment, she wondered if the fireworks had started again, but as she raised her head, she saw nothing beautiful or extravagant in the sky.
“My god…”
White lightning was streaking across the sky.
* * *
This is a mess. Rosalyn gritted her teeth as she fled from her pursuers.
“Find her! Now!”
A woman’s furious voice rang out in the distance. Rosalyn didn’t know who she was, but she was probably the ringleader who’d stormed the meeting with a squad of unknown knights.
How did things end up like this?
Rosalyn ran down the unlit corridor, mentally retracing her steps. Everywhere she moved, dark stains bloomed on the floor—blood streaming from the slash in her side.
She pressed her hand to the burning wound and gave a bitter, breathless laugh. That wasn’t the only place she was bleeding from, but there was little she could do—she couldn’t very well clutch at the wounds on her back and thigh as she went.
“Haa…”
Where did it all go wrong?
The night before, the Second Queen had ordered her—punishment for her supposed misconduct—to forgo the imperial banquet and instead win over the northern nobles at a separate gathering.
Rosalyn had been disappointed, since she’d planned to make another approach to the Second Prince during the welcome banquet, but she hadn’t been given a choice.
“There she is—ah!”
Rosalyn blasted lightning at someone blocking her way, then paused on the landing, shrouded in darkness, to catch her breath.
Cough.
She wiped away the blood that had dripped down her sleeve. Overusing her powers to escape the attack had left her insides completely unsettled.
I can’t keep this up much longer.
Her companions were likely in just as bad a shape—she hadn’t heard their screams in a while. Poor souls. Rosalyn stifled a groan, pressing harder against her side.
Who could be behind this?
It couldn’t be Prince Shateian. She’d already shown him she wasn’t just a puppet for Hares, leaving open the possibility of an alliance.
Then could it be the First Queen?
Rosalyn crept carefully down the stairs. Occasionally, the torchlight of searchers outside would flash past the windows. At those times, Rosalyn was glad she’d chosen a large mansion as the venue for the gathering.
“Hkk…”
Another mouthful of blood. She gave a grim smile and continued down the hallway. Deep down, she’d known from the start there was no way out.
The knights who’d crashed the gathering were experienced—and far outnumbered them. None of the nobles present tonight were likely to survive.
And she was no exception.
There she is.
Rosalyn straightened her shoulders and took a slow, deep breath. As she stepped cautiously into the shadows, she spotted a woman ahead.
“You mean to tell me you still haven’t found her?! Find her now! If you don’t bring me her head, I’ll lock you all in this house and burn it down myself!”
What was she so afraid of? Even surrounded by half a dozen knights, the woman’s green eyes flashed menacingly in the dark.
If there was no escape, Rosalyn thought, at least she could take her would-be killer with her.
Crackle.
Flickering lights began to spark in the shadows of the hallway. In an instant, flames flared up and filled the space with blinding light.
“You…!”
Finally, the woman with the green eyes, her gaze sharp with hostility, realized Rosalyn was there.
Rosalyn gave a pale, unsettling smile. Black blood trickled down her chin.
“Kill her! Now!”
The woman pointed at Rosalyn. The knights drew their swords and charged down the hall. Outside, there wasn’t a hint of moonlight—yet inside the narrow corridor, it was suddenly as bright as day.
I never imagined it would end like this…
Staring at the blades pointed at her, Rosalyn slowly closed her eyes. She could feel her heartbeat slowing as she summoned the last of her strength, but she didn’t care.
They were all going to be blown apart together anyway. Rosalyn let out a faint laugh and opened her eyes again—eyes now turned ghostly white, taking in the scene.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Every window in the hallway shattered as a violent wind swept through, slamming everyone against the walls.
And then, a commanding voice cut through the chaos and rang out above their heads.
“Protect His Highness’s fiance and subdue the traitors! Anyone who dares defy the will of the imperial house—kill them on the spot!”
Rosalyn, bracing herself on her hands as she struggled to withstand the gale, felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
For that moment, the blood pooling beneath her and the growing numbness in her limbs felt like someone else’s distant memories.
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.