The Royal Curse

Six - Saints' Day Violins

Adonia Wu

My neck weighed my body down. Buzzing muted all the voices around me, but my eyes only focused on Zian, who was standing and yelling the most aggressively.

Making out what he was saying was near impossible. Faint lines appeared at the edge of my vision. Grabbing the wall, I made a pitiful attempt to stand up, only to fall back down. Zian ran behind me, grasping tightly to my waist.

He betrayed us. I needed to remember that he was worthless to me and a coward. He was nothing and he never would be anything. But as I tried to stand firm, I found myself leaning into him.

"Whichever one of you did this will die," I finally heard him say. The weight of my body slacked against him again, this time he placed me down on a chair. "You"—he pointed a pen at a brunette man—"step forward."

The man came forward. "Yes, sir?"

"Kill whoever hit her."

"Yes, sir."

"No, stop," I whispered, grasping onto the man's hand. "Don't you dare."

"Ma'am, he injected you—"

"I'm fine."

"Adonia?" Zian knelt down in front of me, lacing his hand through my hair. "Saints." His eyes jumped around my face before yanking me toward him and embracing me.

He betrayed me. He betrayed us all.

I shoved him to the ground, suddenly feeling much stronger than before. Zian tried to scramble back to his feet, but Randa kicked him and shoved him back down.

"Adonia, what are you—"

"I think you don't understand what you just did," I interrupted, shoving his neck to the floor. "You want to die?"

There was a moment where Zian looked off to the ceiling and actually thought about an answer. Then, he said, "Not particularly."

I launched my hand to his neck, squeezing as hard as I could. His golden eyes glossed.

Kill him. I had to kill him for what he was doing—for what he was.

"Adonia, please," his voice broke. His gaze held mine for seconds before speaking again. "Please."

Kill him. Kill him. Kill—

Taking a deep breath in, I forced my hands away from his neck. Around me, people were just staring and writing on their notepads. Behind me was Celiá Austruc. Her brow was raised while her foot rapidly tapped.

"It seems," Celiá started, grabbing Zian by his arm, "like our little injection wore off rather quickly."

Injection... Zian ordered the guards to inject Randa and I, yet I didn't feel obedient. My arms moved to my own will and my mind was clear of intruding thoughts.

Zian tilted his head down, though his sight stayed on me.

"Gabriel, may I see the injections Doctor Austruc gave you?" Celiá asked.