Playing the Game

Chapter 51: Farewell to All

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Arlo pounces, brandishing his daggers at Arrian as he crosses the room. I jump between them just in time, placing my hands on Arlo's chest to push him back.

"This wasn't Arrian's fault! Someone else poisoned Reegan and Melina."

Arlo is seething with rage. He growls, "Maybe not directly, but he is still to blame for putting you in danger! For over a week we've been on high alert, knowing that the Emperor had convinced him to strike. Do you think I don't know that he was the one who put us to sleep?! The coward can't even face us directly-"

"I wasn't going to fight you!" Arrian hollers back.

"You knew I would gut you if you tried!"

"You're my friends! I wasn't about to make this situation worse than it already was."

"But you were willing to kill her?! After everything she's gone through, and in spite of your relationship, you were just-"

"Enough, Arlo!" I pushed him back, hoping to end things before it got violent, but they kept shouting.

"I didn't kill her!" Arrian throws his hands up, exasperated.

"YOU WERE GOING TO! DON'T DENY IT!"

"You have no idea what I've been through-"

"I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE ULTIMATUM, AND I KNOW WHY YOU WERE GOING TO CHOOSE THE EMPRESS OVER CANDRA!"

"What are you talking about?" Evander asks cautiously.

Before I can stop Arlo, he blurts out, "ARRIAN WAS ONCE THE EMPRESS'S MOST TRUSTED SERVANT, BUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS MORE LIKE A MOTHER AND SON! ARRIAN WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING CANDRA AND HER BROTHER ESCAPE, WHICH IS WHY MAXIMUS WANTS HIM PUNISHED!"

This wasn't news to Reegan, Brutus or me, but both Camilla and Evander were left gobsmacked.

Arlo continues, "THE EMPEROR CONVINCED ARRIAN TO KILL CANDRA TO SPARE THE EMPRESS! HE CHOSE A ROYAL OVER HER!" He points a hard finger at me.

Arrian roars back, "THE EMPRESS IS IMPORTANT TO ME-"

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! KILLING CANDRA IS NEVER AN OPTION!"

"Stop it, Arlo! He-"

Arrian cuts me off. "Don't you think I know that?! Why else would she still be here?!"

Arlo took a careful breath to lower his voice, but his tone still struck with venomous fury. "She may be breathing now, but what's stopping you from striking later?! What are you willing to do to save the Empress?!"

I cut in, "That's not fair-"

"As long as your loyalties lie with a royal, you can't be trusted! Just look at what happened here!" He gestures towards the lifeless bodies on my bed. "You say this had nothing to do with you, but what if this was Maximus' way of pushing you? Or a consequence for not making a decision?!"

Arrian was getting frazzled, trying to explain himself without the guilt overwhelming him. "I just needed a moment alone with Candra to figure out-"

"THERE'S NOTHING TO FIGURE OUT! You're a liability; I have to take you out." Arlo tries to step around me so he can kill Arrian, but I thwart him once more.

"We came up with a way out of this, Arlo! No one else has to die, and you won't have to deal with Arrian anymore." I place my hands on the side of his face, redirecting his focus to me in hopes of calming him down. "I just need you to give me a moment to explain, and promise me that you won't kill Arrian in that time."