Anybody But You

55

Chapter Fifty-Five

Vibe: Wrap Me In Plastic by CHROMANCE & Marcus Layton

Alice wasn't out of harms way yet as she gave a small breath of relief.

While the water was coming to a boil at her feet, she noted a spark of intrigue in the king's eyes replacing some of the initial outrage. Either he had a matching view with his son on what entertainment entailed, or she had actually somehow managed to gain his respect due to her confession.

Not that respect would save her from the incoming barrage of obstacles.

"Defendant, Lady Arvel, do you acknowledge and agree to this new fact that you had used the forbidden magic in not one, but in two different circumstances in the course of committing treason?" The councilmen quickly retained power, turning the spotlight back on her.

Alice blew out a regretful breath, "Yes, I acknowledge and agree to this new fact." She swore in, swallowing loudly as the people behind her gossiped mercilessly about the downfall of the Arvel family.

"Do you still plead temporary insanity?" They asked, almost mocking her.

Furrowing her brows with anger and determination, she looked up at the power-hungry men, "My position has not changed, councilmen." She challenged them.

"Prey tell, defendant," one of them spoke curtly, meeting her challenge head on, "exactly when did you begin to practice forbidden magic?"

Alice stared at the men in the hoods, the question hanging in the air as she remained deathly quiet—her brain desperately trying to figure out how in the world she was going to win this one.

Another hooded man kept going from where the last one left off, "Lady Arvel, are you claiming to have learned and perfected using forbidden magic all within the 48 hours between Lady Baldwin being stricken ill, and you performing said spells?" He mercilessly dug in further.

"Or—" Another councilman continued, gaining up on Alice, "—do you admit to the royal court to having practiced the forbidden spells before the time you claimed to have been temporarily driven insane?"

Like nails being driven in her coffin, the councilmen took turns sending Alice to an early grave.

"And if you admit to the illegal learning of the forbidden magic, does that not indicate that you were, at one point before your claim of insanity, planning to use the forbidden magic?"

"And does the planning of the use of the forbidden magic not lead one to suspect that you knew exactly what you were doing when you used the forbidden spells on Lady Baldwin and Godric Pernelle?"

"Leading us to one last question, Lady Arvel: if you knew exactly what you were doing when you used the forbidden magic, how is it possible for you to have been temporarily driven insane?"

Alice's blood was cold, her wide blue eyes flickering to Narcisse as he abruptly stood up in the balcony box—as if wanting to save her from an inevitable fate.

The king's demanding voice broke her eye contact with his stressed out son as he personally nailed shut her coffin with the last nails, "Defendant, answer the questions! When did you purposely seek out knowingly banned material? When did you learn it? And where did you find it when every known piece has either been burned or locked away?"

As Alice stared in horror at the enraged king, time stopped. Everything stilling as a sudden disturbing thought occurred to her...

Where did she learn the forbidden spells? And how did she know all about them when they were never spoken of?

Who did she learn them from?

How pathetic. How weak.

Her body trembled as blinding fear struck her chest—her nails cutting into her palms. With quivering lips, she spoke as the world around her seemed to grow as she shrunk, "I... I don't... I don't know. I don't—I don't remember... why—why do I know them? Who taught me—"

Agony suddenly erupted in her skull as she let out a piercing scream, falling to her hands and knees without any of her receptors in her body working except for pain.

Something inside of her head was burning and searing her—like her brain was being poked by a fire poker, branding her out of spite. Yanking at her hair, she tried to dig the pain out of her skull—the feeling growing hotter and hotter as seemingly boiling blood and black goo started exiting her body. The burning liquid felt like it was leaking out of every orifice in her head—her ears, her nose, even her eyes as she cried out the hot substance that left burning sensations on her skin wherever it touched.

It was as if she were being punished to death.

Just like it had been for her first death—as blood filled her burning eyes—the only thing she could see was red.

~*~*~

A.N.

*clears throat* HEARSAY HEARSAY HEARSAY YOU COUNCILMEN BITCHES  (or whatever the word is for leading the suspect into a trap and not allowing them to answer questions). But low key impressed with myself considering I wrote all the courtroom chapters all in a day and thought of everything on the spot—not me counteracting my own moves every five seconds lol. It was actually really fun and I encourage everyone to argue with themselves lmao.

And finally OMG ALICE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?! Y'all what you think is going down? Oh my word. Plot twist!

Thanks for reading!