Plethora Unraveled

Chapter 52: Torture

Liam

Although I've arrived fifteen minutes early, considering they don't have much to do with their time, you'll think she'll come to the meeting room right away, I suppose that's too much to ask for.

*****

Finally, after the long wait, Queen Lovely steps into the meeting room looking as expected, well-dressed and gorgeous as ever. Seems her time in prison has been nothing more than an extended vacation.

As the Queen approaches, out of respect for her title, and that alone, I stand.

"Dearest Liam, how are you?"

Based on my body language, I'm sure she knew the answer to her very unnecessary question before the words left her lips, but yet, for her own amusement she chose to ask.

"You knew that Athelstan diamond is in her heart," I say slowly under my breath while grinding my teeth.

"Yes, I discovered some time after I first laid eyes on her."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, raising my voice, which doesn't affect her at all.

"You did not ask."

"Why would I ask Lovely? Why would I think to ask or consider something like that?"

"She is perfect; special. With an unknown past. Why wouldn't you try to find out as much as you could about her."

"She doesn't remember her past."

"And yet, you marry her and defile her."

"What?" I ask stepping toward her growing angrier by the second.

"She is special. You and Adrienne do not deserve her."

Without thinking, I grab the top of Lovely's dress straps, roughly push her against the wall, and shake her repeatedly. She simply looks at me unmoved. I'm not hurting her; that much I know. Thoughts of the others crosses mind, but she doesn't call for their help.

I came here for help but I'm letting anger get the best of me.

Letting go of her, I step away and sit on the floor. Lovely follows me to the floor and surprisingly sits next to me. She stretches her legs out and my head made its way to her lap. She strokes my hair while tears slowly start to fall from my eyes. Lovely has seen me cry many times before and she has never made me feel bad about it. My strong dislike for her moments ago quickly dissipates and here in the now, she is my safe place.

"Is the Athelstan diamond the reason you want her?" I ask struggling to speak with every word.

"There are many reasons, that is just one of them."

"How could I not have known? How could I have missed that something was wrong with her?"

"Please do not grow faint. You are stronger than this."

"What... if... we... can't... duplicate... her... medicine? They... said... we... can't... take... it... out... and... I... don't... want... her... to... die," I say sobbing between each word, "if...she...does...we... don't... have... a... to... heal... her..."

"Preston and Harrison have been well trained, they will figure it out. Once they figure it out, tell them to add a bit of her blood to the mixture."

"Why?" I question while sitting up to look her in the eyes.

"Just a hunch."

"Please don't do this, tell me how to help her!"

"Sorry, other than recreating the medicine and making sure she takes the correct amounts when needed is all the advice that I can give you."