My Life Is Your Undoing |WMMAP|

8. Will History Repeat Itself?

One fateful day five years after I became Athanasia, I find myself sitting most uncomfortably beside the man who will kill me in the future, while the woman who should be dead is beaming at both of us from where she's seated opposite us.

Oh, did I mention that they're my parents?

I'm squished uncomfortably against the side of the boat, peering anywhere but at Claude, whose presence beside me is akin to that of a grenade. One wrong move, one misstep, and my life is also forfeited. The glow of the setting sun sparkles off the glimmering water, though I'm too stressed by my current predicament to take in the beauty of nature.

Now is so not the time for Claude's frugal tendencies to show up, because the boat is way too small for the three of us! At least, it feels that way to me.

A breeze billows through the canopy curtains, blowing them in my face. Diana giggles.

And now is so not the time for her to be giddy with excitement at the (utterly life-threatening) father-and-daughter time! Every moment I'm near Claude is a moment of life and death, literally!

Rewind time a bit, Lily had panicked after hearing Felix's words. She swapped out my crumpled dress for a new one, combed my hair like the hounds from hell were hot on her heels and tied the golden strands into twin plaits now dangling over my shoulders.

Felix carried me to the outskirts of the lake, the journey passing by in the blink of an eye, and then, to my horror, Diana went to sit across from Claude so I was placed beside Claude by Felix.

The redhead knight was oblivious to the desperate plea I was shooting from my eyes, and even hummed cheerfully as he lowered me onto the seat beside Claude.

"Have a nice time, Your Majesty, Your Highness and my lady," he said with a wave.

Felix... You traitor! I thought crossly. He only waved harder at me, a wide grin splitting his face in half.

"Watching the sunset with the two people I love the most in the world is a dream come true," Diana says wistfully, smiling at the two of us.

My anger melts partially when I see how happy she is. The light in her eyes is increased tenfold, the radiance so blinding that my breath is taken away.

"Oh!" She snaps her fingers, and digs around in her pocket. She takes out a wrapped handkerchief. "Thank you, Claude, for entrusting this to Felix."

She unwraps the cloth... to reveal one jagged tooth. Specifically, my jagged tooth. Heat creeps up my face.

"Mo – Mama!" I cry out, so chagrined that I almost blurt out "Mom" instead.

"Collecting my little Athy's teeth is another dream of mine," she explains elatedly.

I hide my groan.

Of all things for my mom to gain an interest in, why must it be my teeth?

"It was a blemish on the beauty of my palace," Claude says indifferently. "Getting rid of it was beneficial to me."

Excuse me?

"It's not as if Mister's ancient teeth are any prettier than mine," I find myself muttering.

My eyes widen. I slap a hand over my mouth. My big mouth that has run off on its own!

Claude's gaze cuts to me. I gulp.

"How strange. I'm hearing an insect buzzing by my ear."

WHAT? You damn prick!

I huff and turn away petulantly. "Funny. Athy, too, hears a bug speaking. A loud and old bug."