Broken Beginnings

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen- A Mistaken Queen

I took heavy steps towards the ballroom. My wrists burned and my head spun. I snatched a water from a passing tray before they ventured into the ballroom. From the slight open in the door, sound poured out, laughing and ethereal music. I bared my teeth slightly before chugging the remnants of my water.

"I see you made it out in one piece." I snapped my attention to Violet. She leaned against the wall opposite of the door. Her dress was gold as well, sparkling in the light. It hugged every curve of her body, exposing tanned skin. Her eyes flickered to what I wore and I smiled. " Of course I did." I purred. Damn her if she thought that I would give her the satisfaction of my pain. 

I straightened my back and turned away from her. 

"I voted that they kept you in that cage but obviously that didn't happen." She drawled. I could hear her slurping her wine as I turned. The water glass in my hand ached beneath my grip as I took in her smug expression. "New scars for your collection." I stalked close to her, enough that I could smell the wine on her breath. I raised my glass inches from her head and let it drop. 

She could have caught it with her superhuman speed but she let it drop. 

The glass sprayed both our arms. "Clean her up." Violet said not breaking eye contact. 

I smirked at her as a maid moved towards me. I took a step back, a bustle of servants blocking our path before I practically threw myself into the ballroom. There was no way to explain what had been done. Let them question why their queen bled. 

I heard Violets hiss as I slipped through the crowd. Not before a hand grabbed mine. The other inconspicuously wiping at the blood dripping from my left arm. I yanked at the unfamiliar mans grip but he did not budge. He steered me away from the crowd to the sidelines. "Stop squirming you will make a scene."

The man with the chiseled beard bore his green eyes into mine. I flinched at the intensity. "Who are you? And maybe I want to make a scene." I snapped.  

As I was pulled behind a pillar, his pale hands grasped my arm and instantly the small cuts were absent. I frowned. "Now is not the time for tantrums, your highness. Its not only your life at stake but everyone here. The women, the true queens of this realm will stop at nothing to make sure everyone you love dies." I blinked at him taken aback. I took that moment to take in his fit lean, body. He radiated magic, I could still sense it, even with the stupid bracelet Opal had given me. His suit was plain, all black, his brown hair fell to his sharp, square chin. 

"Who are you?" I repeated. Eyes were beginning to look at where we stood in the darkness. Specifically Ashered who I now noticed in the sea of people. He was striking, a maroon suit with gold embellishments and a gold crown of ravens atop his head. I did not wear a crown and I had a feeling that was done on purpose. 

"The women want to be queen, they are trying to do everything they can to make you fail. If you fail the people and become unhinged they get the throne and Ashered." I paused at this newfound information. 

"Wait, I thought they wanted nothing to do with the kingdom. I thought that was why we were here? To relieve them of that duty?" I rubbed at my temple in confusion as the man continued. 

"No, before you and Ashered came here they were set to be queens. There had been no successful special in hundreds of years. At least not until recently, you, Gale and Claire. Its a miracle unknown to most. Because of this, with the kingdom lacking charge, they were finally going to be crowned but going against the tradition of specials would riot and pull apart the kingdom. But if you were to be deemed unfit by the people then they would have an opening. They would be set up for success because a king needs a queen to create an heir. "

I snarled in the direction of the door I came through but the man held me in place before I could do anything. "I have an heir." I snapped. 
The man was silent for a moment. "Yes, but no one knows that." 

I blinked. He was right. I had never publicly announced that information. The only ones seeming to know were in our close circle and the men who had tried to 'marry' my unborn child. I paled at the realization. Those women had set up everything, every last instance, every enemy. I was going to be sick. 

I braced a hand on the pillar shaking. I saw in my peripheral as the man disappeared and before I  turned I already knew who had replaced him. 

I breathed in air through my nose and hugged the new person. His smell filled my nostrils and I felt my body relax. To any bystander this just looked like an affectionate hug. 

"I'm assuming Arthur updated you on the new information." His voice caressed my soul. How I had missed him. 

He held onto me tightly before hesitantly letting go of me to gaze at me. 

We stood there searching each others eyes for what must have been eternity. 

"It was them." I said, my voice barely a whisper above the crowd. 

Ashered held tightly onto my arms as if I would collapse. My mind spiraled through every incident that had led up to this. Ambrose unwittingly making into the castle undetected. Fallon's death, Frost and Melvin. Every single thing from getting here to this moment had been them. 

"How did we not notice?" I asked. Ashered was silent, gripping me tighter. "I had a feeling someone was messing with things but I just didn't realize it was them." He told me softly. I blinked hard. "How do we get out of this?" 

Ashered remained silent and chills ran down my spine. "I don't know if there is anyway to get out of this without more people dying, Hope." 

I blinked aggressively trying to hide the forming tears. 

 I was about to speak again when voices mumbled and out walked Sena, atop her white hair, a crown matching Ashereds. 

Image reference: Sena