𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔶

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

    A groan escaped from my lips the moment I returned to consciousness.

"I'm not going on bedrest again," I grumbled before even opening my eyes.

     An unamused hum sounded from Madja just prior to my eyes fluttering open. I felt just fine--if not a bit tired.

"No need for bedrest this time," she relented with a sigh. "We got the poison out of your system in time."

"Poison?" I repeated, my body snapping up to a sitting position. She nodded, placing a pillow behind my back for support.

"The High Lord found who did it; he's taking care of them now," she explained.

She handed me a glass of water. I began to drink, hoping it would take care of the dull ache in my head.

I contemplated what she had just told me as I drank. Who could possibly want me dead? Was this Beron's sick form of revenge?

"Are you awake?" I heard in my head.

"Yes," I replied to my twin. "Come here."

"On my way."

It only took another second for Rhys to winnow into the infirmary. My eyes went a bit wide as they were met took with his blood-covered figure.

"Two males and a female," he explained to me, wiping blood from his face. "All Autumn Court. All sent by Beron."

"I told you he wouldn't let it go so easily," I scoffed, shaking my head as I leaned against the pillows Madja had set behind me.

"Don't worry; we're calling a High Lord meeting," he told me. "Confronting him in front of the other High Lords will set him straight. He knows that the other High Lords adore you; they've known you since you were a baby."

They'd known both me and Rhys since we were babies. At least, all except the very new ones. All Princes and Princesses were dragged to meetings, events, balls. So I was very familiar with the other families in power of their own Courts.

"And until then?"

"You don't leave Velaris until this is settled," he instructed. "He can't get into Velaris; no one outside knows it exists. So no more Hewn City. No leaving Velaris at all."

"I can live with that," I sighed, aware that it would only be for a week, at most.

"We killed the males," he recounted. "But the female . . . she claims to know you--said she wants to speak with you. I dug through her mind, and you knew her. You both just seem to hate each other."

"Katina," I said quietly. He nodded. "I knew she hated me, but I didn't think she wanted me dead."

"She thinks you're responsible for Elio's death," he explained.

"And she wants to speak with me?" I asked. Another nod. "Then take me to her."

He glanced to Madja for confirmation, and she nodded, saying I was fine to go. I was just grateful I didn't have to spend another three days in bed.

My brother helped me out of the bed, and the two of us winnowed away. Into that dungeon Azriel had taken me into before.

This time, he led me towards a different cell. One directly next to Elio's. I had been trying to forget my last interaction with the male--the insults he'd thrown at me, the shame I had felt. But seeing true fear in his eyes when I threatened him had made it worth it.