A Traveler's Curse

Chapter 41- Poisoned

The events that unfolded after are a blur to me. Uncertainty engulfs my senses, leaving me in a state of limbo between life and death. The searing sensation coursing through my body implies that I am indeed alive, but the question lingers: do I truly want to be?

Visions of Caspian's face continually invade my thoughts. The way his touch makes me feel, or the intensity in his gaze. What if I were to perish without ever having the opportunity to act upon these emotions? To experience the gentle touch of his lips, if only once?

My consciousness drifts in and out, intermittently confirming my existence. Celestia's face occasionally appears, followed by glimpses of Sila. However, Caspian remains absent. Where is he? In the midst of my pain, I call out his name during restless slumber, yet he never appears. Has he ceased to care for me?

Eventually, I awaken in the infirmary, my body weak and unresponsive. Sila stands by my side, promptly offering a glass of water upon noticing my consciousness returning.

"Oh, Kyla, we feared the worst. We thought we were going to lose you. Drink this, you need to hydrate," she utters anxiously, extending the cup towards me.

My throat feels as though it is ablaze, but I force myself to swallow the water. However, it quickly resurfaces, drenching both myself and Sila. In haste, she retrieves a damp cloth to cleanse the mess.

"Caspian?" I manage to rasp, my voice strained and coarse.

She remains silent, not responding to my question and I begin to panic.

I strain to sit upright, fighting against the weakness that grips my body, until I manage to achieve a seated position. "Sila, where is Caspian? Is he safe?" I implore, my voice filled with concern.

"He's... he's at the execution," she finally utters, her voice heavy with apprehension.

"Execution? What execution?" I question, furrowing my brow in confusion.

"You've been unconscious for several days... You were poisoned during the dinner," she explains slowly, as if choosing her words carefully.

"Poisoned? By whom?" I demand, attempting to rise once more, but my body betrays me, causing dizziness to wash over me. Sila gently guides me back down, ensuring my comfort.

"Nova," she finally reveals, her tone conveying a mix of anger and sadness.

"Why would Nova poison me? We may not be close, but I haven't done anything to harm her!" I protest, my voice filled with disbelief.

"Caspian rejected her advances after you disappeared. She was consumed by jealousy and sought to eliminate you, securing her own position by the King's side," Sila explains, her words revealing the depth of Nova's treachery.

"And she's being executed for it?" I gasp, my hand instinctively flying to cover my mouth in disbelief.

"As we speak," Sila confirms, her voice heavy with resignation.

"No! Sila, we can't just let this happen. It's unjust," I plead desperately, my mind grappling with conflicting emotions. Why am I fighting to save the life of the woman who attempted to take mine?

"She tried to end your life, don't you understand? If it weren't for your body's rejection of most of the poison, you would be six feet under by now, and we would be mourning your loss. I won't stand in the way of her execution," Sila counters, her voice filled with determination. "Besides, I suspect it's already reached its fateful conclusion."

"Then take me to Caspian!" I demand, my resolve solidifying as I push myself up from the bed, determined to confront the king.

"You can't leave the infirmary during your night shift!" Sila protests, hastily draping a robe over my shoulders as I make my way towards the exit.

Ignoring her warning, I stride out of the infirmary and hurriedly approach the first guard I encounter. "Has the execution already taken place?"

"Yes, milady," the guard responds, his voice tinged with a hint of sympathy.

"Where is the king?" I demand, my voice trembling with urgency.

"He's in his chambers, requesting not to be disturbed," the guard informs me.

I pay no heed to his warning, navigating the corridors and descending two flights of stairs until I arrive at the grand doors leading to the King's chambers. The guards stationed outside immediately move to block my path, but with a flick of my wrist, I freeze them in place, their expressions frozen with surprise. Unfazed, I push through the doors and enter the king's private sanctuary.

"Nobody is supposed to disturb me right now!" Caspian growls, his voice laced with anger as he turns towards me. The intensity in his eyes softens upon seeing me, and he gazes at me for a long moment, his emotions swirling beneath the surface.

"I thought you were going to die," he finally admits, his voice heavy with regret as he lowers his gaze to his cup, his anger momentarily forgotten.

"But I didn't die. You executed Nova?" I exclaim, my voice rising in both shock and anger.

"The woman who attempted to murder you in order to get close to me? Yes, I executed her! And I would do it again without hesitation!" Caspian's voice booms, matching my intensity. The air between us crackles with tension, neither of us willing to back down.

"I don't want her blood staining my conscience, Caspian!" I yell at the king, my voice trembling with a mix of fury and sorrow.

"It's not on your hands, Kyla! It's on mine! When I discovered she had poisoned you, I could have personally beheaded her!" His words reverberate in the room, the weight of his guilt palpable as he squeezes his cup so hard that the glass shatters in his hand.

"If you really care, why didn't you come to see me in the infirmary?" I demand, tears streaming down my cheeks in frustration.

"Because I couldn't bear to witness your death! Because if you had died, I knew deep down that you deserved better than! You deserve better than a man who could execute someone he had known his whole life, a woman he had fucked for years, and feel nothing but relief at her death!" His voice echoes, filled with anguish, his eyes betraying inner turmoil even as tears refuse to fall. He continues to ignore his bleeding hand.

"I can't believe you mean that," I whisper, my disbelief mingling with heartache.

"I do mean it, Kyla. I'm relieved that she is no longer here to get between us. But what does that say about me as a man? The actions I have taken! The actions I continue to take! They are not always right, or just. And most of the time, I don't lose a wink of sleep over them. Is that the kind of man you want to be with?" His breaths come in heavy gasps, his attempt to regain control evident, while I stand before him, speechless and unsure of how to respond.

"None of that mattered to me. I just wanted to be with you," I manage to choke out through sobs, my voice carrying the rawness of my emotions. Without waiting for a response, I turn away and run, my feet carrying me as far away from him as possible.