Shatter Me Twice

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RHEA
The kitchen buzzed with a familiar, comforting chaos, the scent of freshly baked bread mingling with the spicy tang of herbs simmering over the fire. I couldn't help but smile as I tied another bow around a small, velvet pouch filled with fragrant lavender. The gifts were stacking up now.

My heart felt light, almost giddy with the excitement that thrummed through me. Soon, I would be wed to the prince, my prince, and crowned as queen beside him. But there was something I needed to do first—something personal, something that mattered more than all the pomp and ceremony surrounding me.

I needed to see Lady Iren.

I wanted to deliver the wedding invitation to her personally, to show her how much her presence meant to me. No servant's hand-off would do; it had to be mine. I needed to see the joy in her eyes, to hear the warmth in her voice when she opened the gilded envelope.

I hurried out to the carriage waiting in the courtyard, my breath coming out in excited puffs. The coachman tipped his hat as I climbed inside, the dark mahogany door closing behind me with a soft click. I settled into the cushioned seat, and the carriage jerked into motion with a creak of the wheels. I watched as the castle's towering spires faded behind us, swallowed by the dense thicket of trees that lined the winding road to the village.

The journey was longer than I remembered, the road seeming to stretch endlessly beneath us. I peered out the small window, watching the shadows of branches dance across the path. It was mid-afternoon—the sun was still high, but its light was dappled by the canopy above, casting shifting patterns on the ground like something alive, something restless. I dismissed the unease prickling at the back of my neck. I was just excited, impatient. Every second felt like an eternity when I thought of seeing Lady Iren's face again.

I tried to relax, sinking back into the plush velvet seat, letting the gentle sway of the carriage soothe my nerves. The sound of the horses' hooves was rhythmic, almost lulling me into a daze, until—without warning—the carriage jerked to a stop.

I felt my heart leap into my throat. For a moment, I just sat there, listening to the stillness outside. It was an unnatural quiet, thick and heavy, like the world was holding its breath. I leaned forward, my hands gripping the edge of the seat as I called out, "Dimitri? Why have we stopped?"

Silence.

No reply came from the driver's perch. I felt a chill creep up my spine, my fingers tightening around the edge of the seat. I tried again, louder this time, my voice quivering with uncertainty, "Dimitri?"

Still, no answer.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. My heart began to thud against my ribs as I slowly inched toward the small rectangular opening that allowed me to speak to the driver. I peered through it, my eyes searching for any sign of him. But there was nothing—just the empty driver's seat and the reins hanging loose, swaying slightly in the wind.

Panic welled up inside me. I reached for the carriage door with a shaky hand, feeling the cold metal of the handle as I slowly pushed it open. The air outside was colder than I expected, the scent of damp earth filling my nostrils as I stepped down. The crunch of gravel under my feet seemed unnaturally loud in the stillness.

I rounded the side of the carriage, my eyes scanning for any sign of Dimitri. But he was nowhere. No figure crouching beside the wheels, no shadow moving in the woods. Nothing.

Then I saw it—a dark stain on the ground, leading from the foot of the driver's seat and trailing around to the back of the carriage. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry, as I moved closer, my heart pounding with every step.