A Few Poisoned Petals

Chapter One: Muerto

My death.

I saw blinding white lights, and I cried out for my mother as I bled on the pavement.

I was truck-kunned. Hit by a truck I couldn't see coming. I had been merely crossing the street, eyes scanning the road for any vehicles. When I couldn't see any, I looked down at my phone. I had been reading a light novel called 'The Redemption of Selene Vespera'. I was just at the part where Selene got reincarnated when the truck came out of nowhere! Like the trashcan in Clueless.

When I blinked awake, I saw myself in a prison cell. I looked in the mirror. My hair was jet black like the night sky. My eyes were milky white with blue specks like orbs of moonstone. I was racially ambiguous so the reader could relate to me more. I was drop dead gorgeous. I was...

Selene Vespera.

The realisation shocked me but not really. I was back in my past life, a life I just conveniently remembered now. The guard looked down at me with thinly veiled disgust and scoffed. He yanked the chain on my wrists and led me out to the courtroom. Everyone looked at me in disgust. Whispers about how I was such a jealous sister filled the room. Jealous. A murderer. A disgrace.

And I? I was staring at my reflection in the mirror.

When the judge cleared his throat and banged his gavel. "Selene Vespera, you stand accused of poisoning your sister, Elara Voss Vespera. What do you have to say in your defence?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I tilted my head in front of the mirror and ruffled my hair, rearranging it to make myself look even more perfect.

"What is wrong with her?" Elara, the perfect Elara, snarked. I barely spared a glance at her.

"Well, if you have nothing to say to defend yourself, then I charge you guilty of attempted murder and your punishment? Execution. Anyone have any objections?"

It was at this moment in my past life that I had stabbed myself, but now I was too preoccupied with my reflection to care. I spoke up coolly. "I, personally, have no objections. Just don't mutilate my body and hang up a painting of me at my funeral, please."

The courtroom went into utter silence, but they nervously ignored my words. This wasn't the Selene Vespera they knew, the meek girl desperate for approval. Duke Thalion stood up. "Well, I guess she seems... remorseful... so I guess I can forgive her. To keep her in check, I'll take her under my wing as my mistress-"

Prince Kaelan Verity interrupted the Duke and stood up. "Well, it seems like she's genuinely over it. I'll take Selene under my wing as my bride."

Everyone clapped. Kaelan led me away to his wing of the palace.

"Selene," Kaelan finally said, his voice low and smooth, though there was an undercurrent of something darker beneath it. "You may not realise it yet, but this is where you belong. At my side."

"Okay." I shrugged, accepting my fate pretty quickly. Kaelan was hot in a way Thalion never could be. He was obsessed with me and wasn't a cheater, so that was a win for me.

______________________________________________________ ༊*·˚

Our wedding was quick and quiet. Kaelan apologised for the simplicity, but to be fair it was already controversial in the first place. I forgave him for it, mostly because I didn't care. Our nights were spent filled with roses and wine. I didn't step out of his room often. I was kept tucked away in his sheets, and he regularly got me books to expand the library in his wing. The greenhouse, once filled with dark leaves, was now flourishing with feminine flowers. My maids, who once thought I was a jealous, bitter poisoner, now grew closer to me once they found I loved cheesy romance books as much as they did. They loved me even more once they realised I was a passionate writer. I felt flattered when they complimented my work, but I didn't quite understand it. I poured my heart and soul into those works, yes, but I never quite understood the utter shock the maids went through when they read my manuscripts and told me it was better than they'd thought it'd be.