Dark Halls, Stone Walls

Chapter Twenty-Four

She glared daggers at him and then articulated herself in such a way that reminded me of a ruthless mother, not an optimistic woman in love, "So let me get this straight, you thought her family is trying to take you out with her help, but things went down the wrong way, so now everyone is locked away and she's going to take the fall anyway despite her innocence?"

He nodded helplessly. She scoffed.

After a moment passed, I spoke up. "Am I truly innocent?"

They both whipped their heads to me. I quickly explained myself.

"I-I mean, yeah, if letters were forged and the like, then yeah, there's that. A-and I don't think I'd betray the crown... but isn't it—isn't it weird that if my family was accused of sedition and treason, that I would be completely in the dark about it? There's no way that, if my family was involved, that I would not know anything as big as blocking in the entire castle. Also!" My heart squeezed from the pressure in the atmosphere and the words fell out even faster. "How did no one noticed that there was such a large moment about to happen? I don't know if it's logs or stones that are blocking the doors, but wouldn't someone have noticed it and investigated it since there was a royal wedding coming up?"

He nodded. "It wasn't logs or stones, but we noticed abnormal movement. The problem was that it was a little too late... but you bring up a good point." He admitted begrudgingly. "We should have noticed something way faster than we did and now no one really knows whose side anyone is on. I initially thought that the faster we get this trial going, the better, though only so that rumors can spread that the rebellion has died out... but since so much evidence is gone..."

"Oh speaking of evidence..." She harrumphed, trying to recover from what he just dropped on us. "Why can't she see anyone out there, but can see you in here? Seems like you're the one behind that!"

He, for once, was silent.

"Oh, great." I muttered. "So that part's your fault?"

"How does that relate to evidence?" He shot at her. She flinched. "That's an awfully random question for someone that is trying to threaten me!"

She straightened her back, "Shut your mouth." She snarled. "You are the one I want to hurt, not threaten. I feel everything she does, so can you blame me for wanting you to go through an ounce of pain I did?" As if to emphasize her point, she ripped him away from me and pinned him again the wall with his arm behind his back.

He yelped out in shock and pain.

I jumped up to interfere. "Stop, you're hurting him!"

She shoved me down with ease. Ignoring the aches from my lower back, I went to get up, only for her to twist his arm a bit. He grunted.

"Tell her to stay seated, will you?" She whispered softly. "You're the only one that deserves any ounce of pain, but I won't hesitate to do worse to both you and her until I rip the truth out of your pretty-boy chest."

I shook my head furiously. "This is too much!"

"Not for me."

"Ellie..." He uttered my name with a mixture of panic and kindness. "Please, just... stay there, okay? I've been through worse."

I pressed my lips together and nodded, but not before I shot her a nasty look. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, you were going to kill him earlier, weren't you?"

"I thought he was just a memory-!"

"Quiet."

A storm of tension brewed in my chest and froze all my thoughts for a few terrible moments. Then the wave of anxiety passed, allowing me to listen to a conversation that was already half finished.