Nepenthe • Something that can make you forget grief or suffering.
Never feeling like they belonged was a feeling that Lissa Dragomir lived with, even with her family and life long best friend, although they aided in that feeling not being so strong...
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The air in the throne room remained heavy, stale with the scent of old velvet and ancient stone. Queen Tatiana Ivashkov remained standing, her posture regal and sharp, watching them with the calculating gaze of a monarch who viewed everyone beneath her as pieces on a chessboard. She pivoted slightly, the rustle of her dress sounding like the strike of a match in the silence, and drifted toward the side of the dais.
"You are here for the trial," the Queen stated, her voice returning to its cool, authoritative register. "The trial of Victor Dashkov. He is currently held in the deepest level of the prison beneath this very castle. The proceedings will take place in the private court hall, away from the prying eyes of the lesser nobility."
Kate felt the weight of Alec against her hip, the boy's breathing shallow as he watched the Queen. Victor Dashkov was a name that carried a toxic legacy—a man who had viewed Lissa as nothing more than a tool to be exploited, who had broken spirits and convinced his own daughter to turn into a monster. The thought of him being beneath their feet, held by nothing more than stone and steel, made Kate's skin crawl.
Before she could stop herself, the question tumbled out, sharp and unbidden. "With all due respect, Your Majesty... is that safe?"
The Queen froze, the silence that followed was thick enough to choke on. Slowly, Tatiana turned her head, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto Kate's. "Are you questioning my judgment, Novice Alistair?"
"No, Your Majesty," Kate said immediately, her voice steady despite the hammer of her pulse. She forced herself to maintain eye contact, refusing to back down. "But I have seen what Victor is capable of. He is manipulative, incredibly charming, and possesses an ambition that outweighs any sense of morality. He doesn't just want freedom; he wants the throne. Keeping him so close to you feels like inviting a viper into your bed."
Tatiana let out a short, melodic laugh that didn't reach her eyes. "My dear, every Royal Moroi in this Dominion is hungry. It is their nature. They all crave the power to prove their worth and the ambition to lead us to greater prosperity. If I feared every ambitious man or woman with a title, I would never sleep."
Dimitri stepped forward, his head bowed in a show of total, disciplined deference. "If I may, Your Majesty," he began, his voice calm but firm. "Kate's concerns are not born of insolence, but of duty. Victor has proven he can warp reality around him. Even a man behind bars can be a danger to your safety if he is allowed this proximity."
The Queen's expression softened into a mask of amusement as she looked at Dimitri. "Oh, you are such a darling," she cooed, her tone light and teasing.
Beside Kate, she heard a sharp intake of breath. Lissa's hand went to her side, her knuckles white with need to remind her Sovereign that Kate and Dimitri were a couple and that she should respect their relationship by not flirting with Dimitri, and Viktoria's jaw locked so hard it seemed her teeth might crack. While Kate kept her face a mask of perfect, neutral training, though her own blood simmered.
