Another Cinderella Story

23. Trapped ~Lily~

Jessie and I found allies in the most unexpected places. The guards outside our house weren't loyal to the queen and let us go when we told them our plan.

The townspeople that I had overlooked in all of my troubles were tired of living under the queen's thumb where they were overtaxed and poor.

The maids were underpaid and overworked and hardly given any leave to see their families.

All had been wronged by the castle, and all sat under the window of the throne room, hanging on every word that floated out into the gardens. It had all come together. The queen had unknowingly confessed to her crimes without knowing that she had an audience sitting right under the window behind her. I knew I had been wrong about Angus being the king, but now he was in the real king's clutches and we had to get Ella, him, and Liam out. My heart fluttered for Liam, but I needed to keep my mind on track. We had a force of guards who now knew about the king and queen's treachery. The people of their kingdom that we had managed to bring were angry to say the least. It was a battle waiting to happen, and my signal would spark it.

"Now!" I yelled as the huge window was shattered into the throne room.

Chaos broke loose.

Two days later...

The former queen was in the very cell she had locked us in. The silence was deafening and far from peaceful.

"Why did you do it?" I asked. "What was it to you if Ella was queen?"

The queen laughed, and the looming shadows in her eyes darkened. "You would never believe the truth," she said, her voice sharp and bitter.

"Try me," I said. "I've gone through some pretty unbelievable things."

"If you insist. Ella was my only child. You weren't wrong to think that Angus was the king, just... off."

"You and Angus..." I trailed off. "Ella was your second child, wasn't she?" I said. "Liam was never even your son?"

I was reeling.

"You're quick to catch on," she said.

Despite the mood, I let out a laugh. "You're just a power-hungry mother trying to get her only daughter the throne!"

That was what the mighty, regal queen was— reduced to her motives which were so predictable in retrospect.

"Don't laugh yet, Lily," the queen said, a wicked smile passing over her face. "Your danger is not yet over."

"Your threats mean nothing to me now," I said.

"This is no empty threat," she said. "There is still my personal guard that will be forever loyal," she laughed. "Although my warning might have come too late for you, Lily!"

I had less than a split second to react before the door burst open and the room was filled with the queen's laughs, mocking me as my eyes flashed around the room.

Guards wearing her coat of arms rushed in with their spears trained on me. I hadn't realized how many soldiers still loyal to her, and the mistake was going to cost me my life. No one would hear me 

down here.

I was trapped.