Burning Castles | ✓

Chapter 13 - Lessons

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∞ | Chapter 13 - Lessons | ∞

Rebellion Lands

She didn't know how long she was there on the ground.

She could never forget the look on Lyla's face as she died or the sound of her neck being snapped, the sound resembling someone breaking a wishbone over dinner, just louder.A hand reached out to shake her gently on the shoulder and she jerked, eyes focusing on Rhydderch who had an expressionless face on. His eyes were cold as he regarded her and she knew that everything that had happened tonight was her fault.

She was the one to blame for Lyla's death.

Tears welled up in her eyes but she forced them back. There was no time for tears now, she would save them when she was in private. Rage and the need for vengeance surfaced up in her and she took a shuddering breath.

"Come," he ordered flatly as he gently tugged her up from the ground.

Taking a look around, she could see that everyone is gone and that only her and Rhydderch were present. "Where is he?"

"We're preparing him to finally get executed."

The jibe was meant for her and she let it. "No, give him to me," she said shakily.

"Why? So you can set him free again?" The tone used was silky and tinged with anger. His eyes were now gleaming dangerously, those blue eyes were now a dark hue. The muscles in his jaw was ticking and she could see that he was barely controlling himself from lashing at her.

Adrastea shook her head. She was not going to get angry at Rhydderch, after all, she had no right. She had undermined him, questioned his authority, disregarded his opinions and decisions and because of that, an innocent girl had died.

Basically, she had almost let a killer walk free.

"No," she swallowed harshly as he began leading her back to her tent, his grip on her arm not diminishing, as though he thought she would run and do something foolish again. "I need a body. A human one. I've been trying to improve the cure and I need a test subject."

Rhydderch didn't answer but continued leading her away and she knew he was beyond furious at her. Regret swarmed up and if she could, she would have gone back to the past and she would be the one lighting him on fire.

Her heart ached and the image of Lyla's terrified expression as she died surfaced again in her mind.

"I'm sorry Rhydderch," she whispered softly and he stopped and turned to her.

His eyes flashed and he shook his head. "I know your dislike of executions. But this is how things are done. That assassin killed two of the men while they were patrolling and those men had families. Not to mention, a few more are severely injured. Your prior actions have almost prevented their families from getting their retribution. Have you ever thought about that?"

Numbly she shook her head.

She had always thought that Rhydderch was someone who never listened to reason, someone who did as he liked and now, she was beginning to see that it was her the entire time. She was a hypocrite.

She didn't like thinking of herself as the one who gave out executions or making tough decisions but here it was. She didn't want to think herself to be the same as Rhydderch, someone who didn't bat an eyelash when he ordered someone to die.

She was just someone who wanted to make the world a better place.

And what are the things you have done to do so? Well, she had created an antidote for the world's deadliest poison but in doing so, thirty and more people had died while she was trying to perfect it.