Seize the Day

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

In the panic, I was jostled to the side by running men and women. Maddox ordered the guards to escort the crowd at a calm pace, but that provided little in terms of my safety. I stumbled to the side of the room, glimpsing Odelia’s body in front of the couch.

It was happening again. Just like Fallon.

Titus was bent over the duchess, his face a mask of desperation. Philippa was gone, I noticed dully. I knew I should go over and protect him—or do something other than wait here in shock. My head throbbed as I moved one foot in front of the other towards the Crown Prince.

Upon reaching the lounge, I realized that the puddle beneath the duchess’ body was not blood. It was wine.

My mind was reeling until Titus cried, “She’s been poisoned!”

Poisoned?

Wine.

I looked at the toppled empty glass on the floor. My memories were jolted back two hours earlier. I saw Odelia take a sip of wine as she conversed with the Royals. How had the ball been infiltrated? Who poisoned her?

“Lannie, have you seen my mother?” Titus’ question broke me out of my line of thought. “She was just here!”

I moved away so the physicians could examine Odelia. I looked around the ballroom, but all I could see were fleeing guests being ushered out by guards.

Philippa was gone. And so was the king.

I didn’t have to tell Titus my lack of knowledge. He was already on his feet. “I’m going to look for her.”

I grabbed his arm. “Titus, it’s dangerous—”

The prince ripped his arm from my grasp, giving me a deadly glare. His eyes glinted a burning amber. “I am going.”

Without another word, Titus disappeared before the guards could tell him otherwise.

I had to do something, but I didn’t know what. Where could the queen have gone?

Tell your mother that I will still walk with her later tonight.

There was only one place where Philippa took leisurely walks.

The garden.

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My dress billowed out behind me like a crimson waterfall as my feet pounded hard against the carpeted flooring of the castle. I didn’t have time to tell anyone where I was going. No one would listen. They were all too caught up in the pandemonium to listen to one seventeen-year-old girl’s instincts.

Something inside told me that this was right. The garden was where I needed to be.

The king and queen probably had guards, but someone needed to warn them about the danger. The garden was too far away for news to travel that quickly. Then again, I could be wasting my time for nothing. The monarchs could be perfectly safe. Ushered away by guards after Odelia was poisoned.

But fear and apprehension twisted my gut. I knew the king and queen were in grave danger. Even though I couldn’t do anything—even though I knew how powerless I was—I kept running. Why? I didn’t know. But I did know one thing.

I would not lose someone again.

The windstorm raged mercilessly outside, drowning out the pounding of my footsteps. It was so powerful that I could hear it slamming against the dark stone of the castle. As I rounded the final corner of the hall leading to the garden entrance, I stopped in my tracks, heart threatening to burst from my ribcage.