Of Rebels and Crowns

Chapter 21

"You had just one job. One lousy job and we could have had it all." She sneered as she dragged a nail over the jail bars.

"But you could not do even that. I should have listened to them. You really are a bad omen. You and your filthy-"

"Stop it!" Amelia shouted, covering her ears.

"If you came to taunt me, then it is a little too late if you have not noticed." She gestured to the tiny cell she was in.

"Guess I was not as good as you thought. They caught me the moment I arrived here."

"Oh don't blame me for proving everyone right about what they said about you. You cannot be loved."

"That's where you are wrong. Lots of people love me. They gave up a lot for my cause."

"And then what happened to them?"

Amelia thought back to her fight with Big John. "I will not let you get inside my head again! I'm going to do what's right even if it kills me!"

"Good. Because it probably will. I should wonder at the prince's fate when you are not there to save him from his own entitled ignorance."

Amelia sprang up and made a grab for her through the bars. "Stay away from him!"

"Look at you getting all fired up. You would save him, would you? Well, where's your little prince now?"

She glared at her as though by staring long enough she would be able to light her up in flames. It only brought a sickening smile to the older woman's face.

"As much as I have enjoyed our little chat, I have to go now. Have to get the best seat. Wouldn't miss your hanging for anything in the world."

Amelia sighed. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I must."

"If you truly believed me to be worthless then why did you invite me into your home? Call me your daughter?"

"Because I saw the same thing in you that was in me when I was still like you. When I was young, innocent, naïve. My father sold me to one of his associates to pay off a debt. He didn't love me anymore than my father did and he showed it in every blow that he delivered. I tried to be the perfect wife, give him everything he wanted. And then I finally gave him children but they weren't sons. The day he laid a hand on my Harriet, something in me finally snapped. It was all so easy from that point really. I was no match for him physically, but a drunk man, yes. When he finally tumbled into bed that night, I took his pillow and put it over his face until he stopped moving."

Amelia breath caught in her throat. She had never heard this part of the story before.

"I took it all but it still wasn't enough. I realized that the only way to win is to play their game. And I want everything."

"So is that what the Grand Duke is offering you?"

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"It wasn't hard to figure out who would benefit the most from the prince's untimely demise. Especially after I saw him at your house then at the palace."

"We want the same thing and we are both willing to do everything to get it. It's a perfect partnership."

"And me?"

"You were inconsequential. No one would miss you. Someone to take the fall if it came to that and not have it traced back to us."

Amelia felt the words like a blow to her heart. She had fought so hard to run away and now she found herself right back to where she started: dirty, cold and alone.

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