As a new queen rises to power, the kings of Caeleste grow unrest. The Inlustris in their sights, they send an assassin to Antonella Feulune's palace, and the war is declared.
Inexperienced and filled with grief, Antonella sends off her fiancé on a t...
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I lost my breath as multiple people stepped over me in their panic. It was hard for me to search for air; just as I tried to lift my head to breathe another person knocked me back down. It was then that I realized how people died being trampled on.
"Everyone stop moving!" Herc commanded. When the people followed his orders, I was finally able to breathe. I stood up, wobbling, and pushed through the crowd towards Herc and the other Bleeders.
The people, who were once trampling me, stared at me, either with fear or wonder. I didn't understand the latter, but I figured I didn't want to know. I had other things to worry about, like the raid at Potentia Flamber the next day. That compared to what other people thought of me was much more vital. As a queen, a young one at that, I was used to everyone thinking the worst of me, so I was learning to turn the other cheek. Now was perfect practice to do so, although I did fear what the Bleeders might say after my sudden disappearance.
—
"Are you fucked in the head right now?"
The harsh words brought chills down my spine. I almost heard Theodora scolding Herc for his vulgar language, something she'd done with me and the other royal servants in the past.
"I am most certainly not." I waved off his anger. "And why are you cursing up a storm? You sound like a Fulgurian when his tame rat passes, my Gracious."
The other Bleeders around me stifled their laughs as Herc's frown deepened. I had to stop my own giggle from erupting since he was truly angered, I did not want to fuel it further.
"Do you have any idea what could've happened to you?"
I tilted my head to the side in question. The only thing that could've happened to me was dying due to being trampled. However, if Herc and the rest of the Bleeders hadn't caused such a scene, I would have slipped back with them unnoticed without a care in the Universe.
"I was looking around. What's the harm in that?" I shrugged.
It wasn't like I was going to walk into some lion's den. I was walking around where the other people were, well, under the people, but I was still there regardless. I didn't run away or had gotten lost. Everything was fine.
"You could've gotten killed."
I rolled my eyes at his dramatic words. I had just won a terrible match and he was afraid of me dying by walking about.
"I wasn't going to get myself killed."
"How would you know?" He challenged.
I clenched my jaw wanting to flick my wrist. Unlike the people in the Seclusion Arena, I wielded magic, so I could have defended myself if worse came to worst. That much was evident by my victory in the ring. Of course, the Bleeders couldn't understand that. All they saw was a frail girl who stumbled upon them on the outskirts of Potentia Flamber who won a violent match on a whim.
