The Knight's Deception

Chapter 24

Lily’s mind whirled with words to say, but everything she could possibly use to defend herself disappeared at the sight of Liam’s rage. “I should have known.” He growled, his eyes flashing like the lightning above. “Was this your plan all along? To lead this army here? To have me follow you?”

"Sire, I don’t think--” Owen began, but Liam cut him off sharply.

"Quiet! I was speaking to the sorceress.”

His chilly words made Lily’s heart bleed with remorse. “Of course not. I would never betray you.”

Apparently it was the wrong thing to say for Liam’s face darkened even more. “You’ve already betrayed me twice now, and this time it’s unforgivable.” He began to turn away.

"Liam, wait!” She cried, the rain plastering her hair to her face.

He spun around. “I should kill you where you stand! Be thankful that I am not.”

Lily’s temper flared into life, and never before had she cursed it more when she shouted, "then, why don’t you?!”

She stepped closer, noticing the way Liam’s eyes hardened and his hand moved to the hilt of his sword. They were close enough to touch when she kneeled before him, baring her neck. “Kill me.” Her words were soft now. “Kill me as your father has done to hundreds of my kind.”

She wanted to flinch at the hiss of his sword as he pulled it from its scabbard, but she held herself still. The sharp blade pressed against her throat as she blinked water from her eyes. Owen moved out of the corner of her eye, but she shook her head at him. “Owen, don’t. If His Majesty wishes to kill me, then let him.”

She had to see what he would do, to see if he really was that much like his father. In her heart, she believed he was not, but as the blade cut deeper, a thin stream of blood flowing from the shallow wound, she began to doubt her faith in him. Then the blade jerked away from her, and she met his eyes just quickly enough to catch the agonized pain swimming in those blue depths before it was gone.

"You are a traitor to both myself and my kingdom.” Liam said, looking away from her. “I cannot allow you to return, but I will spare your life. Just this once.”

"And if I do return?” She spat defiantly, climbing to her feet.

"You will be executed.”

She felt colder than the icy rain that drenched her at those emotionless words. If she returned, she would die as her mother had, but if she did not...

"Sire.” Owen spoke up but looked away soon after, his lips pressing together in a tight line.

Without so much as a farewell, Liam turned away from her with Owen trailing behind albeit more reluctantly. Lily felt her eyes prickle with unshed tears, knowing this moment would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life. She couldn’t believe how quickly everything had fallen apart, and how quickly his feelings for her had changed.

"What about our future?" She shouted after him. “What about everything you promised me?”

He stopped, surprising her, a flash of lightning illuminating him briefly, but he didn’t turn around. “They don’t exist. Those promises.” He said. “Not for people like you.”

Lily stood there, unable to move or really even breathe, as he continued to put as much distance between them as he could. Her magic ached like an old scar. It swirled above her head, darting forward then back as if telling her to go after him, but she didn’t move. She would have said anything, done anything, to make him stay, had she not been so certain that it would have made no difference. The darkness and trees swallowed the two men up before long, and she found herself alone, wondering if she would ever see either one again. Eventually, she fell back to her knees, the cold mud and rain soaking into her clothes.