The Second Son

Chapter 15

For a moment, I couldn't move. I was in shock. And then the instinct to flee took over. I backed out of the room as quietly as I could and as soon as I was in the hallway, I ran. I was more afraid than I've ever been. The queen probably wanted me dead for one of two reasons. Either she thought I poisoned the king or she thought I used witchcraft to bring him back to life. Maybe both!

My thoughts were all over the place. What in the world just happened? I never truly believed that the Midnight Bloom would actually work. People didn't just come back from the dead. It went against everything I had learned as a healer. Maybe the king wasn't actually dead? Maybe I was too distracted by the queen and I was wrong? Maybe....

My feet had a mind of their own as I weaved in and out of the many hallways of the house I had lived my whole life. Without thinking about it, I ended up back in the library. I could hide in here until I came up with a plan. No one would ever look for me in here. I don't think many people even knew this house had a library.

I walked to the back where I had found the notebook about witchcraft. I wish I had never found it. How did I end up here? All I ever wanted to do was help people. I dropped to the floor with my back against the shelf and my arms wrapped around my knees. I let my head drop and the tears just started flowing. What a mess my life had become!

I sat there for a while. It could have been minutes or hours. I wasn't sure. The sound of the door opening made me jump from my hiding spot and back further into the corner I was hoping would conceal me. I could hear the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the front of the large space. I held my breath.

"Emily, I know you are in here. It's your favorite hiding spot. Where are you? You know this place creeps me out." My cousin, Eddie, whispered-shouted from the other end. I let out a huge sigh of relief and made my way over to the other corner where he was no doubt lost.

I was so relieved to see Eddie that I launched myself at him and engulfed him in a hug.

"Thank the heavens it's you Eddie! I thought you were the queen or the royal guard coming to arrest me. I'm in so much trouble!" I felt the panic inside me rise as I spoke my fears out loud.

"What are you talking about Em? Everyone is looking for you. The king wants to speak to you. Henry told him what you did for him. I think he wants to thank you for saving his life." My cousin grabbed my hand and started dragging me towards the exit. I was confused about what he just told me so I stopped in my tracks forcing him to stop as well.

"Wait, how do you know all this?"

"You know how the servants gossip. The whole manor knows what happened by now." Eddie started walking again and dragging me down the hallway. I was terrified of what I was about to walk into.