Lair of Luxury

XIII | Revelation

XIII. Revelation

Sometimes the truth was often stranger than fiction, and here I stood paralyzed in fear, with Queen Amice's pistol aimed right at me. Who she was this evening was different than who she was during the Twilight Ball. Perhaps the same person, but she hid her true nature extremely well.

"What have we here? A brave guest to join us!" Amice burned her gaze into mine.

I turned down the corners of my lips in a frown. I could not believe that the person I had been investigating... turned out to be someone else. Malevolent.

"How are you alive? We thought you were dead? You were dead!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

She merely curled her lip up in a smirk, her aim never wavering. When she talked, it was no graceful melody but a cadence of a selfish sinner. "Darling, I am the mastermind behind my assassination." She clicked her tongue. "I find you a waste of potential..."

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her, or else!" My mother threatened the Queen, but I was sure that she no longer was one.

"Adorable, but I shall lay a hand on anyone as I please." Amice shifted her target to Aunt Genevieve, angry. "You! Since when did bringing your family in here a part of the plan?"

Aunt Genevieve was unnerved by her daunting presence that radiated a ghastly energy. She stuttered, "I-I didn't mean to."

"Pathetic. No valid reason at all," Sir Quint scowled.

I raised my voice, causing Amice to transfer the direction of her hand-held weapon that could blow the life out of me any second. "Why are you doing this? I thought you were a good person..." I trailed off, frowning.

She clasped her abdomen, her whole body wrecked by a roar of laughter that erupted from her throat. Her aim wobbled in result of her wicked cackle. "Oh, darling, you are not cut out for the real world. This whole reality? It's a masquerade." She seethed, nearing her face which was contorted in a deadly glower. "I executed the mask well. Sequin smiles, and elegant mannerisms. But deep down, I am much more than that."

"Much more? What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, I recruited your aunt here," she pointed her pistol at her.

Aunt Genevieve blurted out, "You forced me, and I had to comply..."

"You are interested in the research of poison, are you not? I was informed that you're close associates with the alchemist who was fired from the castle, so I figured you'd be ideal," said Amice with a smug look on her face.

"Why are you even taking it this far?! You can simply back down from the throne, and pass your crown to Salome–" Mother was interrupted when Amice lurched forward to her, pressing the pistol to her chest.

She bled with fury, nose snarling. "Salome. Salome. My resentment for her grew seeing that she's the favorite. Even with her unbecoming ways, my parents were okay with it. But if I had done it... I'd be punished. They always blamed me for being a bad example to her!"

Mother spat her reply, bravely inching her face close to the fatal woman. "Perhaps you truly are."

"Please don't hurt my mother!" I pleaded, sensing that Amice would be enraged by what she said.

Amice snapped her gaze at me, smiling devilishly. "You love your mother that well, huh?" She moved away from her, and toward me. I backed away, but halted.

"I do. I care for her." I said firmly.

I glanced at my mother, who smiled, but was worried of Amice hurting me.