Free Web NovelChapter 11: Chapter 11
Astrid had felt nothing watching Lilith’s slow demise.
"Serves her right," Iris huffed. "I can’t believe she tried to kill your sister."
Astrid had met up with Selene and Iris after the incident with Lilith. She’d pulled them from their own breakfast hall, away from all the other girls, and was currently in her room.
"You know," Selene said, "I really thought when you said you wanted to switch the dishes, you meant yours and Hera’s. I didn’t think you’d want someone dead."
"I wouldn’t really call this ’wanting someone dead,’ Selene," Iris retorted. "Astrid simply gave her a taste of her own medicine."
"I can’t argue with that. But...this is going to go down a rabbit hole we might not like. They’ll find out she was poisoned. Albeit her own doing, you switched the dishes. There could be some sort of punishment."
Astrid stayed quiet, lost in thought, while the girl argued.
"We need to find out what they really plan to do," Astrid said coldly. "I have an extremely bad feeling that something horrible is about to happen."
"Hold on, hold on," Selene said. She and Iris glanced sideways at each other. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"I mean," Astrid replied, " this whole competition is a sham. I don’t think any of the girls, Hera included, is going to win the heart of a prince, because that wasn’t the plan to begin with. I think."
"You think?" Selene scoffed.
"I know. Better now?" Astrid shot back. "Does it make any difference? I just told you that we’re falling into a trick and everyone might be in danger, and you’re bothered that I haven’t gotten all solid proof or I’m not sure of the facts."
"Of course I’ll be worried. Do you even hear yourself? Selene demanded. "You’re accusing the royal house of Erindros of deceit. That they have something bad planned up their sleeves."
"Look," Astrid breathed, trying to stay calm. " You don’t need to believe me. What we need to do is investigate. Find out what is true."
"You’re playing a really dangerous game here, Astrid." Iris sounded serious and concerned, which weren’t emotions she normally showed simultaneously.
"Look, I’d just like to make sure that there’s nothing to worry about. If I’m wrong, then good; if I’m right, well, also good. "
Selene sighed. "What would you like us to do then? "
Astrid smiled. "Call the others. I have a plan."
Hera burst open the door, looking at each of them a little confused. "I thought you’d be here. Why did you tell me you were going to go be with the girls, Astrid?"
"Hera, you’re here." Astrid laughed awkwardly, "I was just telling the girls what happened downstairs."
Hera narrowed her eyes. "I hope you didn’t say hurtful things to them. I’m sure they didn’t mean any of those things they said, right?"
Iris and Selene buffered for a little. "Oh... that... No... Nooo.... We weren’t... I mean, she wasn’t hard on us," Iris spluttered.
"It’s all in the past. Forgiven and forgotten." Selene tried not to burst out laughing.
Hera looked at all three of them suspiciously. "Is there something I should know?"
"Sister, "Astrid said. Everything has been sorted out." She tried to reassure her. "We were simply discussing how awful it is that something so horrible happened to Lilith. I thought it would be good for you to talk to the other girls, which is why I left you downstairs. It’s a horrible thing, but grief and fear connect people very quickly, you know?"
"That’s a crazy thing to say. But I did get to talk with Ophelia and two other princesses, Andromeda and Hope. They seemed lovely."
"That’s wonderful news," Selene chimed.
"I guess it is." Hera sank onto the bed. "But everyone’s scared. They think it’s poison, and if it is, no one knows who’s next."
"I’m sure the prince will take care of it," Astrid said quickly. A little too quick.
"I hope so," Hera sighed.
For the rest of the day, some of the princesses stayed in pairs. While others opted to stay with those in their company. Making plans for how to steal the spotlight at the banquet.
Hera, on the other hand, had already made up her mind. She would recite an original poem.
"Are you really sure about that?" Astrid asked. "Poetry is a very.... Sensitive form of art..."
"That’s translation for a load of rubbish," Selene declared.
"Shut up, Selene, " Astrid shot back, very exasperated that she had to deal with unwanted interference. "All I’m saying is, think about it carefully. You’re trying to capture the attention of a prince, not bore him to death."
"Very true," Larissa chimed.
"That is exactly what I wish to do, sister," Hera stated, matter-of-factly. "I have no desire to please him whatsoever." freeweɓnøvel.com
"And how do you wish to win his favour?" Andrea asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Hera sighed. "There’ll be other tasks I could win his favour with. Besides, he might like poetry."
"Recite these words of affliction to us," Iris suggested, "let us at least hear them before you unleash it."
A few of the girls chuckled.
"Iris..." Astrid groaned.
"What?" Her voice went a pitch higher.
They had their dinner soon afterwards and retired to their bedrooms.
Astrid waited a while for Hera to fall fast asleep before she began her newest foray into investigation. She and the girls had already made plans to scout the palace, listen in on conversations, and find out anything necessary.
She tiptoed down the stairs. Almost everyone had retired for the night, which was expected. But she still tried to move as stealthily as possible.
Astrid wanted to go down to the cellar again tonight, see if she could discover something useful like last time. And she indeed discovered a few things. Like two of the male servants rubbing against each other, kissing and caressing each other roughly in the make-shift kitchen at the other end of the cellar. She didn’t stay to find out what happened next.
She almost went back up, if only to join her sisters while they eavesdropped along the third floor, but she heard a few noises come from the east end of the floor, near the kitchen.
Astrid stalked quietly towards the noise, sticking closely to the walls. She peeped into the kitchen, but there was no one inside. The noises came again, a little louder this time.
"She got so heavy."
"She’s dead, Eli. Dead people are always heavy."
"I understand that, Hector, but why do I have to carry her alone?"
"Mostly because the king wouldn’t be pleased that a guest of his died."
Astrid eased open a door to the right of the kitchen. The door creaked slightly, but they didn’t seem to notice. They were in an inner chamber of the room. She was currently staring at shelves and shelves of potions. The room oozed of earth and a foul stench she couldn’t quite name.
Someone grabbed at her hand from behind and yanked her out of their room. It was the prince. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held on tighter. And then pinned her against a wall.
"What do you think you’re doing, princess?" He hissed..
"Exploring," she said, staring back into his fierce eyes. His jaw was clenched so hard she thought it might break.
He scoffed at her answer. "You expect me to believe that?"
"And why would I lie to you, your majesty? You refuse to let us leave these walls. You’ve made our chains very golden."
He went quiet, staring deep into her eyes. "You killed her, didn’t you?"
"That’s quite the exaggeration, Prince." She said his title like a curse.
"The servant told me about the poison. I know she planned to have your sister killed, but she’d somehow taken it herself. Which means you knew about the poison, somehow."
"Why would you believe I knew about the poison. This servant of yours could have easily mixed up the dishes. You could have ordered her to kill Lilith. Why should I be blamed? "
"Because I know every servant in this building, I know exactly what they are capable of doing. And mixing up dishes, especially poisoned ones, is not one of Eliza’s specialties."
"You know the hundreds of servants in the palace? And... you mean to tell me, this Eliza has killed someone before?"
Adonis smiled, stared at her for a while, and released her from his hold. "I know what you’re doing, princess, and I commend you for trying."
Astrid did not reply. She leaned against the wall, watching him.
"Do not start a fight you’re not ready to finish, my princess." Adonis stated, "It will only get ugly for you." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"Tell me what you’re planning," Astrid blurted out. "Do you really plan on marrying one of these girls? Or is this some sort of game to you?"
His devilish grin returned, and he came dangerously close to her, "Why do you ask? Is that jealousy I smell? "
Asteid scoffed, lifted her chin, and said, "Only in your worst nightmare."
Adonis chuckled. "Go back to your room, princess, rest. Ohh... And, you may go out tomorrow if you wish. I’ll inform the guards," he said, then sauntered off.
