22 | ACT I, SCENE XXII

P R E V I O U S L Y

"Yes," I nodded curtly, before turning around to issue my instructions with a brief flick of my fingers. "Tell Philip to round up our forces. We're going to Vertgate."

HARTINGTON CASTLE, ALNWICK, STORMHOLT.

TRISTAN

WE HAD A PLAN TO carry out.

Edwina wasn't going to believe me, our mental conversation had told me as much. I, for one, was not a fool. I wasn't going to sit and wait in a corner while others fell in danger.

The Lord commander of the Valmont army, Philip, was busy hovering over a map and shouting instructions to the men gathered in the courtyard. He saw me and immediately came over.

"When are we leaving for Vertgate, your Grace?" he asked.

"In a few minutes. I need to take care of a few things first," I bristled impatiently, waving Daniel over. He rushed to me with his arms full of battle plans.

"Tell Lord Valmont that he has command of Hartington Castle till I come back," I said firmly.

"Apollo...?" he stuttered. "You mean, your father? Apollo Valmont?"

"Yes," I said sarcastically, putting down the whetstone and sheathing my sword, Aetherius.

Aetherius was made of Ekrite, the same metal used to make chains which could strip gods of their powers. Ultimately, my sword was capable of much damage as well, and my fingers brushed over the well worn leather hilt before tucking it into my belt.

"TRISTAN!" came a shout from the gates, and before I knew it, someone had collided into me, hysterical and in shock.

"Llewellyn?" I hissed. "I asked you to shadow Verona and the Rotavelles and keep them away from Steffith! Why did you come back?" I reprimanded.

"Tristan... damn..." he panted, heaving, before pushing back his dark hair from his sweat slicked face. "They... they kept on jumping from one Kingdom to the next, Tristan. I tried to distract them but they were on their way to Steffith so I came back to inform you!"

"Damn it, Llewellyn," I swore, clenching my fists. "You had one job!"

Edwina was in Steffith! The Rotavelles would trick her into accompanying them to Emerick who would kill her, and she wouldn't refuse because they would threaten to hurt Verona! And most of all, they'd have reached her already - heck, they even would be talking to her right now!

And she refused to listen to me.

"What are we going to do, oh no..." Llewellyn was worriedly wringing his hands, shaking my shoulders as I drew myself up and my cloak whipped out from behind me.

"There's no time to waste," I said furiously. "We leave. Now."

• • • • •

CALCHESTER CITADEL, STEFFITH.

EDWINA

Suddenly, I heard sounds upstairs. Adam reached to run up, but I held out a hand to stop him. It sounded like a crowd was knocking on the door of the real room, the actual wedding suite.

"Edwina! Edwina, are you there?!" I heard someone call out to me though the door, but then I heard another voice join that of the stranger.

Verona. My niece. Amphitrite's daughter.

Stumbling up hurriedly, I pulled out a bag of gold from my sleeves and quickly handed it to Adam, who was trying to speak in spite of my protests for him to be silent.

"But-" he began, silencing as I pressed the gold to him, the coins clinking merrily in the soft velvet.

"-don't breathe a word of this to anyone," I drew myself up and sternly looked at him. "No one will know. If anyone asks, you were helping me look for a pearl earring. You did not see a piano or a passage, is that clear?"

"Edwina, open the door!" the man's voice came from outside. "Open it or I'll break it-"

"-but, your Grace-" Adam protested.

"Not a word," I cautioned him, bringing down the four poster which was flying above, and it hit the floor with a 'bam,' covering the gaping hole in the middle of the floor which led to the secret passage. I was going to bring Eric and Tristan here later, but now I had more important things - and it involved my niece, who was most likely in danger.

I calmly dusted my hands, hoping they were not shaking, and then smoothed my skirts just as the sound outside began to reach an unforgettable din.

I opened the door and shut my mouth to prevent my gasp, taken aback immediately.

Tristan hadn't been lying.

Standing outside was a group of around six. Favian, Elias, Verona, and a bunch of guards.

"Well, well, well. Here's the person we've been roaming over the whole of Endollon for," drawled Favian, looking bored.

"You... have been looking for me?" I asked, trying to get a grip on my voice as I noticed Verona's tear stained face. Why was my niece crying and why was she roaming around with the Rotavelles?

"Ah. We looked all over Endollon for you, Edwina," Elias added genially. "Your sister needs you."

"My sister? What happened to Amphitrite? What happened to you, Verona?" I cried out. "Did they hurt you? If they did so, you'll-"

"-wait, wait, wait, Queen Regnant," Favian laughed cruelly, grabbing hold of my wrist which had a grip on my already unsheathed sword. I pushed him aside coldly and looked into his dark green eyes.

"What have you done, Favian?" I growled angrily. "What happened to Amphitrite?"

"The girl will tell you what happened to her mother," Elias commented warily, nudging Verona forward, who was wiping her tears hastily with the sleeves of her gown.

"What happened? Is Amphitrite alright? Are you hurt?" I exclaimed urgently, pausing to look over her to check for injuries. A tight knot of fear had began to grow in my heart. I loved my sister too much to lose her, and I loved my niece even more if possible.

The idea of anyone hurting my family was intolerable.

"Mother... mother is not well," Verona whispered, frightened with her eyes wide.

"What?" I cried. "What happened to her?!"

Your sister might be in danger, Tristan had warned me. For the hundredth time, I cursed myself internally for not taking him seriously. If Amphi was really hurt or injured, I would not be able to bear the blame for the rest of my life.

"Well, since the girl seems incapable of telling you, I'll tell you myself," Favian remarked acidly.

"Tell me what?" I hissed.

"Ah... you see, your sister and Eric left for Vertgate this morning. Apparently, she's unwell and asking for you, Edwina Tremayne. So her daughter has come to take you to her," Elias explained with a smirk, gesturing to Verona who timidly nodded with a sob.

"I see," I muttered, wracking my brains to think my way into the situation.

"Are you coming or not?" Favian asked.

"I..." I began, trying to think quickly. There was something wrong, I was sure of it. Even being the annoying devil he was, Tristan had tried to warn me and I'd just laughed it off in his face. And if he actually took the effort to tell me, I was pretty sure something was wrong.

"Yes or no, Queen Regnant?" Elias pressed.

If I didn't go, and they did have Amphitrite, they would harm her. No way was I willing to take such a risk. I had no other choice.

"I... I will accompany you," I said briskly, nodding my head. "My sister needs me, doesn't she?" I tested the waters, purposefully rubbing my hands together to ensure that the knives I had hidden in my sleeve were still present.

"Of course, of course, excellent," Favian said cheerfully. "Come on," he said, pointing to the door and I walked out of the room in a tight square. Verona was beside me and the two of us were flanked by guards on either side.

Suddenly, my brain flashed an idea.

"I would, but I need a little snack," I said suddenly, digging my hand into my pocket to bring out a handful of pistachio nuts. I convincingly cracked one open and popped it into my mouth. "You mind if I eat them?" I asked.

"Why would I?" Elias muttered, as the party walked down the stairs and the cool breeze met our faces.

"Would you like some pistachios, Lord Rotavelle?" I sweetly asked Favian.

"Ah. Keep your nuts to yourself, bitch," he said to no one in particular.

"I see," I said smugly. "Are you allergic to nuts? I'm going to shove yours up your throat one day," I whispered into his ear.

"We'll see," Favian said distractedly, his annoying face twisted in anger as I grinned.

I slipped a comforting hand around Verona's shoulder, cradling her gently as she cried into my bosom.

"Shh... it's alright," I told her. "Everything's going to be alright."

Verona cried unintelligibly as one of the gods behind us roughly pushed us apart. Before I knew it, they'd blindfolded us both and I had nothing but their hands to guide me as a spear prodded my back.

Complete darkness engulfed me as my eyes uselessly fluttered open and close under the thick blindfold. I tried to keep my cool as I heard Verona gasp loudly, and coaxed her quietly as Favian snarled behind me.

"Now, move," he spat, and a hand shoved me forward and I nearly stumbled.

"Where to, you fucking idiot?" I snapped.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and whirled around in the darkness as the void of teleportation enclosed me. A minute later, the reeling feeling passed and I steadied myself on my feet.

The smell of crushed thyme and olives filled my nostrils as I tried to guess where they'd brought us.

Of course.

I was at Vertgate.

• • • • •

ARCTON FORTRESS, RIMEBAY, VERTGATE.

"Now, don't you make a single noise, bitch," Favian's vice reached my ears as the spears prodding my back halted with the men using them.

Someone pulled off my blindfold.

The salty taste of pistachios was still in my mouth as my eyes adjusted to the light and took in the surroundings.

We were in the Throne room of Arcton Fortress, which was the ancestral seat of House Emmerson - yet its head, Vivian, was nowhere to be found!

How come the Rotavelles had infiltrated the Fortress of House Emmerson?

Reclining on the high seat on stuffed tasseled cushions was Emerick, observing me with quiet eyes. His wife, Justaline, was draped over him like a huge anaconda. Favian stepped up beside him, so did Elias and more guards stepped into line around me.

A circle of around twenty guards engulfed us - yet I could not leave. I could not leave Verona behind to save my own skin. I could not.

"Well, well, well..." Emerick said, tilting his neck slightly to look at me as he popped a crisp fig into his mouth. "Look who's here to join us tonight. Lady Tremayne. How gracious of you to join us."

Emerick had lured me into a death trap by using Verona as a bait.

And I had a very slim chance of making it out of the fox's lair.

• • • • •

To be honest, I feel this is the part where the book slogs a bit... but let's see how this goes!

Here's to many more updates and new things :) What do you think she is going to do now? Edwina is in some deep shit!