62 | ACT IV, SCENE I

P R E V I O U S L Y

Together, Eric and Eros dragged me to the prison cell, the grip of their arms so strong that I could not move. My senses seemed numbed and frozen against the sum of their powers as they flung me to the dungeons and I slumped down to the floor, cast into the darkness.

[TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHARACTER IS CLAUSTROPHOBIC. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.]

[NOTE: THE FIRST PART OF THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A FLASHBACK.]

CARLEIGH PALACE, SUNCAIRN, ELLESMERE.

EDWINA

"SHE'S DEAD," FATHER SAID, WIPING his sword as I looked up. His eyes shined with something unnatural, something I couldn't place. Something which I, honestly, didn't like the look of.

"Who's dead?"

"Elodie Valmont."

It took me a second to comprehend as I resisted the urge to rip the pages right off the book.

"What? Why in hell would you do that?" I shouted. He said nothing, merely straightened his leather jerkin and took off his boots, putting his head in his hands.

"She's the daughter of Apollo and twin to Tristan Valmont! Do you have any idea what a mighty House like theirs could do to ours?" I demanded, taking a few more steps to him. He didn't say a single word.

"Edwina-" he stopped mid sentence, voice catching in his throat. A single tear dropped out of his eye.

"Something has happened," I sensed, my voice fading in my throat. I didn't like the way this was going. "What have you done?" I questioned, as Aidon entered the room, eyes red with weeping, and he exchanged a guilty look with my father.

"What happened?" I asked again, as the temperature began to rise. My father said nothing, merely held out his hand.

It was my mother's signet ring.

"No!" I gasped. "No - this is not possible-"

"Edwina," Aidon said slowly. "It was him. It was our uncle."

"No," I said firmly. "No, just see, I'm going to walk through those doors and she'll be there, telling me not to forget my cloak when-"

"-Edwina," father's voice was heavy. "She isn't coming back."

"No," I said again, my voice small and smaller, as hopelessness began to take grip of me and tears began welling in my eyes. No, it couldn't be. Not my mother. Not my mother.

"Mother is... dead," Aidon said with a sense of finality, as I broke into sobs, heaving into his shoulder as he cried too, holding me and father hugged us both. The toddler behind us began to cry.

"No, please. Not now," I choked, trying hard to control the flow of tears dripping down my cheeks. It felt as if a part of me was lost forever. I screamed, balling my fist as my hands burst into fiery wreaths. I picked my spear as the men held me back, trying to make me stay as I collapsed onto the floor, sobbing.

"Why didn't you fucking kill him!" I screamed at my father, who sat down and I shook him, trying to get a response.

"Edwina, please, you need to be strong," Aidon whispered.

"For your sister," father said, picking up the toddler and hoisting her up his shoulder. The little one saw the tears on my face, and broke into a cry as well. Tears welled up in those eyes as blue as periwinkles as baby Amphitrite began to sob, seeing me cry.

"No, no, my princess, please don't cry," father said softly, kissing her head as the child's cheeks turned red with loud sobs echoing from its chest. I wept harder, strange sounds coming from my lips as I turned into a grieving, miserable mess.

"Here," I croaked. "Give her to me," I said, wiping my tears as my heart brimmed over. I took the little, innocent baby in my arms as she looked questioningly at my tears.

"Cry?" she asked in a small voice.

"No, dear," I said gently, wiping Amphitrite's tears as she nibbled on my thumb.

"Want mama," she said innocently, her lips forming a sad pout as Aidon bent down to meet her eyes.

"Mama is... mama is gone, little sister," he choked out with tears running down his face.

"Want mama!" she repeated, pulling my hair as her eyes filled with tears again, breaking my heart.

How do you explain to a one year old child that her mother is dead?

"Want mama," Amphitrite pleaded again, as my father uselessly tried to distract her with a flower. "Mama!" she cried, as hot tears broke through in her eyes again.

Sobbing, I held her to my heart, hugging her as she curled into a little ball in my arms.

"Don't worry, little one," I said, trying to smile. "I'm here," I cooed, as she burst into a fit of giggles and I kissed her head. "I'll always be here."

• • • • •

I suddenly woke to the sound of footsteps on the floor of the corridor. Sweat stained all my clothes, my wrists were burning so badly that I felt they would curl and fall off any moment.

All concept of time ceased. I didn't know how much time had elapsed since Eric and Eros had flung me into those chains.

Hours? Days? Weeks?

All sounds from above had stopped, but I could hear women softly crying and hushed whispers. Then I heard the scraping of a knife on marble.

Coffins.

"No," I gasped, as a tear rolled down my cheek. "No!"

This wasn't possible - this couldn't be possible! All three children - such innocent children, why would anyone try to kill them? Why would anyone hurt Amphitrite? Sweet, loving, quiet Amphitrite?

"Let me out," I croaked and slammed my fist against the door. The chains rattled against the metal, turning the skin on my wrists blacker. "Let me out! Let me out, Eric!" I screamed, beating against the bolts.

My screams echoed back at me in the empty prison. The walls seemed to press down on me, stifling any breath I had left as I covered my ears and tried to stop my hands from shaking.

"Please. I didn't do it. You know I didn't!"

No one came.

My nails scratched hopelessly against the metal in a painful screech that pierced my ears and burst my eardrums. I wept and banged against the metal, I had to go to Amphitrite - I had to find out if she was alright, I had to see - I had to be there for her... my poor sister. The walls were going to trap me - they were going to lock me - I would die of madness-

"Let me OUT! YOU KNOW I DIDN'T FUCKING DO IT!" I cried hoarsely, my voice rusted with emotion and dryness, anguish concealed in every word.

I banged and rammed my chained wrists against the door, shaking and screaming, pulling my hair out - I couldn't be - I couldn't be here - I had to go to her, to Amphitrite - I had to talk to her. I had to get out, out of these walls.

They would hate me for this.

They would kill me for this.

Because killing an immortal was a crime of the highest order. And killing three, innocent, tiny, unborn immortals?

It could never be forgiven.

"ERIC!" I screamed. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

The door slammed open with a punishing click.

"You make quite a racket for one person," a man's voice loomed in, rigidly stern, cutting like a shard of glass.

"You said she would be unharmed," another voice broke in, masculine and cold.

I almost cried out with relief as the familiar face came into view, dark blue eyes haunted and grim as he saw me sitting in a corner with my knees drawn up, hands burning and raw.

"She is unharmed," Eric spat, his face haggard and eyes dry from crying, now empty, grey sockets as his hands trembled, walking like a man who lost all his battles.

"Oh, you call this unharmed?" Tristan demanded, voice taut with livid anger, his face a deadly white.

"You wait till you see what I do to her and then we shall see what you call unharmed," Eric snapped hollowly, his voice tinged with threat.

"You drove her to madness," my husband angrily pointed a finger to my hands, which had now turned a deep black and curled like dead leaves, burning from the Ekrite chains around them. "You locked her up like a beast - fucking look at what you did to her!"

"She killed my children!" Eric shouted at him, losing his temper as his fist rammed into the iron bars.

"And you gave me your word. Fucking keep it, LeVane!" Tristan hissed at him, his voice demanding as his fingers slowly curled into a menacing fist. Fury blazed in the depths of his eyes.

Sounds began to drift from upstairs. Ladies weeping. Goddesses crying. My sister sobbing as she woke from fitful, drugged sleep as Eric's eyes slowly welled with tears.

"Where are my babies? I want my babies!"

"Your babies... your - children... have joined the angels," said Rosalva, voice sad and hopeless as the crying began again. This time the sobs tore into my heart, threatening to break my bones.

"Why did you do it?" Eric seethed, his hands on the bars of the cell as he looked at me with disdain. "Why? They were children! Little, innocent children," he sobbed.

"Eric - no! You know I didn't - I swear I didn't-"

"You killed them. You killed my little girl and my two little boys. You killed them with poison. You killed my children, Edwina. I will kill you, I swear it-"

"Eric-"

"Don't. Just don't! I thought you loved her. You loved your sister. You cared for me. And now you murdered my children."

"Eric," my voice cracked. "I swear it. I didn't do it. Please. I love Verona like my own daughter. I raised Amphitrite like my own child. How can you even think that I murdered them?"

"How can I think?" he screeched. "How can I think? You gave her poison! That little bottle? You gave her poison from that! Rosalva tested it an hour ago!"

"Eric, please!" I begged desperately. "I tasted it before coming to Ellesmere and giving it to her. It wasn't poisoned. Please! How can you think I would do it? Why would I do it? Tell me that!"

"Of course," he sneered, tear tracks gleaming on his face. "That day. When you kissed me. She saw it, you hated it. So you tried to take revenge by killing her children!"

"What?" I gasped, shocked. "You can't believe that, you seriously can't!"

"Pathetic," he spat. "There you go. You've done it. You've got what you wanted. Are you happy now?"

"Please, Eric. My sister -"

"-your sister is awake and in pain and crying for her dead children. Because of you, you murderer!"

"You will talk to the Queen of Endollon with a bit more respect, LeVane!" Tristan snapped, sharp as a steel knife.

"You wait. You just wait. Just wait and see what I do to you, Edwina Tremayne," Eric hissed. He angrily produced a key from his pocket, hands fumbling from sorrow, unlocking the heavy lock of the cell as I cluelessly tried to figure out what was happening.

Why would he let me go?

According to the law, I would have to be executed within a week.

Seething and spitting, Eric opened the cell of my prison as Tristan watched with an unreadable expression on his face, arms crossed. Roughly, Eric grabbed my wrists, making me flinch at the pain as the floor shook with a growl of thunder.

Another click, the manacles fell to the floor and he stepped back, his face twisted in blind anger as I painfully rubbed my blackened wrists.

"Go, then. Sleep well, Edwina Tremayne. Your days are fucking numbered," Eric finally spat, turning on his heel and left, leaving me slumped on the floor.

My body hardly moved, shaking, but my wrists wouldn't stop burning. White hot flames of pain snaked around my fingers, this was what prolonged exposure to Ekrite did. It sapped away your powers slowly, not enough to kill, but enough to feel as if you were already dead. I had no idea how long I'd been chained up in the darkness, and I squeezed my eyes shut - if I couldn't see the walls, they couldn't hurt me.

Cool hands wordlessly pried my burned fingers apart. Tristan frowned as he traced the marks left by the metal spikes, then tore a strip of silk off his shirt and wrapped it around my hands. A click rang in the air as he unclasped his heavy cloak and placed it on my shoulders. Then he carefully put a hand under my knees and effortlessly lifted me up.

My eyes opened in terror as the ceiling loomed closer and a cry burst out of my lips.

"No, I'll walk!" I protested, pushing myself off. I stumbled in my steps and nearly fell as he held me up and steadied me. I could feel the strength seeping out of my bones, starved and powerless and disoriented as I was.

There was a strange look in Tristan's eyes as he raised an eyebrow, yet said nothing. He put a firm hand around my waist before I fell again and that was how he steered me out through the gates.

We both took a back passage out of Carleigh Palace, then teleported to Hartington Castle. The wind slapped my face as we arrived, and the gates opened. The guards said nothing, merely bowing as we walked into the dining room.

"Tell them to give us the room," Tristan ordered one of the attendants. He bowed, going in. There was shouting and screeching from inside, followed by the sound of shattering plates. The door flew open as Celinette came out, livid, about to fling herself at me.

"They were children! Little, innocent children! What wrong did they ever do to you?" she shouted, eyes red from crying as the others trooped out behind her as well. Llewellyn took hold of her hand, face twisted in anger.

"They were innocent. Helpless. And you," he spat, "are a murderer."

"I-" I began to speak as he cut me off, his lips pulled up in a sneer.

"-you are a murderer, cousin. God forbid, look who we elected as Queen. A fucking piece of work you are, Edwina."

Tristan's hand nearly moved to slap across his younger brother's face.

"Quiet!" he roared. "Out!"

The commotion brought out Celestina, crying, and Halette, leaning on Vincent, her eyes filled with tears.

"You married a murderer!" Celinette screamed at her son, and his eyes darkened to black.

"I told you to leave the room, mother."

"But-"

"THAT WAS AN ORDER FROM YOUR KING, LADY VALMONT!"

Another moment of silence.

Celinette's eyes, like her son's, darkened as well, but she reigned in her anger as her silvery hair gleamed like the tears tracks on her cheeks. Then she wordlessly turned on her heel and left the room.

The others followed her. Halette lingered for a moment, looking at me, then Vincent took her arm and marched out of the room.

Weary and tired and desolate, I walked into the hall and slumped into one of the chairs as Tristan closed the door behind him and took a chair beside me.

He poured a cup of wine, sliding it to me but I refused it, so he handed me a glass of water which I chugged down immediately. I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed and holding back my tears as the pain chafed my wrists raw.

I heard his footsteps, and a moment later almost jumped as something cool touched my skin. Tristan scowled at me with an authoritative glare as he let the ice sit on my skin for a while, and the pain began to disappear along with the swelling.

All this while, he had not spoken a single word to me.

Did he truly believe I did it? Did he?

He pushed a plate of food to me, but I blatantly refused to look at it. All hunger had fled, all I wanted to do was curl up and cry. And alas, that was the last thing I could afford. The plate was at my elbow as he nudged it closer, but I pushed it away.

"You need to eat, woman," Tristan finally said quietly, his first words to me.

"I'm not hungry."

Sighing, he set the plate aside and turned his chair to me. He put two fingers under my chin, tilting my head up so that I faced the full intensity of his gaze. His eyes were dark blue, and very unreadable.

"What have you done? Do you have any idea what you have done?"

"I swear. I swear it on my life, I didn't."

"But your life doesn't matter to him," he said quietly, and I gave a slight gasp of shock.

"My life... is all that matters to him right now. He wishes to decimate its existence," I said silently, my voice hollow.

Another moment of silence.

"Valmont...?" my voice trailed off into nothing. "What... what will they do with me now? And why did they let me go?"

He said nothing for a moment, then spoke, voice thoughtful.

"By law you should be executed within a week."

"I know. But you've clearly bypassed the law. What did you do?"

Because he had clearly done something. How he did it, by what force, I had no idea. Because Tristan would have to be answerable to all immortals for the consequences of his actions. Even High Kings weren't allowed to break the law.

"How?" I croaked.

"A long story. Don't test my temper right now, woman. Tell me what you did."

"Nothing. That's what I did! Nothing, while my sister bled and cried and miscarried - nothing, is that what you want to hear? Damn you, Valmont!"

"What I want to hear is the truth!" he snapped at me. "Someone leaves you alone for ten minutes and the next thing I know - a bloody castle gets burned down or a child gets killed!"

"You - you really - don't tell me you really believe it!" I cried, eyes stinging, my voice desperate.

Tristan remained still for a minute, closing his eyes and sighing. He clenched his fists, then unclenched them, then looked at me with loyalty glimmering in his eyes.

"Tell me," I pleaded softly. "Tell me. How did you get me out?"

"Thanatos has officially put you on probation."

"What?!" I gasped, white with shock. The glass stem in my hand broke to pieces and the temperature flared up by ten degrees as sweat trickled down my temples. Yet he, however, had something more to say, and was simply waiting for me to let him continue. "And?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"You are not allowed to leave Hartington without an escort."

Another jolt of shock.

"And?" I shook, fearing the answer.

"A trial will be conducted in a month's time to determine if the charges against you hold weight."

Gods. No.

Because no one would vouch for me. They'd all speak against me, all of them. I cringed, remembering how I stupidly offered to get the bottle for Amphitrite. How I stupidly made her drink the medicine. How I stupidly said the last words to her before soothing her to sleep.

Drink this and sleep.

"Lords, no," I whispered sadly. Tristan frowned, still looking at me as my face fell. "There's something else," I whispered.

"Yes."

"What?"

He said nothing and I grabbed his hands.

"What is it, Valmont? Tell me!"

"Since - this is a unique case, involving a Monarch, it cannot be decided by the judgement of just Eric and I."

I gasped loudly.

"You're going to reconvene the whole council. All twelve!" I cried. The grim look on his face told me what I needed to know.

In such a case, it was impossible to pass jurisdiction against a Monarch. That was the very reason the Elder Council was formed. To settle disputes between Monarchs. It consisted of twelve elder members. All six of Cosmo's children. His two siblings, Emerick and Justaline. And the remaining heads of the four Houses - Deimos, Eros, Apollo and my father... Lucius.

It involved people like Deimos and Apollo and Emerick who would never side for me even if I was right. And the head of the council, Thanatos. The god of Death. He had the most disagreeable, sour nature I had ever seen. It made the people who want to kill me look like sweethearts.

"How... how did you manage to suspend it till one month later?"

"I... I pleaded not guilty."

High King.

He did it for his Queen.

He'd pleaded Thanatos. The man who had doomed him to his death... yet still he did it. For me.

"We have one month to prove you didn't do it. Or else... we both die."

I cast my eyes to the floor. One month.

One month.

"They accused me of the murder. Not you," I said quietly.

Gently, Tristan raised my chin to look into his gaze. Both our eyes were glimmering, our voices died out in trails of sorrow. Stars shone in the blue as it drank me up like an endless void, sincerity waiting in them, home waiting in them.

"You stubborn lady," he finally replied. "If it finally comes to blood, do you really think I'd let them touch you, ever? I gave you an oath. And I will always keep that oath. Come hell or high water."

• • • • •

Now that we're midway past COG, things are going to get REALLY heated up!! Edwina has one month to prove that she isn't guilty and to find out who did this - and survive the bloodshed between all those Houses. Stay tuned because EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BLOW UP.