been impersonating her for so long. But still…how
could she not worry about being caught?
"Abiel," Leanne turned to her,
"please make yourself scarce among the servants. I shall send for you when
I feel faint. Run a long now."
"Yes, my lady," she bowed and
wandered off not daring to lift her head, lest she be recognized. She went
unnoticed by nobles as she made her way through the gardens to the servant's
hallways, and when she was certain no one was looking, she veered off.
Alethi clutched the tube in her hands,
hoping that no one would stop her. She hoped that she would not have to use
Leanne's tactic to get past guards and not raise an alarm.
Arun had told her that the Imreal they let
the lieges of Niraya discover was at the private library where many other
secrets were stored. And as she neared it, she ducked behind a wall and hissed.
There was one guard. She knew him and remembered he was one of the good
soldiers his father had. He was supposed to be an officer, but he was relegated
to such a duty. She knew him enough to not complain and he did his job well. It
was a pity he had to bar her way. She would not take her chance at pleading
with him.
"Oh dear!" she threw herself on
the floor, clutching her ankle.
The soldier looked at her, tense with a hand
on the pommel of his sword. Seeing her, he relaxed. "You are not supposed
to be here, miss."
She sobbed, the cowl of her hood hiding the
fact that she did not have any tears. A horrid actress! That was what she was.
"I know. But a rat!" she sniffed, trying to still her wildly beating
heart. What she didn't feign was her trembling. The gods knew how nervous she
was. "A horrible, vile creature, that! It chased me and I stumbled. Could
you please help me up?"
He came to her and put his arm around her.
At once, she applied pressure beneath his ear, brought her fist to his throat
to stifle any sound and stroke the nape of his neck. She sighed and the frantic
beating of her heart eased somewhat. She thanked herself for her stubbornness
and refusal to listen to her father when he did not want her to be about Orrin
and the king's guards as they trained. It made her hands rough and callous, but
it did serve a purpose.
She hoped Arun did not mind such ugly hands…
She shook the thought off. She had to get
what she came for and be quick about it. She dragged the unconscious guard into
the library and opened a box that was not there the last time she came. In it
contained different vials, most of them, full. She easily recognized Arun's
crystal vial and saw one that was less. Her father's poison. She took both
vials and placed them in the tube.
Alethi ran quickly up to the throne room
where Niraya would be pronounced queen later. The house breaker – soon-to-be
merchant – should be in his position for her getaway. If not, well, perhaps it
was her time to die. She also hoped that Orrin had gathered as much as he could
and was ready at their stations. She had given him so little time, so she could
not expect so much.
Her hood dropped as she lifted the Imreal
from the tube for a quick check to see if she got the right one. She nodded to
herself and burst inside the throne room. She approached the insignia of her
family and traced the gem-encrusted symbol with a finger. This was her father's
pride. It was what he and generations before him ahd worked for – peace to
Dosalam and she would be damned if she let Niraya ruin it! She would rule
Dolsalam. With Arun. The elf could protest all he wanted but once she was
through with all this political business, it would be his turn to be her
prisoner.
"I thought I saw a little mouse run up
here. With something of my own."
Alethi's back stiffened and she straightened
to face her. "Hello, bitch witch."
Niraya smirked. "Funny you should call
me that now. I always knew you suspected, but your father was a very foolish,
passionate man. I thought his death would grieve you to death, but I see you
are still here."
"My desire for
could she not worry about being caught?
"Abiel," Leanne turned to her,
"please make yourself scarce among the servants. I shall send for you when
I feel faint. Run a long now."
"Yes, my lady," she bowed and
wandered off not daring to lift her head, lest she be recognized. She went
unnoticed by nobles as she made her way through the gardens to the servant's
hallways, and when she was certain no one was looking, she veered off.
Alethi clutched the tube in her hands,
hoping that no one would stop her. She hoped that she would not have to use
Leanne's tactic to get past guards and not raise an alarm.
Arun had told her that the Imreal they let
the lieges of Niraya discover was at the private library where many other
secrets were stored. And as she neared it, she ducked behind a wall and hissed.
There was one guard. She knew him and remembered he was one of the good
soldiers his father had. He was supposed to be an officer, but he was relegated
to such a duty. She knew him enough to not complain and he did his job well. It
was a pity he had to bar her way. She would not take her chance at pleading
with him.
"Oh dear!" she threw herself on
the floor, clutching her ankle.
The soldier looked at her, tense with a hand
on the pommel of his sword. Seeing her, he relaxed. "You are not supposed
to be here, miss."
She sobbed, the cowl of her hood hiding the
fact that she did not have any tears. A horrid actress! That was what she was.
"I know. But a rat!" she sniffed, trying to still her wildly beating
heart. What she didn't feign was her trembling. The gods knew how nervous she
was. "A horrible, vile creature, that! It chased me and I stumbled. Could
you please help me up?"
He came to her and put his arm around her.
At once, she applied pressure beneath his ear, brought her fist to his throat
to stifle any sound and stroke the nape of his neck. She sighed and the frantic
beating of her heart eased somewhat. She thanked herself for her stubbornness
and refusal to listen to her father when he did not want her to be about Orrin
and the king's guards as they trained. It made her hands rough and callous, but
it did serve a purpose.
She hoped Arun did not mind such ugly hands…
She shook the thought off. She had to get
what she came for and be quick about it. She dragged the unconscious guard into
the library and opened a box that was not there the last time she came. In it
contained different vials, most of them, full. She easily recognized Arun's
crystal vial and saw one that was less. Her father's poison. She took both
vials and placed them in the tube.
Alethi ran quickly up to the throne room
where Niraya would be pronounced queen later. The house breaker – soon-to-be
merchant – should be in his position for her getaway. If not, well, perhaps it
was her time to die. She also hoped that Orrin had gathered as much as he could
and was ready at their stations. She had given him so little time, so she could
not expect so much.
Her hood dropped as she lifted the Imreal
from the tube for a quick check to see if she got the right one. She nodded to
herself and burst inside the throne room. She approached the insignia of her
family and traced the gem-encrusted symbol with a finger. This was her father's
pride. It was what he and generations before him ahd worked for – peace to
Dosalam and she would be damned if she let Niraya ruin it! She would rule
Dolsalam. With Arun. The elf could protest all he wanted but once she was
through with all this political business, it would be his turn to be her
prisoner.
"I thought I saw a little mouse run up
here. With something of my own."
Alethi's back stiffened and she straightened
to face her. "Hello, bitch witch."
Niraya smirked. "Funny you should call
me that now. I always knew you suspected, but your father was a very foolish,
passionate man. I thought his death would grieve you to death, but I see you
are still here."
"My desire for
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