Back in Oziel's chamber.
"I never said I was going to send you, did I?" Gina asked as an evil glint flashed in her eyes.
Miko couldn't help but shiver. "Mi Lady, if I may ask, what do you need the Yovo wine for?" she mustered up her courage before she could ask.
Gina slowly stepped down from the bed and walked to her full body mirror. She glanced at her reflection as she twirled several strands of hair with her fingers. "You don't have to know." She rubbed her tummy with her free hand. "But considering the fact that you have been with me. I will tell you about it." She turned to face Miko who immediately lowered her gaze.
"Come closer." She ordered.
Her handmaiden obeyed and went closer as Gina whispered to her. Her jaws slacked.
"My Lady!" Scared by what she had heard, she exclaimed.
Ignoring her exclamation, Gina spoke up. "She has a close confidant here. Pass my instruction to him. In Oziel's name."
"Yes, Mi lady."
The courtyard.
Iliana knelt on piled stubbles under the scorching sun. Her knees had turned red and was close to bleed. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Some trickled down her partially exposed back.
Her bruises where exposed to flies and other insects as they feasted on her blood.
"Pfft."
She frowned but still kept her eyes shut and focused on distracting herself from the pain.
"Pfft! Hey!"
The sound came again. This time around, she opened her eyes and turned to face the source of the voice. Her brows shot up to the sky on seeing her best friend who was also a servant in the Tirion manor.
"Lance? What are you doing here?" she asked in disbelief. "You are not meant to be here!!"
Lance had been with her ever since the execution of her mother. He had always taken care of her like his younger sister even though Iliana hated it.
"To give you medicine of course." He smiled as he hopped down from the pillar. Dipping his hands in his patched-up pocket, he took out a green bottle and tossed it to Iliana who didn't catch it. Rather, she glared at him. "Hey you should be thankful! Stop looking at me with your beady eyes!!" He yelled.
"You need to learn how to mind your business." Iliana mumbled under her breath. "Hurry and leave!"
Lance rolled his eyes as he knelt beside her. "My baby sister is serving an unjust punishment and you expect me to just sit still." Opening the bottle, he began to apply it on her exposed back while she winced. "Although I pity the child, it serves Gina right. Besides, I don't think the child belongs to His Lordship."
"I'm not your baby sister. Leave before they find you here." Iliana ignored his snide remark.
Lance frowned, "I'm not lea…" before he could complete his statement, his name was called out by the head maid.
"Lance! Drag your lazy legs over here this instant!"
Iliana blinked her purple eyes at him, "Get lost before they find you with me."
With a low grumble, Lance got up to leave. "I'll be back for you, baby sis."
She hissed as she watched him leave. After he had left, her gaze fell on the bottle and a smile made its way to her lips. Immediately, she grabbed it and hid it before returning to her position.
A few moments later, a man walked to her with his hand behind his back. "You are dismissed."
Right after he said that, he turned to leave. "So quick?" Iliana asked herself as she struggled to stand up.
***
"Iliana! Get to work!!" The head maid yelled at Iliana who had spaced out. She angrily turned to face the woman.
"Madam Luo, I'm done with my work. Which work are you referring to?"
Madam Luo gritted her teeth as she slapped Iliana harshly across her cheek. "You witch! You have no right to question me! Grab the mop and bucket this instant and head to Lady Gina's room."
Due to the impact of the slap, Iliana fell to the ground. Her already bruised knee came in harsh contact with the marble floor causing her to groan.
"Get up this instant! You got rid of Lady Gina's child now you act like a weak bitch!" Luo snapped at her. "Anyways, it's expected of a witch and abomination."
Gathering herself, Iliana stood up weakly. "I…" before she could speak further, Luo interrupted her.
"If I were you, I'd follow instructions. Who knows if his lordship will change his mind about sending Lance to the border." Right after she said that, she turned to leave.
Iliana felt a lump for in her throat on hearing her. "T- the border?"
Immediately, she staggered to the cleaning room. Grabbing a mop and bucket, she headed straight to Gina's room. "Gina! Why did His Lordship send Lance to the border?"
Her sudden intrusion frightened the occupants of the room. Gina who sat lazily on the bed glared at her. "Since when do I have to answer to you?"
"Y- you…"
"You killed my child. It is by his mercy that you were pardoned. You should be grateful." Gina purred as she rubbed her belly in slow motion. "He was being lenient enough by not sending you over to the king for intentional murder!"
"Y- you…" Words failed Iliana. Seeing her waver, Gina slowly stood up and approached her.
"Just because he pitied you doesn't mean I will. Rather than questioning the wrong person, you should go about your duties."
Iliana glared at her, "You are a monster!"
"And how is that related to the fact that you killed my son?" Gina asked with a raised brow while her handmaiden assisted her to the door. "You wouldn't want your secret lover to be caught and killed by the king now, would you?"
Iliana froze as she clenched her fists.
"Just what I thought." Gina snickered as she shoved her away before walking out of the room.
Seven hours later.
Gina groaned as she rolled on her bed as her body convulsed. Her eyes were white and her tongue was already peeking through her chattering teeth.
"Arrest Iliana and her accomplice, Lance!! They dared to poison my wife!!!" Oziel yelled angrily while the town's doctors rushed into the room.
***
"Which one of you allowed her to go in?"
Deimos's deep baritone voice echoed in his mother's chambers. After Francesca had passed out, his ugly form went back to his alluring and enchanting figure.
His once bloodied hair was now jet black and let loose. "Am I speaking to deaf humans?" he thundered again, his golden orbs glowed as he yelled at them.
The maids and guards who stood in front of him and fell to their kneels as they bowed in fear.
"I apologize, Sire." The head maid spoke up as she shivered.
Deimos scoffed as he stood up from the bed and walked to her. "You… you apologize?" he smirked as he bent to her level, raising her gaze to meet his. "I will."
As soon as he said that, the aura in the room darkened. Deimos, grabbed her by her neck. Immediately, blood trickled down her eyes. Right before the very eyes of everybody in the room, Deimos sucked the life force of the woman out. Her once smooth skin turned aged and saggy.
Right there and then, a dark smoke engulfed the room. From there, a woman shrouded in darkness appeared. "Your Majesty… I bring you bad news…"
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My oh my… what happened to them? Do you think Iliana and Lance would poison Gina? Find out in the next chapter.
Read it! Vote!! And leave your thoughts regarding this chapter in the comment section.
Toodles!