I walked out of my room and into my workroom to get back to work. I decided to put off taking any dosage until I had enough to last me a while. I sent a message to Mother to help me order new ingredients so that halfway through my treatment, I'd be able to start again if I wasn't bedridden.
I stopped when I heard a sound coming from one of the first-floor rooms. The quiet of the house was broken by the soft creak of floorboards, and my heart quickened. I walked toward it, straining to listen; there were footsteps approaching the door, their cadence deliberate and slow. My instincts screamed at me to get out of sight, and I quickly moved away, slipping into the living room and closing the door behind me with barely a sound. The familiar creak of the door sent a jolt of adrenaline coursing through me, and I stood in front of the door leading to the balcony, staring at the entrance as if it might somehow offer a way out.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts, my pulse racing as I wondered who—or what—was on the other side of that door. The chill in the air seemed to wrap around me, intensifying the sense of dread that had settled in my stomach. I was alone, and that solitude felt like both a comfort and a curse.
The door opened, and not to my surprise, Walsh walked in. His presence filled the room, and I felt a mix of relief and apprehension wash over me. I hadn't cared much when the people who were on the run from the Rosens were captured; I had more important things to think about back then. Survival had consumed my thoughts, leaving little room for sympathy. Now, standing before him, I could relate to that feeling. The Rosens really didn't know when to give up, and their relentless pursuit felt like a shadow looming over my every move.
Walsh's eyes scanned the room before settling on me, a smirk playing on his lips as if he found my fear amusing. I braced myself for the confrontation, my mind racing with thoughts of how to defend myself against whatever twisted game he had in mind.
"My brother doesn't know I'm here," he started. "You made a good choice running," he said, stepping closer. "You are annoyingly feisty; it's starting to annoy me," he continued. Then just get angry and give up, please. "I have the help of some resourceful people. Thanks to your resistance, the plan has changed."
"The plan was a union between Alden and Rosen. We were going to get rid of those three Alden boys, leaving you as the only heir. Then we'd use your power as the head to take over the East," he stated. "I actually like you, Faina. From the moment I saw how nervous you were on the test day, I thought you'd be resourceful. To add to that, you became a professor, and there are rumors you might finish your research soon… that…" he said, pointing at me, "is what the Rosens want—your resource."
"If we have the youngest professor ever, who happens to be a platinum and is the duchess of Alden, we would be unstoppable. Not that prince, not the knights' order, not even the empress can get in our way," he finished. "You…" he said, pointing at me.
"You broke my heart, Faina. I came with the calm approach, acted nice, tried impressing you, but that just can't be enough for you Alden, right?" he asked. "It's simple: will you let us go with our original plan, or do you want plan B?" I didn't like the sound of that. "Plan B is simple; we kill you, then the duchess will be thrown off. She'd obviously want revenge, but we'd use those Alden boys to do something similar to what Vernin did in the West. You must have heard of it; they massacred almost everyone in Myra's mansion. I guess they got tired of just spreading rumors," Walsh said, laughing.
"Well, once that succeeds, we'll kill the Alden boys too, after they sign over Alden to the Rosens, and everyone will be happy," he said. "Okay, your choice," he added.
"So if I die, plan B works, and if I don't, you'll want to go with plan A," I muttered, stepping back and thinking of a solution.
"If you're thinking of jumping again, I advise against that; there's no one there to catch you," he said. "Please tell me your choice, or I'll have to pick for you." I didn't say a word. "Plan B it is," he said, and I turned and ran to the balcony. "Are you trying to do my job for me? I'll have to kill you for making Eris useless," he said, getting closer.
It's fine, it's fine. I've had enough practice; I've jumped from the second floor until now, and there's nothing to be scared of. It's just the first floor; it's not too high.
I did my best to convince myself, but I still felt hesitant. I closed my eyes and jumped down. My leg twisted a bit, but it didn't matter; I healed it quickly and ran as fast as I could, even if it wasn't much.
I saw some figures approaching and sighed in relief. It was dark, and I couldn't tell who they were, but their rushed footsteps made me stop. I turned to run back but was grabbed before I could take a step.
"Where to, sister?" It was Mother's children. Were they really foolish? Helping the Rosens would get them killed.
"You just have to be a good girl and leave our lives," another said.
"Let's get back before someone sees us," the one I assumed was the eldest said. They dragged me back, and I didn't have the energy to struggle; I felt like I'd pass out if I did.
"Hey, kids, it's not good to bully your sister," I heard the least expected voice.