Zara sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers trembling slightly as she traced the pattern on the crimson silk of her gown. Mirenna stood nearby, silent but watchful. The attempt on her life had left Zara shaken, but it wasn't fear for herself that gnawed at her now. It was the assassin.
"Why did he come?"
"He's injured pretty badly. Will he even survive?"
"What is happening in this kingdom?"
These thoughts refused to leave her mind, circling like vultures. She found herself staring at the gilded walls of her chamber but seeing only flashes of the attack, the gleam of the dagger, the sharp sound of steel meeting steel, the blood that spilled on the floor.
"I need to know," Zara muttered to herself.
Mirenna's head tilted slightly, her brows furrowing. "Know what, Your Majesty?"
"Why he came," Zara said, her voice firmer now. She stood abruptly, pacing the room. "I need to see him."
Mirenna's eyes widened. "The assassin? Your Majesty, that is unwise. He is dangerous, even restrained."
Zara stopped pacing and turned to her. "And yet I'm the one who nearly killed him with my own hands. Don't you think I deserve answers?"
The court lady hesitated. She'd seen the queen's unpredictable temper and moments of intensity, but this was different. Zara was deeply unsettled. The tension in her expression spoke of confusion and desperation.
"Take me to him," Zara said, her tone commanding.
Mirenna hesitated for a moment longer before nodding. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
The dungeons were colder than Zara had expected, the chill sinking into her bones as they walked the narrow stone steps. Fire torches lined the walls, their flickering light casting eerie shadows.
Mirenna led the way, her face tight with worry. "We shouldn't stay long," she whispered as they reached the heavy iron door.
"Open it," Zara said softly, ignoring the pounding of her heart.
The guard stationed outside gave a curt bow and pushed the door open. Inside, the assassin was chained to the wall, his head slumped forward. Blood seeped through the bandages hastily wrapped around his chest. He was barely conscious, his breaths shallow and labored.
Zara stepped inside, her eyes locking onto him. He looked younger than she'd thought, his face pale and gaunt. Guilt twisted in her chest.
"Mirenna, stay close," Zara said, her voice low. She moved closer to the assassin, kneeling beside him despite the court lady's sharp intake of breath.
"Why did you come here?" Zara asked quietly.
The assassin didn't respond. His head barely moved.
Zara's fingers brushed the edge of the bandages. "You're dying," she said. "I can help you, but you need to talk to me."
Still, he said nothing. His silence was infuriating, but Zara couldn't look away from the blood staining his chest. Something deep within her pushed her to act.
She placed her hands over his wound, closing her eyes. A faint warmth began to spread from her palms, a soft glow emanating from her fingertips. The bleeding slowed, the jagged edges of the wound knitting together.
But then, without warning, a jolt of energy coursed through her body. Zara gasped as her hand shot out, snatching the dagger from Mirenna's belt. She pressed the blade to the assassin's throat, her voice low and cold.
"Who sent you?" she demanded, her tone sharp and unyielding.
Mirenna froze, her eyes wide with horror. "Your Majesty, stop!"
Zara's hand trembled, but the force driving her was relentless. "Tell me who sent you!" she repeated, her voice growing louder.
The assassin's eyes finally opened, but they held no fear, only a quiet defiance. He remained silent, even as the blade pressed closer.
"Why won't you speak?" Zara hissed, her breathing ragged.
Her fingers tightened on the hilt, but suddenly, the overwhelming force in her mind began to fade. Her vision blurred, and her grip on the dagger loosened. The blade clattered to the ground as Zara stumbled backward, gasping for breath.
"What… what is happening to me?" she whispered, clutching her head.
Mirenna rushed to her side, steadying her. "Your Majesty, please. Let's leave this place. You're not well."
But Zara shook her head. She turned back to the assassin, who was watching her with a strange intensity. Despite her trembling hands and the lingering fear, she knelt beside him once more.
"I don't know what just happened," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm not going to let you die."
She placed her hands over his wound again, and this time, the glow returned, steady and gentle. The assassin's breathing grew stronger, and the color began to return to his face.
By the time Zara pulled her hands away, her own strength was gone. She swayed on her knees, and Mirenna caught her before she collapsed completely.
"Your Majesty!"
Zara's vision blurred as exhaustion and fever overtook her. Her head lolled against Mirenna's shoulder as they left the dungeon, her body limp and unresponsive.
Back in her chambers, Zara lay on the bed, her skin pale and clammy. Mirenna worked tirelessly, pressing a cold cloth to her forehead and muttering prayers under her breath.
"Zara…"
The voice was faint, but it echoed through Zara's mind, pulling her from the edge of sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, but she didn't see the room around her. She saw only darkness.
"Stop resisting me…"
The voice was deeper now, more insistent.
"You need me…"
Zara twitched, her body jerking violently. Mirenna grabbed her shoulders, panic rising in her voice. "Your Majesty, wake up! Please!"
But Zara was lost in the void, the voice growing louder. Was it Lysandra? Or something else entirely?
"Who are you?" Zara whispered, her voice trembling.
The voice didn't answer, only repeated its demand. "You need me. Stop resisting."
Zara gasped, her eyes snapping open. She bolted upright, her breathing heavy and uneven.
Mirenna's face was pale with worry. "Your Majesty, what's happening? You're scaring me."
"nothing, I am okay" Zara says reluctantly so that mirenna doesn't worry.
Mirenna, in a bid to change the topic and ease off on the tension, she smiles and asks softly "will you accept the king in marriage?"
"I don't know, we will wait and see" Zara says, while still trying to catch her breath.
"if you do agree to marry him, I will go with you wherever you go and ill fight for you whenever you need me to" Zara admired the loyalty and it reminded her of a friend that betrayed her in high school once for a spot with the popular girls.
"that you mirenna"
"always my queen...and of course, you will have the most gorgeous babies with the king"
Zara laughs but the laughter doesn't last long as the voice began to whisper in her head again...
"you need me, stop resisting me..."
Zara shook her head, trying to steady herself. "I need air. I need to walk."
Mirenna frowned. "You're too weak—"
"Please," Zara interrupted. She reached out, gripping Mirenna's hand. "I just need a moment to think. I'll be fine."
When Mirenna didn't relent, Zara's tone hardened. "That's an order."
Reluctantly, Mirenna stepped aside, watching anxiously as Zara left the room.
The palace was eerily quiet as Zara wandered through its halls, The voice still lingered in her mind, faint but persistent.
She found herself drawn to a section of the palace she didn't recognize. The walls grew darker, the air colder. Then she saw it, a narrow passage, hidden behind a tapestry.
Her heart pounded as she stepped inside, the sound of her own breathing unnerving in the silence. The further she walked, the louder the voice grew.
"Zara… you need me…"
Ahead, she heard a faint sound—like wings flapping. She moved closer, her pulse racing.
But before she could see what lay ahead, a voice behind her froze her in place.
"My dearest wife, it is not safe down here… why are you alone?"
Zara turned slowly, her heart in her throat.
It was Erythian.