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CHAPTER 20
I picked up speed, beginning to run down the spiral staircase, holding onto the walls as I descended. My bare feet were freezing against the stone steps, since I left my shoes only the stars knew where. Feelings of anger, disappointment, regret, and disgust flooded through me and then suddenly panic.
Something seemed off, and now that I wasn’t consumed by the distraction of Bennett, I could tell that something was wrong. I felt my muscles begin to weaken with each step, and although my body was weakening, my mind was buzzing with concern over what was happening to me. My stomach churned and my head pounded as anxiety coursed through my veins.
Why do I feel like I’m dying?
A cold sweat broke on my brow and I shivered as I felt a fever coming on. This was not alcohol. I began to pick up my speed the best that I could to try and get myself to the infirmary and have a Life Crafter heal me. Maybe I could try and find Amica, but I had no idea where she could possibly be since I left the masquerade. I had to just focus on the infirmary and pray to the stars that a healer would be there on the night of one of the biggest celebrations of the year.
My throat began to tighten and each breath became harder to inhale. I fought to hold back tears as a full-blown panic attack overtook me. I tried to calm down and steady my breathing, but it was freaking impossible with death peering over my shoulder.
What is happening to me? Am I having some kind of reaction to something? Is it all in my head? Could I be. . .Was I—
Poisoned?
I gasped as I steadied myself on the wall beside me to keep myself from falling over.
I hurried down the corridors, knowing that I only had minutes, if that, until this took full effect, and I needed an antidote or healer now.
Poison was the only explanation, and I was a fool not to have seen it earlier. I was a damn assassin and I let my feelings cloud my judgment to the point where I overlooked the signs. I worried that all the drinks could have been laced with something, but that wouldn’t make any sense. My friends and I arrived at the celebration late and by the time I left, not a single person looked like they had been poisoned by anything. So, what was it?
Could it have been. . .
Bennett?
No! It couldn’t have been Bennett.
My heart began to break as I realized that was the only explanation. The specialty cocktail Bennett gave me that looked like sparkly blood had been laced with poison. He had a different drink than I did, and when I asked what it was, he simply changed the direction of the conversation. What I thought was a cute gesture turned out to be a knife in my back.
“Help!” I screamed, my throat shredding from the force of the cry. I could only hope someone could hear me, although I knew everyone was off celebrating.
I became so dizzy the walls began to spin, and my panic increased. I didn’t know which direction I was going in, or if I was even going to make it to the infirmary in time.
“Do you need help, little girl?” said a man from behind me. I slowly turned my head, bracing myself for the familiarity of that voice that I’d never forgotten, even after all of these years.
As I faced the voice, a whole new wave of fear ran through me, one built on instinct.
“Saeva.”
Standing before me, in the middle of an empty corridor, stood the man who had whipped me, abused me, and stayed with me in my nightmares for years. The burns that marked my back and the scars on my heart were permanent reminders of what he did to me.
I stood straighter, putting on a mask that showed I was strong and not struggling to survive.
He gave me a sinister smile, his long and slim figure like a shadow leering over me. “Hello, Rhiannon. You sure have grown up since that night you betrayed me for the king.”
“I am not the girl I used to be.” My words slurred slightly. “The king will have you thrown in the dungeons; he knows what you have done to me.”
He chuckled, clucking his tongue as he slowly circled me, having absolutely no fear.
“Well, clearly you have grown into quite the amazing young woman. I mean, the king wouldn’t pick just anyone to be his favorite.”
I unsheathed the golden dagger from my thigh as quickly as I could, ignoring the shaking in my wrist as I held it out.
I didn’t know how the hell Saeva knew I was the king’s assassin, but my only guess was that Bennett must have been in on it, somehow. He must have told him. I couldn’t worry about that now, though, I just had to focus on staying alive.
“Why are you here?” I asked, trying my best to keep him focused as his body tilted from side to side.
He laughed, walking even closer to me. “Haven’t you noticed?”
