Chapter 73 The Man With Nothing And Everything To Lose
Adrian slit the neck of another sorcerer, the blood splattering on his face being the hundredth one— possibly. He no longer kept count anymore.
The fog surrounding him made it almost impossible to see, but it didn’t matter. There was instead a ringing in his ear as he stared at the bodies that had filled every inch of the ground before his eyes fell on her royal majesty, the Queen.
Eldoria.
She had not joined in the fight. Not this time. Instead, she had let the rest of the army go ahead and massacre every single person— an entire village of people, and now, she stood in front of the only surviving person she had left behind.
Her eyes which were usually blue looked strangely darker now as she stared at the little girl. A dark skinned pale haired child of not more than seven. She held onto a toy, her eyes filled with fear as she looked up at the towering woman.
And then, all of a sudden, she exploded.
It was sudden, causing even the other soldiers to look away. Adrian did not, he could not. He wished he could pretend that he wasn’t implicit to her will, but he was her second hand, and he knew as much as she barely told him anything, he still did as she desired.
The geass on him burned.
“Burn everything.” Eldoria’s voice was different when she was not with Isabella. It sounded like the echo coming from an empty shell, and her movement too… every step she took looked like a body that was no longer willing to move. “Adrian. Come with me.”
He did as he was told. He moved as if he did not hear the sharp cracking sound of his boots under a child’s cradle, or smell the smoke threatening to move into his head and languish there until he reached her tent, his voice low, “What is it you require, your Majesty?”
“Here. Read this.” She raised one paper up from the stack on her table without bothering to look at him.
For a moment, he wondered if this was her making him privy to whatever plans she had. If this was her way of explaining why they had to raze an entire village to the ground because of some rumors that there were some people who were part of the revolution threatening to overthrow her.
But that was not it.
The pain in his chest settled in a way that threatened to turn into a heart attack as he turned to face her, his voice low, “This… Do you truly believe Isabella Montague will go as far as to do this?”
“Yes, but that is not the problem, is it?” She looked at him then. Eldoria looked weary in ways that reminded him of those many years ago in his room. A face she kept when it was just the two of them and he realized no matter how insane she was, he still cared for her. “Cassian. She wishes to wed Cassian.”
“Which will not happen. Weddings are forbidden—”
“Do you think I will stop my son from having one with her? He wishes for it. I know he does.” Eldoria said, “And it will happen. The only problem is this will cause a rift between her and the commoners. I would like to believe she has some sense to her so this is her own way of incurring my wrath, but that of the low born as well?”
Adrian wished to be a perspective of neutrality. He wanted to imagine Isabella as another silly noble woman with no regard to what was happening in Aeltherra… but he knew he could not.
He could not read Eldoria’s thoughts, or Isabella’s. He felt slightly like a rat between two elephants, powerless and weak.
Just like he was many years ago.
“We have raided six villages alone, finding these… revolutionaries,” Her voice was low, her eyes settling on him like a snake about to pounce. “They had worsened after your trip with her. Like a plan of some sorts. You are already aware of my suspicions about her being the leader of the revolution. Adequate timing, yes? Every rat comes out of their holes to wreak havoc when the leader is gone.”
Adrian could not lie to her. No matter what he did. Even now, he wanted to say that Isabella was not their leader but the words stayed in his throat, choking him in ways that made it hard for him to breathe.
He fell to his knees. “What is it that you desire, your Majesty?”
“Isabella Montague’s view to the public eye must remain perfect and without blemish.” Her eyes stayed unmoving. Unalive. “She is the first woman in years born to the Pillars. You of all people know the rarity that she is. The people have lost hope in the royal family and are becoming unsettled. I have no problems with reminding them that their lives are all worthless to me, but in the event that I am killed—”
“I will never let that happen.” The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, like a fountain gushing with water.
Her eyes stared at him on his knees. Her nephew. The first man in her life she could solemnly swear was almost on par with her in abilities but stayed stifled because he had no Vessel to pull out his true potential.
“In the event that I am killed,” She continued like she had not heard him speak. “The throne will be handed over to her. She will continue the Esperanza blood line. And you will swear your loyalty to her as you did with me.”
Then she added quietly. “But if I find out that she, in any way, has a hand in this revolution or bears any knowledge, will demand that you end her life. Do you understand?”
Many thoughts swarm through Adrian’s head.
Why her? Why do you wish for her there? What do you know?
Why must she be part of your schemes?
I do not want to hurt her. Please. I have never asked you for anything. Please, leave her be.
But he did not have power. She would never give him the courtesy of such a gift. Still… “I have a request.”
“Granted.” Her attention returned back to the paper. “You may leave. And say hello to my daughter-in-law, will you?”