Chapter 26: "A Web of Deception"
Chapter 26: "A Web of Deception"
Seraphina POV
The smell of burning incense filled my nostril. My body felt warm, maybe too warm. I could hear chatters around me.
I opened my eyes slowly, to understand what it was. And I was met with the sight of two women who stood at the edge of the room, laughing amongst one another.
The room was painted white, and the bed felt way too uncomfortable, was this a hospital?
There were no hospital items around, just herbs and potions on a shelf.
As though in sync the two women turned and caught my opened eyes.
“She’s awake. Finally.” They rushed to me,
I forced a smile, as confusion filled me. Where was I? Last I remembered, I had fell to the floor after placing fire in me, ti hurt kyros.
And It was working except my body had immediately given out.
“How do you feel.” The older looking one asked.
“Sore.”
But other than that, there was no pain.
“It’s to be expected. Just a couple more days rest and you’ll be back in new.”
Days.
“How long have I been out? And where is this place.”
“You’ve been out for three days. This is the dead lands. Well the healers village in the dead lands.”
The dead lands. Ciaran mentioned it was his kingdom.
Meaning ciaran had brought me here, but what of Ronan? What happened to him?, and how come I could not see any of them here,
What is going on?
“Prince ciaran brought you here, do you want me to go get him?” The younger one asked in a soft tone.
I nodded. She smiled sweetly before walking out of the room.
“I still have to check your heart and energy speed, to ensure nothing is amiss.” The older woman suggested.
I nodded, and she proceeded to do as she had said.
It was while she was finishing up that ciaran came in, with the younger lady.
When he saw me, he rushed to me, sitting next to me and holding my hands.
“You’re awake.” His voice was hopeful.
“I was scared you wouldn’t wake up, seems the gods do listen after all.” His eyes craned up.
“Was I that badly injured?”
“Yes.”
I remembered kyros talk about our connection. It wasn’t meant to end up with me getting hurt. When he had done it, I was the only one who got hurt.
“How did I end up getting hurt? Do you think kyros lied?”
“No. Cause he truly was hurt. Your body was just too weak to take that kind of dark magic, remember you’re part human, and kyros is part wolf and vampire.”
The understanding became clearer.
“And Ronan?”
His shoulders immediately tensed up, did something bad happened? My stomach turned.
“Where is Ronan?”
“In my dungeon walls.”
Wait what?
“Why is he there?”
“He acted out.”
I felt even more confused. “What do you mean?”
“I honestly don’t know, all I know is that he came here, and killed five of my people, he became a monster.”
Like that night. How was that even possible? Did kyros do it? What was going on!
“We managed to hold him off thanks to some healers of ours. But he’s been in a rampaging state since.”
“Can I see him?”
Ciaran eyes widened. “No.”
“But maybe if he sees a familiar face he’ll—“
“You’ll only get yourself killed. He’s become a monster. Who he truly is. It’s best you let him go.”
That didn’t sit well with me, but I didn’t argue further, I could always find my way to Ronan, since he was in the dungeon, it meant he’ll be in the castle walls. I just have to find it.
“I’m sorry for raising my voice, but I just need you to understand, your union with Ronan led to people’s death, and when he came looking for you here, he still ended up causing people to die, it’s like whenever you two are near, death falls.”
I hated how he had a point to it, but deep down I couldn’t accept all of his points. Cause they didn’t feel right.
“I’m also aware of it, Ronan is no monster, maybe the dark magic got to him, but he was cured once. He can be cured again. It’s no reason to push him off and outrightly label him a monster.”
Ciaran scoffed. As though not believing his ears.
“You’re still defending him, even after all that has happened?”
“I’m not. I’m just giving him a chance, cause I know he’ll have done the same, I know you speak from a place of distaste for him, but you don’t know him like I do.”
“Yeah right, just few months of meeting sweet Ronan, you’ve known him more than people who have been with him since his childhood.”
“I…”
“Get some rest sera. And no more talk of this, Ronan is lost forever, and his death would be a great appeasement to all.”
Except I couldn’t do that. Ronan needed me. And I couldn’t just sit still and do nothing,
He left immediately, and those two healers who had left the room to give us privacy came back inside,
They gave me a potion to drink, said it’ll make the soreness go away,
I drank it, eager to be well and to rescue Ronan. Except as soon as it touched my mouth, my eyes grew weary. And soon I was drifted off to the abyss of sleep.
When next I would open my eyes. I wasn’t at the healers room anymore.
Instead I was in a much more beautiful room, with soft fragrant scents. The bed was softer and bigger, the room was painted in beautiful cream and black,
It looked like it was made out of a fairytale.
But that wasn’t what got to me, it was the fact that I was here, and Ronan was in a dark dungeon. Suffering.
I had a feeling that if I saw him, talked to him, he’ll return to his senses. I knew love was the greatest cure to darkness.
That’s what Annika always said.
The door to the room opened, and a lady carrying a tray of what seemed like herbs and potion came in,
Once she saw my open eyes, she bowed her head, but she didn’t stay for long, instead she went out and returned with two other ladies, who was dressed in similar attires as she.
They had their head bowed, they seemed like maids.
“We were sent to run your bath Milady.”
“Who?”
They looked amongst theirselves.
“Prince ciaran Milady.”
“Send for him instead.”
“But…”
“I’m not having any bath until I see him.”
They looked between each other. Before bowing their head and leaving.
When the door would open again. It was Ciaran who walked through the doors.
He was wearing a very fine fitted suit. That made him look every bit of royalty.
“You are awake.”
“Did you drug me?”
My question seemed to have caused him some shock. But it was the only viable explanation in my head.
when those ladies gave me that potion. I slept off without any shake. He must have done it to stop me from finding Ronan.
“And why would you assume I did that?”
“You tell me.”
He took another sign. “I didn’t drug you, you’re my friend. You simply fell asleep cause you were still sore from the injury.”
I gave him a skeptical look. I wasn’t fully sure I could trust him.
“And Ronan?”
“Ronan is where he is meant to be.”
I glared at him.
He took another deep sigh.
“How about this? You take your bath, change into new clothes and come down to have breakfast. And after which I’ll take you to him.”
That was tempting. I did feel hungry, and it came with seeing Ronan.
“What’s the catch?”
He let out a soft chuckle.
“There’s no catch. I just mean well for you, you know I care a lot about you.”
I sighed. Maybe I could trust him. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
“Just have the bathe, I know you need it.”
He left shortly and his maids did come back inside, this time I let them run the bath, and put fresh clothes on me.
After getting me ready, I stared at my reflection on the mirror. I had been clothed in a royal blue turquoise gown, it silk was soft. And it accentuated my body well enough.
They had pinned my hair up. And I was look it like a princess.
Which said a lot.
They escorted me downstairs to the dining room,
And once I got there, I was met with an elder man and woman both dressed royally and wearing crowns.
They must be the king and queen,
Ciaran sat by the king side, and his sister Janet, well she gave me a scowl.
Ciaran stood up to take my hands once he saw me, he made me sit down next to him,
I gave a curt bow to the king and queen before sitting down.
“She is so beautiful.” The elderly woman said, her eyes twinkled softly, and I felt warm on the inside just from her stares.
She carried this motherly aura around her.
“Mom don’t scare her off,” ciaran teased.
“Thank you.” I said instead.
And they begun digging in the feast of delicacy set before us.
I took a bite.
Janet was still giving me all the scowls that existed in this world.
“Is it to your liking?” His mother asked again.
“Yes thank you.”
“I had it made specially for you.” She added.
It seemed like she was set out on impressing me, and I just felt even more honored to be in her midst.
“So what now? You’re my brother’s woman now? After dumping Ronan and causing him to land in the dungeons?” Janet was the one who spoke, her eyes bore hatred. Deep ones.
I swallowed.
“Jane.” The king who had been utterly quiet warned her.
“What!! I don’t get why you all are acting like she’s special, just cause if some lobizona—“
“Eat eat Janet. The food would get cold.” Her mother stuffed food in her mouth before she could say more.
What was she trying to say though? Suddenly it occurred to me that. Being easily trusting. Wouldn’t be wise in this place.
Heavens help me.