Chapter 132

Annalise’s pov;

I never imagined that any of these could happen.

The door creaked open and the chill from the dungeon swallowed me whole.

I had thought that the estate had been suffocating, but this was worse, the air was damp, stale, and smelled like rust and mold .My wrists burned from the iron shackles, although the guards had been almost gentle when they dragged me down here, as if even they were uncertain whether to treat me as criminal or victim.

I was sure that the special treatment was more of the fact that despite what I had revealed, they feared my mother.

I sat on the stone bench, pressing my back to the wall. The silence was loud and I wondered if I was the only one in this wing of the dungeon.

Everything replayed in my head, the choking sounds , vomiting and finally, the collapsing.

How the night had changed from me being an uninvited guest to being accused of murder. Now, they said I had poisoned them.

Very Convenient.

The lock clicked again, breaking my thoughts. Boots echoed on the stone floor, steady and sure, before he came into view.

I guessed who it was before I saw him. His sharp eyes looked colder than the dungeon walls.

Dorian!

“Lady Annalise,” he said, the title  sounded like  a mockery. He probably didn’t believe what I had said to the rest of the council sounded like just as lady Joanna opined. ‘I had lost my mind.”

“You’ve created quite the spectacle.”

I lifted my chin. “I’ve been accused, not convicted.”

“Accused,” he repeated, stepping closer, “by every surviving council member present at that table. Including your mother herself.”

Of course Joanna would waste no time sharpening her knives. I almost smiled. “And you believe her? You, of all people?” I took a step forward. “She’s deceiving you!”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “You had a motive. You humiliated her in front of everyone. Declared yourself not Lord Gasty’s daughter. Convenient timing, don’t you think? Make a declaration, then silence every witness to it? If not, what was your aim, lady Annalise?”

I leaned forward, making sure that he saw the  look of defiance in my eyes. “If I wanted my mother ruined, Dorian, I wouldn’t need poison. Words are sharper. Secrets sharper still. And believe me, I know enough of hers to destroy her without lifting a finger.”

He studied me, as though he was waiting for me to crack. But silence has always been my weapon. So I let it stretch between us until his breath fogged in the chill.

Finally, he spoke. “Do you deny bringing poison into the hall?”

“Yes,” I said flatly.

“Do you deny orchestrating the collapse of the council?”

“Yes.”

“Do you deny…”

“Yes, Dorian.” I snapped, the  shackles clanging against stone as I raised my wrists. “Do you want me to list every denial one by one, or will you finally admit that this interrogation is less about truth and more about convenience? You need someone to blame while the kingdom reels, and I was already the easiest target.”

For a moment, the mask slipped, and something like conflict flickered in his gaze. But then he straightened, retreating into his role.

“Princess Ellie is ill,” he said, voice lower now. “The Queen too. Both barely breathing. Did you know that? Do you know that what you have done calls for blood?”

The words struck harder than I expected. Raven? Princess Ellie? Belgravia wouldn’t sit still and let their princess be kidnapped.

“Critical condition,” Dorian pressed, watching me closely. “If either of them dies, Annalise, your chains will be the last thing you feel before the axe.”

I held his stare, but my throat had gone dry. “I did not poison them.”

“Then who did?”

“If you’re as sharp as everyone claims,” I said, forcing strength back into my voice, “you’ll know the answer isn’t in this dungeon.”

His mouth twitched, almost a smirk but not quite. “You think you’re clever.”

“No,” I said softly. “I think I’m tired.”

That intrigued him as he tilted his head and watched me.

I continued. “Tired of being Joanna’s pawn. Tired of being the scapegoat whenever it suits her. Tired of carrying the name of a man who isn’t my father, living in a house where I never belonged. If I wanted chaos, Dorian, I wouldn’t poison others, I’d burn it all myself.”

His eyes searched mine, like he could peel the truth out layer by layer.

“Who is your father?” he asked finally.

I gave a short laugh, bitter and sharp. “If I told you, would it matter? The moment lady Joanna knew I’d discovered it, I stopped being her precious daughter and started being a liability. That’s why I’m here. Poisoning or no poisoning, I was always meant to end up in chains once I outlived my usefulness,” I leaned closer. “Let’s be real, Dorian. You know that if lady joanna wanted me out of here, she would have done so a long time back.”

Dorian didn’t answer, he didn’t answer. He already knew.

His lips pressed into a thin line. He studied me one last time, then stepped back.

“I’ll report your words,” he said, his voice unreadable.

“Good,” I muttered. “Make sure you tell them I didn’t flinch and tell lady Joanna that this wouldn’t save her from what’s coming.”

He looked even more confused than when he’d first arrived. "What's coming, Annalise?”

I grinned but said nothing. If he thought he was going to get me to spill it, then he was damn wrong.

"What's coming?” He grabbed my shoulder. “You’d better start talking because as you’ve said, lady Joana isn’t coming to save you.”

I scoffed. “I wasn’t counting on that.”

He let out a deep sigh and ram his hand through his hair. I can help you, Annalise. I’m already investigating this..”

“Here’s what I think happened,” I leaned forward. “This isn’t my mother’s doing.