65: I will come for you

65: I will come for you


"Tell me what happened with Ladya," he said as they approached the elevator.

"She lost the child, I'm sorry," Jason said with sympathy, and Alaris maintained a straight face. He felt nothing, and only he knew why.

"How is she?" He asked, and the elevator came to a stop.

"She is still unconscious. She hit her head badly." Jason answered, and silence resumed.

Alaris walked into the throne hall, and the muttering and whisperings disappeared. He walked majestically to the throne and placed his crown on his head before sitting down.

His eyes scanned the faces of the elders, and they all had a grim expression on their faces as if someone had died, but one face stood out and caught his attention; it was that of Endrado.
Well, wasn't it obvious? His eyes travelled to the gauze wrapped around his left hand, which he stylishly hid behind him, confirming that he must have punched his fist on the wall or somewhere else.

"What is the reason for this sudden meeting?" Alaris's angry voice broke the silence that loomed in the hall. He looked at them with irritation in his eyes as he waited for their response.

"Something unfortunate has happened in the palace, my king." Elder 1 was the only brave one to speak. Endrado was so consumed by fury he couldn't even move his lips. His ticket to the throne was gone, and all he could imagine while standing there was strangling the maid named Athena until there was no air left in her lungs.

"What is that?" Alaris asked, his voice cold and laced with irritation.

Elder 1 gulped and parted his lips.

"The lady Ladya was pushed from the stairs a while ago by a maid named Athena. Unfortunately, an imperial pregnancy has been lost." Elder 1 said, gulping.

Alaris gripped the arm of the chair. He knew what they were insinuating, and it was starting to provoke him before they could even say the words.

"There are rumours going around that Athena must have done that because she didn't want another woman having the king's child before her."

"Nonsense!" Alaris growled, slamming his palm on the armrest, and the elders flinched, except for Endrado.

"She doesn't even know she is to be queen."
"Who are those spreading such rumours? Do you dare provide them, or is it something you came up with because you don't like the idea of a maid becoming the dragon queen?"

Elder 1 tongue-twisted, and his molars crushed it, making his eyes sting.

"Harming an imperial blood is a punishable crime. The queen-to-be is guilty of this crime, my king." Elder 2 said, and the others murmured in agreement.

"Give her to us so we may give her the punishment she deserves, my king." Another elder said.

"Give her to us, my king." The others chorused, and Alaris's face hardened. His jaw clenched, and he ground his teeth against each other.

"Quiet!" He yelled and got up from the seat, his face hard from fury, his breath hot and misty.

"Do you have any proof that Athena pushed Ladya?" He asked, scanning their faces one after the other.

"Bring me a proof, and I shall give her to you." Alaris said, and the elders raised their heads to look at each other.

"Unfortunately, there were no cameras on the stairs, but there are recordings of Ladya screaming and begging Athena not to push her." Elder 2 said and stepped forward holding a laptop.

He placed it on a table and turned it on.

"This is a live video of two maids on TikTok. You can hear Ladya screaming in the background and Athena asking if she had gone crazy." Elder 2 said, providing the only evidence they had.

Alaris listened to the voices in the background, and it was truly that of Ladya and Athena. The video might be staged. For all he cared, it could be planned, but his hands are tied. The elders are part of the imperial court.

"Fine," Alaris said, exhaling lightly.

"She will be locked up, and her punishment will be discussed." Alaris said in a dismissive tone and vanished from the hall.

Athena felt her soul leaving her body when a gust of wind passed her. She turned around and saw Alaris standing in the room, his face blank and eyes filled with guilt. Her heart raced, fear cocooning her.

He stepped closer to her and held her hands in his, looking into her eyes.

"I want you to know that I believe what you said. I believe you, Athena, but I have to lock you up for a while." He said, his voice remorseful, and her heart leapt into her stomach.

"You said you would protect me." Her voice shook, eyes blinking nonstop.

Alaris sighed and cupped her face.

"This is me protecting you, Athena. The elders provided a recording of Ladya screaming and mentioning your name. I will not let anyone hurt you. Nobody, no man, no woman – I mean nobody will lay hands on you. I will come for you after dealing with the elders. I promise."

Tears brimmed in Athena's eyes, and her heart contracted. She wanted to ask if this was his definition of protecting her, but she chose not to speak and bit back the tears.

"I will wait for you." She muttered, and Alaris pulled her into a tight hug that almost set the tears in her eyes loose.

"I will come for you." He mumbled in her hair and kissed her head.

He held her hands and led her to the door where Jason was waiting. He handed her over to him and pulled him aside.

"Do everything you can and find me every piece of footage from that angle. She is innocent. If she spends the night in that cold place, I will have your head." He warned and vanished into thin air.

He arrived at the hall and took his seat.

"An elder can go check the cells to confirm if she has been locked up." Alaris said, and Endrado spoke for the first time.

"I will go, my king." He said, his voice dry, and Alaris nodded.

"Until her punishment is decided, no one is to lay hands on her." Alaris warned, threat evident in his voice. He didn't even try to conceal it.

"As you wish, my king." Endrado bowed his head and left.

Athena held the blanket Jason had given her and lay down on the small mattress. It wasn't the first time she was brought to the cell. She had been there before, except that this time around, it was different. She has a mattress to lie on instead of the cold floor and a blanket to keep her warm. She threw the blanket over herself and shut her eyes, but the clanging sound of the cell gate made her open her eyes, and there stood the most angry man she had ever seen. It was as if he was going to eat her alive, like a predator ready to consume its prey.

"They dare give you a blanket and mattress?" He growled and rushed towards her like a bull. He yanked the mattress away from her body and tossed it away before pulling her up by the neck and slamming her against the cold wall.

Her heart jumped out of her chest into her mouth, and she wheezed.

"Do you know what you have done? Huh? Do you know what you have ruined?" He gripped her neck and lifted her from the ground with all the anger and strength in him.

She scratched at his hand, legs dancing, but his grip on her neck only got stronger. His eyes were dark like the night, filled with rage, death and pain.

He released his grip on her, and she dropped to the ground, hitting her knees hard, and she gasped and wheezed.

"Alaris will not forgive you for laying hands on me!" She said difficulty, her throat burning and itching.

"To hell with him." Endrado cursed, his teeth gritted, and he crouched down and grabbed her chin, tilting her face up to look him in the eyes.

"Do you know whose child you killed?" He asked, his voice laced with poison.

"Your child, Endrado." Athena answered drily, looking him in the eyes.