Chapter 131
Raven’s Pov;
The dining hall shimmered with too much gold and that was all I thought about as I sat with the rest of the council members and Princess Ellie for the feast she had requested.
Several dishes lined the table and the smell of roasted lamb and honeyed fruits filled the room, bur it nauseated me, knowing what was about to happen in this room tonight.
Liam’s eyes met mine from where he sat at the head of the table, his face a mask of calm, though I knew better. On his right, Lady Joanna glowed In the expensive emerald silk she wore, but then, I had never seen her look out of place, no matter what.
Her hand rested lightly on the polished wood as if she owned the table, the hall, the kingdom itself, there was a small smile gracing her features.
“Lord Reiner,” princess Ellie’s lips curled into a small smile as she drawled out his name. “I hear that you have the most fertile lands in the entire kingdom.”
She looked radiant in the faded blue dress she wore, but there was something different about her tonight. I couldn’t tell if it was because she had less diamonds on or if it were something else.
Lord Reiner cackled. The old fart! Perhaps, pleased that a Belgravian princess had complimented him. I sipped my wine, forcing myself not to roll my eyes.
Lady Joanna’s voice cut through the chatter. “It is not orchards or vineyards that matters now, Princess. It is unity. A United land is what keeps us stronger. Perhaps, if your father were to help unite us with the….”
“We are grateful for everything we’ve recieved from Belgravia,” Liam cut in. “Everything and that’s why we’re not going to let you leave like that. I’ve prepared a gift…”
“Your highness,” lady Joanna interrupted. “It is not right that we are related in marriage to Belgravia, but cannot benefit from…”
“You don’t rule this kingdom, Lady Joanna. I do and I know what’s best for it.”
The servers moved quietly, replacing dishes, refilling goblets. The room became silent as lady Joanna and Liam exchahged words. I took the opportunity to glance at everyone, gauging their reaction.
Princess Ellie looked like she was enjoying the show, as do most of the council members. The others were either too drunk to be bothered, uninterested or muttering amongst thenselves in disagreement.
Then the doors opened.
Every head turned...well, not every, just a few us who weren’t engrossed in the argument.
I furrowed my brows upon seeing who it was.
Annalise
She strode in, like it was perfectly normal for her to do so, her dark hair loose, her dress plain compared to the jeweled women at the table. She shouldn’t have been here. No seat had been prepared for her. No invitation extended.
She was realky here! This was the surprise she was telling me about!
“Annalise,” Liam said sharply upon noticing her. “This is a closed council gathering,” he glanced at lady Joanna, as though to ask her what was going on.
She ignored him. In her hands she carried a bundle of papers, their edges crumpled. They were clutched too tightly in her hands, her eyes swept the table, and for once there was no sly smirk, or mischievous glint, just as determination and something that seemed like fear.
“I have something to say,” she announced, her voice clear. “May I step forward?” Her eyes met mine and I could swear that I saw her smile before it completely disappeared, replaced by a flat look.
Joanna rose halfway from her chair, her face tightening. “You will not disrupt—”
But Annalise flung the papers onto the table. They scattered, sliding across the polished surface, some landing on princess Ellie’s lap.
“I am not Lord Gasty’s daughter,” she blurted out, smiling as though she hadn’t just dropped a bomb in front of the council members.
Gasps rippled through the council. Lord Everin nearly choked on his wine. Someone dropped a fork, the clatter ringing out like thunder.
“What nonsense is this?” Joanna snapped, though her voice shook. “You dare bring this…”
“It is not nonsense.” Annalise’s gaze burned into her. “These are the records. Proof. I will not live in your veiled lies any longer.”
Princess Ellie lifted one of the papers delicately, her eyes scanning the lines before flicking toward me. Amusement curved her lips. She was enjoying this.
The room erupted, voices overlapping, questions hurled across the table.
“If not Gasty’s, then whose?”
“Forgery!”
“What trick is this girl playing?”
“Lady Joanna wouldn’t cheat on Lord Gasty…”
“Is she drunk?”
Annalise stood unyielding in the chaos, her jaw tight, her fists clenched at her sides.
Liam slammed his palm against the table, the crack silencing most of the people. “Enough!”
But before he could speak again, a sound split the air.
A gagging cough.
I turned just as Lord Reiner bent forward, clutching his stomach. His goblet spilled red wine across the tablecloth like blood.
Then another councilor gagged, his face pale, eyes wide.
The uproar turned to shrieks.
General Agraivane slumped forward.
Chairs scraped. Dishes crashed. One by one, men and women doubled over, retching, hands trembling as goblets fell from their fingers, others collapsing.
My own breath hitched. A wave of nausea coiled through me, bitter and sharp. The stench of the food niw stank of rot.
“Poison,” someone cried.
Princess shot to her feet, her gown brushing against the toppled wine. Her face was a mask of horror, but she hadn’t gone far before she fell forward, her face, at my feet.
I tried to rise, but the room tilted violently. My pulse thundered. My hands shook as I braced against the table.
The flashes came.
The temple from my dreams, stone walls crumbling, pillars splitting, the sacred altar collapsing into dust.
‘Choose the kingdom or the child.’
The voice roared in my skull, louder than the chaos around me.
“No—” I whispered, clutching at my head.
Shapes blurred. I heard Joanna screaming and someone tried to reach for me, but I couldn’t tell who it was.
Faces blurred into each other. One moment it was Liam and then Lady Joanna.
The last thing I saw before darkness took me was the temple burning.