Revenge of the Duchess

Chapter 45

A/N: I own nothing but plot. Enjoy!

Slight warning for gory scenes, perhaps?

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"You!"

Count Castellan screamed furiously. He had spotted Ethan Nakamura among the royal knights surrounding him.

Thalia's blue eyes glinted icily down at Count Castellan, now bound with chains. His sword had long been taken away. His own blue eyes, ones that enchanted many with his beauty, now glared madly at the crown princess and at Nakamura.

"I should have known. It was you, traitor, who spilled our plans, no?"

Nakamura didn't reply, although his gleeful expression confirmed it. Thalia patted Nakamura on the shoulder. He had contributed quite a bit to the success of the counterattack plan on the rebellion.

"You will regret this," spat Count Castellan.

"You should be more concerned about your own safety than mine, Count," Thalia returned easily. "After all it's your head that's kneeling beneath mine. The only reason why I'm not executing you right away is for decorum. You will be tried in court for treason. It'll be quite interesting to see what your defense is."

Count Castellan laughed, his handsome face contorting into lunacy. Thalia's face didn't change as she easily looked down upon the writhing man on the floor.

"You think capturing me will end this? Ha!" The derision in his voice was obvious. "The Cuoran royal family has been rotting for years with a limp sack of flesh for its leader. You people will never survive without our support."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

She stepped closer to Luke, bending her lips down to his ear to whisper. "Why don't we make a bet to see whether that comes true? It's just a shame that you won't live much longer."

"Hahahaha! Like you will? Your brother will usurp the throne after you've done all the difficult work. What you've done is just lay out the easy path for him!"

"Is that what you think our brother-sister relationship is like?" Thalia crossed her arms. "Sorry, but you'll be sorely disappointed in that case."

Luke cackled once again. Thalia frowned as the count seemed on his last vestiges of sanity.

"Hehe, by this time, the Cytheran princess will be dead. We've already known you were collaborating with the Inferis nation. When Prince Jason finds the Cytheran princess' body, he'll think you killed her so he can accept the Inferis princess as his consort. You don't think your brother will turn on you then?"

Thalia didn't change her expression, even though the count's words were concerning. Count Castellan had exposed that the aristocratic faction's spying had dug deep, though not deep enough that their rebellion plans were falling through.

"Keep him alive, but just barely." The crown princess sneered.

The count was right about one thing. The Couran royal family had been rotting down to its very root. Sending royal heirs to kill one another to survive the throne, taking in concubines and queens from other countries who wanted the Cuoran lands. It was time to end it all and begin a new era. The rebellion was just as much a part of the main plan to force King Zeus into retirement and to let the crown princess step onto the throne much earlier than intended.

Thalia walked away as her royal knights converged on the count. His screams were cut off as Thalia exited the throne room and headed back into the battle.

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Annabeth drummed her fingers on the windowsill as she gazed through the windows from the ducal mansion. She pursed her lips and smiled sardonically.