Till Death Do Us Part

19. No Escape

Someone screamed, and it took Skylar a moment to realise that this terrible shriek was coming from her own throat. Elinora wrenched the sword back, splashing Skylar with dark red blood.

Alarat fell to his knees, with blood already gargling in his throat.

"No!" Skylar tried to hold him still, but his suddenly lifeless body was too heavy, so she gently lay him on the floor. She tried to press the wound on his chest, but she knew it was already too late. The blade pierced right through his heart.

"...her," Alarat mumbled, then his eyes rolled up, and his chest stopped moving.

"No, no, no!" protested Skylar, her voice hoarse. "You can't die! Not like this!"

"Oh, stop with the whining already," said the Queen with a long-suffering voice. "We both know he's dead already."

"Why?" Skylar looked up at her, tears staining her face. "Why would you do that?"

"Turns out he wasn't a complete fool after all." Elinora shrugged. "I had to accelerate my plans a bit. But I think this will work even better now."

"You are the one sabotaging the wards."

"You're catching up. Good. I hate to explain every boring detail." The Queen dropped the bloody sword, and it hit the stone floor with a loud clang. She took out her handkerchief and started meticulously whipping the specks of blood from her elegant hands. "I tried to get you onboard, but you had to fall in love with that annoying husband of yours!"

"I would never take part in a murder scheme," Skylar said, abashed.

Elinora smiled at her the way you smile at a naughty child when you know you have the upper hand. "Not willingly, no." She walked to a little hearth and threw the bloody handkerchief into the flames. "You can't imagine how stubborn Gawyn is. For three years, I threw women and men at him, hoping someone would pick his interest and give me a way to manipulate him. But no, each time, he resisted. I knew I needed to eliminate him if I wanted to take back the crown. Alarat was a fool and could be easily deceived. But not his General, this cold and honourable fool so blindly loyal to his dear brother."

"But you are the Queen!" Skylar protested. "What more do you want? No other woman in the kingdom has as much power as you do!"

"Yes, I am the Queen, but not as a Hawkclaw," Elinora said bitterly. "For generations, my family was ruling this kingdom. And then, one bad ruler caused the calamity. And, oh so honourable Gryphonhearts decided, we were no longer suited to wear the crown. So, they plunge the kingdom into war so they can seize it for themselves. Do you think that's fair or just?"

"I..."

"It doesn't matter. The truth of this world is that the strongest takes it all. And for a time, Gryphonhearts had all the advantages. But banishing my family from the palace and taking away our lands was not enough for them. They also wanted to humiliate us. So, they made me the Queen and forced me to take on their name."

"It wasn't meant as humiliation."

"Is that what they are saying?" Elinora scoffed. "Gryphonhearts have always been a powerful family, but they are also short-sighted. They held the crown once, and they lost it. I knew I couldn't let them hold on to it for long. But I needed allies, and the noble families were too scared of Gryphonheart's military prowess to do anything against them."

"And so, you turned to the Blighted Lands," said Skylar. She felt nausea at the thought of someone willingly cooperating with those monsters. 

Elinora smiled. "I knew you were a clever girl."

"How did you even contact them? There haven't been any relations with them for centuries."

"Oh, sweetie, you are so painfully naïve. Even with such desolated kingdoms as the Blighted Lands, there have always been unofficial ways to keep in touch. And with all the resources I, as the Queen, had, it was child's play. With his loyal army and military genius, I knew the biggest obstacle would be Gawyn. But then, the unthinkable happened. Alarat succeeded in convincing him to get married for some virtuous idea of unification. And that was not all. Thanks to your sister's silly scheme, you were the one who ended up as the General's wife! The most unprepared and gullible person I've ever met!"

Skylar clenched her teeth. As much as she wanted to protest, she knew Elinora was right. She hated herself for thinking even for a moment that this cruel and clever woman was ever her friend.

Elinora gave her a sweet smile and continued, "I knew Gawyn, with his high morals and unflinching devotion for the family, would do anything to shield you. I didn't even have to move a finger to get you under my influence."

"But you failed," Skylar said defiantly. "I didn't fall for your schemes and refused to do your bidding."

"Oh, is that what you think?" Elinora asked, amused. "You are such a darling. Look at yourself. You've just murdered the King."

"What?" Skylar's eyes went wide. "You killed him! I saw it! You can't get away with it."

Elinora laughed, and the sound chilled Skylar to the bone. "It's your word against mine then. I am the Queen, while you are a barbaric woman from the east who weaselled her way to the royal court, making many enemies in the meantime. Just look at yourself, Skylar. Your sword killed the King, and you are drenched in his blood!"

At that moment, Skylar realised that she had let herself be played once again. But this time, she will pay for it with her head. 

Sky looked down - her hands were sticky with warm blood, and her dress was equally drenched. She should have struck Elinora right away instead of listening to her silver tongue. She looked at her sword that the Queen dropped on the floor on the other side of the room. Skylar prepared herself to dash for it.

But Elinora only smiled, reading her perfectly. "It's too late, my darling." 

Then her face contorted. The change was so abrupt that Skylar's jaw dropped. The Queen suddenly turned pale, and her eyes filled with tears. "Guards!" she shrieked with a panicked and high-pitched voice.

Skylar jumped to her feet, but it was already too late. Before she made a step, three guards ran into the room.

"Seize the assassin!" the Queen ordered, pointing at her with a shaking hand.

If it were only one guard, maybe Skylar would have a chance. But not against three men bigger than her and in full armours. She bolted for her sword anyway. Before she made two steps, one of the soldiers grabbed her arm, yanking her back. She smashed an elbow in his face, pushing him back, but another one knocked her off her feet with a shield. She fell to the floor, and the soldiers kicked her a few times for good measure.

When they pulled her up, her lips were split bloody, and her ribs throbbed painfully.

The Queen was a picture-perfect despairing widow. Her pale face was tear-streaked, and her body was trembling. 

She was a great actress.

"You thought you could just walk into the palace, murder the King and get away with it?!" she cried, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "I won't let you leave this place alive. Guards, follow me to the ballroom. We need to announce this terrible news to the noble families. Let them be the judges of this treacherous murderer!"