𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 2 Chapter 91 JAYLAH
After a day of silence, Jaylah expected Ermalai to have some retribution for his nobleman's death. No one but him would suspect foul play, but he was the most dangerous of her enemies to have such knowledge. It was the calm before the storm waiting for him to make the next move.
Jaylah went into the first meeting of the morning feeling triumphant at the sight of his haggard face. Despite their ranks being technically equal, he was required by proper court etiquette to stand with the rest of his men until she sat. He wore the same tranquil face as ever, but she saw in his eyes how it pained him to bend to her will. A woman's will. Before she took her place, Jaylah offered him a serene twist of her lips.
He got his revenge immediately. "Before we begin our meeting, I have a regretful announcement. If you don't mind, Your Majesty," he gestured an open hand to Jaylah.
The other officials' attentions were piqued. "Speak," Jaylah said, eyes narrow.
"As you know, one of my own men passed away two days ago. All symptoms pointed to his cause of death being a heart attack. "But—" his eyes pinned on Jaylah—"upon further investigation, traces of poison were found in the teacup still in his quarters, half empty."
Jaylah's veins were hot with rage, ready to boil over. The poison she utilized never showed a trace in the body nor the medium it used to enter it. It was the reason she was confident in her ability to get away with poisoning foreign noblemen.
Which meant Ermalai was lying.
Noting Alexander's smirk in her peripheral vision, Jaylah leaned back. "I would like to see the teacup in question."
"Oh...I'm afraid that is not possible. I had it sent to a specialist in the south to determine what exactly was used to murder poor Dmitrievich." Ermalai's face was the paragon of sympathy. "I suspect cyanide, from what I saw. I can only hope it was a painless death."
"Surely you can understand my skepticism of the situation. With no concrete proof, I have no grounds to believe Dmitrievich's death was one by poison." She gave a dainty shrug. "Natural deaths are unfortunately all too common."
"You would accuse me of lying, Your Majesty?"
She felt the accusing stares of several Navrikans on her. Her approach had been too callous compared to Ermalai's, too unsympathetic to the dead man. "This has been a blow to us all, you in particular. For that, I apologize. However, even the greatest of men suffer the tricks shock and loss play on the mind. Cyanide does not originate here, nor is it common. It was likely badly crushed tea leaves that you saw."
"No. I know what I saw." Their gazes were locked, their wills barred against each other like swords, testing whose was sharpest. "After the revolution, there began a tradition in the Navrikan imperial family to train young royalty how to spot select poisons to prevent against assassinations. I remember what my father taught me. I could smell the scent of cyanide amongst a bed of roses."
