Their Thirst For Pride

12 - Broken Hearts

Orion stood, back leaning against the wall as he thought about who could possibly be the murderer. He lounged in the throne room alone, finding a peace in the quietness and the colors that the stained glass emitted.
He was sure he’d find an answer with the sight he caught walking past the entrance of the throne room. Esme was making her way toward the stairs with blood dripping between the fingers she held against her arm. At that, he jumped, his back no longer resting on the wall and ran out of the room toward her.
She looked at him, tears falling down her face, a little terrified. What if he had bad intentions too? He placed one hand over the one she held her arm with and the other under her chin, tilting her face up to his.
“What happened? Who did this to you?” He asked, his tone tense.
She pulled away from him, looking down to her feet, “Miss Cadman. I didn’t think she’d hurt me.” She answered, her voice shaking a bit.
“Then that’s it. She’s the killer and she failed-”
“I don’t think so. I know, she seems off but not like that.”
“What do you mean? Esme, she hurt you. Badly.” Orion said, beginning to lead her upstairs, his arm around her back for support.
“I don’t know, Orion.”
“Let’s get this taken care of. We’ll talk about it when you’re okay.”
The two walked through the hallways, searching for help, headed toward Esme’s room. They found a housekeeper doing her own thing and asked for help. She gave them a first-aid kit and made sure they got to their destination.
They sat on the bed as Orion gently wrapped Esme’s arm in bandages. She couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes. No one had ever cared about her this much before. If it weren’t for him, she probably would have been left to find help herself. How did he go from being a pest in her world to the person she loved the most? It wasn’t fair. She finally believed she found her true love and it was during a tragedy they most likely wouldn’t make it out of alive.
“There you are, my love. Promise me you won’t be alone with anyone else again. I refuse to lose you. You won’t die, not here.” He said, finisihing wrapping her arm.
Esme’s heart began to race and she blushed, “I promise. I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
For a long moment, they sat in an awkward silence, only staring at each other. Eventually, Orion placed his palm to her face, leaning in, and kissed her. The embrace startled her but she gave in, melting in the warmth of his arms. She dropped her thoughts of their unfortunate timing. All she cared about was him in that moment.

River sat against the wall, knees to her chest and hand on forehead. Knocks sounded at her door over and over again, she was certain she was going to have a headache by the end of the conflict.
“Miss Cadman, you need to come out. The sword-fighting competition isn’t going to judge itself.” Said her servant who gave up and just walked in.
“Why!? What is the point in choosing someone when we’re all going to die anyway?” River retaliated.
The servant took a deep breath, stuggling to hold it together, “I apologize, Miss Cadman,” She said her name as if it were a curse word, “but the queen requires it.”
“I apologize, but I refuse it.” River said, stubborn as ever.
Lyra stood in the doorway, her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about the threat she’d recieved. If Miss Cadman didn’t go through with this, what would happen to her?
“Excuse me, let me deal with her please.” Lyra interrupted, dismissing the servant.
She happily left, tired of River’s antics.
River looked up as the queen walked toward her, anger and disgust showing through her eyes.
“Look, Miss Cadman, I’m not supposed to tell anyone this but will you keep this a secret?” Lyra asked.
River wanted to laugh, was this some kind of ploy to get her on her side? Why should she do anything for the woman putting up with homicide? Still, she nodded.
“Okay, thank you. The murderer, I believe, told me not to tell anyone so I think that says something when I trust you enough to tell you this.” She inhaled, then exhaled, “They told me that if I don’t keep the competitions going, there won’t be a way out for any of us. So please, if you’re not doing this for me, do it for us. I think we’ll make it out of here somehow if we go along with it.”
“So who is it?”
Lyra paused, “What?”
“Who’s the murderer? You said you saw them.”
“Yes, I did, but they were covered head to toe. I couldn’t identify them.”
Even with the mystery not being solved, a spark of hope ignited in River mixed with the stinging feeling of guilt. She stood up, granting the queen’s wishes, and followed her to the throne room, attending a competition out of her assigned attire for the first time.

River watched nervously through each duel. She noted the moves each participant used. She kept her eye on Mr. Galle, he’d been spening an awfully large amount of time with the queen- and he performed exceptionally well.
After a few rounds, the competitors lined up and waited for a winner to be chosen. River was happy to hold the power she did. She could disappoint Lex once more.
Glancing beside her, where the queen stood, River made her choice. “I choose Mr. Galle.”
Vardaan smiled with intention to mock Lex a little. The alchemist was usually overexcited for these competitions and for once, Vardaan had the high ground.
Lex shook his head when he caught the potter looking at him with that smug look.
Vardaan made to go back to his room for the night but before he could, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Miss Cadman standing there, holding her hand out. He raised an eyebrow and took her hand to shake it.
“Thank you, Miss Cadman. I appreciate it.” He said.
She smiled and ripped her hand away from his, brushing it across the fabric of her dress. “You’re welcome. May I do you another favor?”
“Another favor? That wouldn’t be necessary. No thank you.”
River frowned, “I was going to tell you something you might like to know but,” She shrugged, “I guess you don’t want to know.” She began to turn to walk away, noticing everyone had left the room.
“Wait. What are you talking about?”
“So you do want to know?”
He nodded.
“Your little girlfriend isn’t who you think she is.”
Vardaan seemed visibly taken aback, “Girlfriend? What do you mean?”
She sighed, “I know you’re in love with the queen. I just thought you’d like to know she’s not very trustworthy. She told me her secret.”
“Secret?”
“She’s keeping us all here to die. There are things she could be doing to get us out of here but she refuses to.”
Vardaan’s breathing sped up a bit and he smiled uncomfortably, “That can’t be true. She wouldn’t keep anything from me. Would she?”
River played with the bracelet around her wrist, not paying much attention to him anymore, “I don’t know. Something about being threatened? Sounds like a petty excuse if you ask me.”
He didn’t say anything more as he exited the throne room. He turned left instead of going upstairs.
River tried to go to her room herself but was interrupted. Again.
“River!”
She froze, genuinely scared. Mr. Blakesmith was walking toward her and he did not look happy.
Still, she kept her composure, “It’s not very nice to call strangers by their first name, you know?”
“I don’t care. I saw that wound you gave Esme. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“What?”
“You’re in on this. You’re the murderer, aren’t you?”
Esme watched from behind, eyeing Mr. Galle walking statically upstairs. How could she stop Orion?
“No! Why would I be the murderer?” She said, almost as if she wanted to accuse Orion. She just couldn’t prove it.
“Admit it.” Orion answered.
“I lost myself, okay!? I- I blacked out and I messed up! Leave me alone!”
“You ruined everyones lives and you’re going to regret it-”
“Orion, please! I told you. She’s going through something.” Esme interrupted.
“Aren’t we all?” Onrion responded, looking back to her.
Esme stepped back.
River caught sight of the bandage around Miss Fletcher’s arm. Did she really hurt her that badly?
Orion eased up, seeing fear in Esme’s demeanor. Now, he was just angry at himself. Acting this way certainly didn’t help his case or solve anyone’s problems.
Esme took his hand and pulled him toward her. A small part of her did believe River was dangerous but she just felt so bad for her. Damn her for caring so much. Why couldn’t she stop? What if she lost Orion? What if it was River who hurt him next?
“I apologize…” Orion said, turning to leave with Esme.
River watched them walk away, tears absolutely flooding her eyes. She felt so alone. So, so alone in the world, and maybe that was her fault. Her mother was ashamed of her, her father and brother thought of her as a joke, the only person that actually cared about her was the one she failed to help. She really was never going to see Barrett again, as a sharp pain shot through her back. Then her heart. She fell to the ground as a sword was pulled from her and placed gently down next to her.

River’s body was moved to her room as was everyone else’s when they passed. The carpet she’d spilt blood onto was removed and replaced with a new one. No one seemed to miss her. She’d hurt a lot of them, plus, no one had time to grieve. They were worried about their own fate.
Warm light glowed through the window of the hall as Vardaan walked with Lyra to her room after the discovery of Miss Cadman’s death. The feeling of the sun on his skin through the glass was somewhat comforting. He hadn’t felt the fresh air or anything of the outside world in a while.
“She told me your secret.”
Lyra looked up, glancing at him, “My secret?”
“Could have been dangerous if it got to the wrong ears but I’m glad she told me.”
They were in her room now, standing next to yet another window radiating with sunlight from the sunset.
“Agreed. At least it was you but I thought I could trust her.” Lyra said.
“Just please be careful next time. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
She looked away from him, breathing in. River wasn’t the murderer. That was good. But she was still dead. She could’ve forced the truth out of someone by now but she was too scared. What was wrong with her?
“Who do you think it is?” She asked, breaking the silence.
“What do you mean?”
“The murderer, the person who threatened me?”
“Lyra, you’re upset. Why don’t we talk about something else? This can’t possibly be helping.” Vardaan responded.
“I want to know what you think.”
“My opinion wouldn’t reveal anything. There’s no concrete evidence.”
“Why don’t you want to talk about it? Are you hiding something?”
“Lyra,” He laughed, “What is this? I thought you trusted me.”
“It’s you. Isn’t it?” Lyra concluded, backing away. She felt lightheaded, practically stumbling back.
“Sweetheart, calm down, look at me.” Vardaan said, placing his hands tightly around her shoulders to stabilize her.
Her breathing and her heart rate had sped up, and she didn’t notice until she felt his touch. She took deep breaths, looking into his eyes. She was okay.
“I’m sorry. Jumping to conclusions like that- I overreacted.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure I’ve been suspected before now. We all have. And we’ll get out of this.”
He pulled her close and she smiled. Before the two could even think about it, they found themselves in a kiss. Both were entirely relieved to be in each others arms. Lyra didn’t deserve him.

Orion needed time to himself. Time to think. Why did he always let his anger get the best of him? All he wanted to do was be sure Esme okay. Confronting Miss Cadman, especially like that, helped no one. It was stupid. He was overprotective and impulsive.
He melted into a chair sitting by the balcony and thought. He thought of any way he possibly could to escape. Any way to protect Esme. He found his head was spinning as he looked around his room. At all of the little models of famous inventions. He could never be that clever with the skills he possessed. Beside all of it sat his sad little modified hourglass. An hourglass that could tell when half an hour had passed got him into this mess? That joke of an invention caused him so much misfortune. He wanted to smash it to pieces.
The engineer stood up and walked placidly toward the table that the hourglass sat upon. When he got close enough, the door to his room opened and closed. Not even a knock had occurred. No warning.

Esme was anxious and tired. She stared at her dishevled hair in the mirror. She couldn’t keep count of how many times she’d napped, trying to forget it all. With nothing better to do, she decided to head off to Otion’s room, being careful not to run into anyone on her way.
When she arrived at his door she didn’t think to knock. She opened the door, stepped in, and nearly fell over. He was lying on the ground with a cut on his face and a wound in his side.
“Oh, Orion-” She began sobbing as soon as she’d seen it. She ran over to him and knelt at his side, brushing hair out of his eyes.
He looked at her longingly with tears in his eyes, holding the wound he’d been given.
“You’re going to stay… Do you hear me?!” Esme almost screamed.
Silence. Sobs. Breaths.
“Get out of here…” Orion managed to utter with his last breath.
Shock, devastation, and grief drowned Esme like the deep ocean. She’d been hoping she’d go before Orion. Why? Why him? Why did he have to go and sweep her off her feet and treat her with so much love and respect? Any other man could’ve treated her like that and she’d be content but it was a man who was going to die any day right after she’d met him. She shouldn’t have given in.
She cried. She cried so hard. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t. That would put her in danger. Orion wouldn’t want that.
“I,” The word escaped her like a breath after running a mile. She couldn’t breathe, barely able to speak. “I love you.”
He’d been cut with the glass of his own invention. Half of what was left of it lay on the ground, red sand spilling out of it. Pure evil lurked within that castle, breaking hearts, and ruining lives.