𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆

EMPRESS IN WAITING~ 7

𝘼𝙉𝘼𝙄𝙎𝙀 ✦

My heart thrashed around in my chest, my lungs rasping and my eyes swollen from all the tears spilled.

      I watched as the knights carried Ryker from the horse into the castle and a maid was sent to call the Physician. I felt my heart being ripped out of my chest as my gaze was fixed on Ryker's pained features, his eyelids screwed shut. I let out another sob, Astrid holding onto me as I cried into her chest. She soothed my hair, whispering sweet word into my ear as I clung to her. I pulled back, sniffling and swiping at my wet cheeks.

"Come with me" Astrid led me to the lady's quarters in front of our rooms. She held onto me, checking my hands, face, neck, her eyes roaming my form "Are you hurt anywhere?"

I shake my head as she notices the dried blood from when I was pushed down by one of the masked men. "Dried blood?" She asked, her brows squeezed in confusion.

"One of the masked men pushed me and I got a few scratches" I pursed my lips, remembering how much pain Ryker was in compared to me. I wish I could have helped him instead of standing there in fear.

Astrid's jaw clenched "Did they get the crown?"

"No the-" I stopped midway, realization rendering me speechless. Slowly I looked up at my sister, one thought running through my head. No one apart from Ryker, Faye and I knew we were to be transporting Audrey's crown and I'm certain I didn't tell Astrid for I hadn't time to so how did she know? She raised a brow in question, wondering why I was yet to answer. I continued to watch her in a speechless daze, there was certainly no way she could have sent those men to steal the Empress's crown. There is no way she hired those people who put Ryker in this position.

I swallowed thickly, "D-did you hire those men Astrid, to steal the Queen's crown?"

Astrid hissed, pulling me into one of our rooms. She pipped through the small crack she left before shutting the door. She rushed over to me, an angry gaze casted down on me
"You should think twice before asking me something like that in the open" she frowned.

My face fell, seriousness taking over my features "Did you hire those men Astrid!?"

She looked taken aback at my tone, "Yes and so?" She asked nonchalantly.

I felt my veins fill with ice and rage, how coulds he just shrug it off. "How could you!? Ryker is in this state all because of you!"

Astrid rested her hand on my shoulder, her gaze softening "Please calm down. It was not my intention to have Ryker harmed, believe me"

I pushed her hands off me, glaring daggers at her "Then why in the name of the goddess were the men carrying daggers laced with wolfsbane!? Where did you even get wolfsbane"

"That is none of your concern sister" she walks over to her bed and drops down, completely unbothered that I was fuming. "It was not my intention to harm Ryker, my men were simply prepared for worst case scenario. I was not aware of the security measures Faye would have taken, so I prepared for the worst" she picks up the plate of fruit from her side table and begins throwing balls of grapes into her mouth.

Her chewing made me feel like nails were being pierced into my ears. I stormed over to her, snatching the bowl from her hands "You went to far Astrid. Now look, Ryker is in a critical state and the goddess only knows what will happen and if the Physician will be able to help him"

Astrid reaches over for the bowl but I pull it away, snarling at her. She sighs, pushing herself up from the bed. She walks over to her big chest of clothes where she digs through and pulls out a small bottle filled with a green like elixir. She walks back over to me and presents it in front of me.