"I want to see my husband," Lumina said, for the tenth ti now, her voice trembling between fear and rage.
She had been expecting Ashen to get back ho, after what Adam had told her but all of a sudden she got the news that she had been confined at their Chambers and also her husband had been imprisoned.
"If you all don’t leave now I am promising you will regret what will happen to you." She warned.
The guards standing before her exchanged uneasy glances.
The golden crests on their armor glinted in the candlelight, their hands tightening on their spears.
"My lady," one began carefully, his voice cool, respectful but still held that strict form, "as much as we would wish to honor you, this is a direct order from His Highness. No one from your chamber is permitted to leave."
"His Highness?" Lumina’s questioned again, she never expected this to co from him. "You an the sa king I had just saved his wife from dying?"
The guard looked down, visibly torn. "Please, my lady. I do not want to go against you, but the king’s word is law."
Lumina clenched her fists, her silver hair falling over her pale face. Her sightless eyes lifted toward the sound of his voice. "Law?" she whispered bitterly.
"Is it law to cage innocence and reward betrayal? Is it law to starve a man who has done nothing but protect his realm?" The guards stayed silent.
In frustration, Lumina took a step forward, her fingers brushing the wall until she reached the edge of the corridor.
Her hand reached for the guard’s arm, gripping him tightly. He froze, startled by her unexpected strength.
"You will take to him," she said, her voice low but fierce.
"My lady, I..."
"I may not see your face," she interrupted, "but I can feel your fear. I can hear your heart trembling. You know he doesn’t deserve this. Let go to him."
The guard’s resolve wavered, but another stepped forward quickly. "Forgive us, my lady, but if we disobey, it would an death for us all."
Lumina’s chest rose and fell heavily, her lips parting as if she wanted to scream. But no words ca out. Only the sound of her breathing.
Defeated, she turned away, retreating slowly into her inner chamber with the help of Stella.
Her hands brushed over the curtains and furniture, each movent trembling with anger she could no longer hide.
The mont the door closed behind her, Lumina sank onto her bed.
Hunger clawed at her, but she ignored it. The silence of the room pressed down like a weight.
"My lady, do you want to help you out of the Chambers?" Stella asked for the first ti since she watched hr lady sad.
"You can’t use your power... I keep repeating this Stella, you don’t have to keep disturbing about it." Lumina is tired.
" My lady, but I can’t keep watching you sad... if.." lumina looked up at her.
" Stella, I already told you that you are like a sister to . You saw how crazy I almost got when you got poisoned. Thank goodness he had finally released an antidote that will cure you.." Lumina took in another deep breath.
"Make this be the last ti you make a request that might hurt you." She gave a light warning, Stella wanted to respond but got interrupted when Aria flew inside in her crow form.
She watched how she morphed into her human form and then bowed
"Good day, my lady," ca her familiar voice.
Lumina’s head turned sharply. "Aria," she breathed, recognizing her instantly. "You ca through the window again, didn’t you?"
A faint chuckle. "Old habits die hard."
Lumina stood, her face turning toward the sound of Aria’s boots touching the marble. "Tell . How is he? Has he been hurt? Are they punishing him?"
Aria hesitated, then bowed deeply. "My lord does not want you to worry, my lady. He asked to deliver his words... that he is fine, and that you must take care of yourself."
Lumina’s throat tightened. "You are lying," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I can hear it in your voice. Sothing is wrong."
"My lady..."
"Please. Don’t spare the truth."
Aria exhaled slowly, then knelt beside her. "He is in the dungeon, but unhard. His power alone keeps the guards away. Yet... he fears what cos next."
Lumina reached out until her hand found Aria’s shoulder. "Next?"
"He believes the council will call for judgnt soon and that judgnt may not be fair."
Lumina’s breath caught in her throat. Aria quickly continued.
"But he told to tell you sothing else. You must not leave your chambers under any circumstance. Sothing dangerous is unfolding in the court. If you step outside, it could give the king or the council a reason to punish him further."
Lumina frowned, confusion tightening her features. "What do you an? Dangerous?"
Aria drew closer, her voice lowering. "He said that Prince Adam is... moving. He is speaking to the nobles, twisting what happened in the Abyss. Making them believe that the Queen’s recovery was not a miracle, but witchcraft."
Lumina froze. "Adam?" she repeated faintly. "He is accusing ?"
Aria nodded, then pulled out three small bottles filled with faintly glowing liquid. "My lord told to give you these. They will help keep the poison in your veins stable. Drink one each night. He said it will strengthen your heart until he returns."
Stella took the bottles, her fingers trembling around the glass.
"Make sure to give her one each night, no matter the circumstance."
"Aria," Lumina whispered, "how long will he be in there?"
"I do not know, my lady. But he wanted you to use this ti to rest, study your healing books again, and gather strength. He said... he wants to co back to you when the storm ends."
Lumina smiled faintly, though her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Aria placed her hand gently over Lumina’s. "He ans it. And you must believe him."
Silence filled the chamber again. The flickering candles painted their shadows on the wall.
Outside, thunder rumbled across the distance faint but deep, like a warning from the heavens.
After a mont, Lumina whispered softly, "Did Ashen do anything crazy? Like is he about to cause an uproar?" Aria could only stand speechless not heaving a word.
Lumina understood this and didn’t bother pressing further.
"Tell him I am fine. That I will wait for him to co back unhard."
Aria bowed. "I will, my lady."
Lumina tilted her head, listening to the faint rustle of Aria’s wings as she prepared to leave through the window. But then, Aria suddenly paused.
"What is it?" Lumina asked Aria, hesitating. "Nothing, my lady."
Lumina frowned at this, and then Stella decided to butt in.
"There is just so kind of strange feeling, my lady.." Aria glared back at Stella who ignored her.
"What kind of feeling?"
Aria didn’t answer. She only glanced toward the horizon through the open window. Beyond the palace walls, she could see flashes of movent glowing lights gathering near the city gates, banners of the royal crest fluttering under the storm clouds.
"Aria?" Lumina repeated, her voice soft but worried.
Aria turned back to her. "Rest, my lady. I will deliver your ssage and return soon."
She bowed once more and leapt into the night sky.
Lumina stayed still for a long mont, her thoughts running wild than she could have imagined.
"Stella... bring the bottles." Stella handed it to her lady.
She sat back down, holding one of the bottles tightly to her chest.
But just as she tried to calm herself, a deep boom shook the floor beneath her feet. The candles flickered violently, and she gasped.
A few minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. The guards outside were shouting!
"The king is down!"
Lumina froze, her fingers tightening around the bottle.
Just then Ero rushed in, "My lady... please no one can leave the Chambers." He let out.
"What... what did you say?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
And then, from the far side of the palace, a horn blared three tis.
Ero gasped again, "That is the call of ergency. Sothing terrible had happened."
And as Lumina stood in the dark, the faint echo of thunder rolled again through the sky louder this ti, as if the heavens themselves were warning her.
Outside the Chambers, a sudden storm began to rise above Drakonia that night.
In the courtyard, a guard raced toward the tower where the council gathered, shouting breathlessly.
"The King is down!"
At that sa mont, deep in the dungeon, Ashen’s eyes snapped open and the only word that could co to his lips.
"Lumina, please don’t go against my order." he whispered, sensing sothing had broken.
And far above them, the bells of Drakonia toll a sound that had not rung in centuries, signaling only one thing.
King Aden is dead.
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