Chapter 371: When it rains, it pours 2
CIAN
"It was not ." She took a shaky breath. "But it was my idea."
I waited.
"I could not..." She sighed and looked up at
with guilt written all over her face. "I am sorry. I am sorry for making a move without informing you. But..."
"But what?"
"I kept sothing from you and in hindsight, it felt necessary. The right thing to do. But now I wonder if it was myopic and will ruin your plans."
My chest tightened.
"What did you do, Fia?"
"Your mother helped
poison Aldric."
The words ca out in a rush and I felt my voice rise before I could stop it.
"What?"
The sound carried and I forced myself to regain control. I could hear the crowd inside the room. They were loud. Which could only an Aldric had entered the room from the other door.
I looked back at Fia and lowered my voice to barely above a whisper.
"With what?"
"Mourning moon."
My eyes widened.
I had not expected that. Mourning moon was not a poison you used lightly. It was slow and it was painful and it was almost always fatal if left untreated. I looked at Fia and tried to reconcile the woman in front of
with the kind of ruthlessness it took to choose that particular poison.
Was she that terrified of Aldric?
I pushed the thought aside and tried to think. If Aldric had been poisoned and it was already set in stone, news of his death should have reached
by now. But I hadn’t gotten any. So that would an that he was still alive. The crowd’s noise from inside the room further confird that. But that would also an that he would have figured it out. And if he had figured it out, he would use the trial to get the poison out of him. He would paint my mother and
as conspirators. He would attempt to use that to gain sympathy.
I looked back at Fia.
"Why?"
She took a shaky breath and her hand moved to her stomach. It was not a gesture I associated with her. She held it there for a mont and then looked up at
with tears in her eyes.
"What I am about to say will make you mad at
and you are right to be mad. But I had my reasons to keep it from you."
I waited.
She took a long breath.
"That day at the pool, I did see sothing."
My heart stopped.
I had known it. I had suspected it from the mont she had looked at
with that strange expression on her face. But hearing her confirm it was different.
I kept my face calm. I did not want her to freak out and stop talking.
"What did you see?"
"I got a vision." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "A vision where Aldric kills you."
The world tilted slightly.
"That is why I cannot let that man live," she continued. Her voice was stronger now. More certain. "He cannot survive this no matter what. And I know what must be going through your mind right now is why I kept it from you and how selfish it is. But you said you could not handle much anymore and even your mother implied that all of it was getting too much. I understood what that felt like and I could not have you break when you needed to be strong so I just..."
She was running out of breath.
I pulled her into my arms and held her tightly.
"It is fine. It is alright. Everything will be fine."
And it was true. I was angry. I was furious that she had kept this from . That she had carried this weight alone. That she had made a decision like this without telling . But I understood. Because I would have done the sa thing.
She hugged
back and I felt her trembling against .
"What about my mother?" I asked quietly.
"She ingested so of the poison to sell it to Aldric. She is resting now."
I pulled back and looked at her.
"That is not good."
She looked surprised by that. "Why?"
"If Aldric is still alive, he would have probably figured it out," I said. My mind was racing now. "His first goal will be to use the trial to get the poison out of him and if he can sohow push the agenda that this pack’s ruler and his mother are against him, he will gain sympathy."
Fia turned and motioned to Maren. Maren walked over quickly.
"The grand Luna needs to be here," Fia said.
"She is still resting, rember." Maren looked between us with a worried expression. "Wolfsbane root takes a toll on the body considering it is actually part poison itself."
"White moss should be able to strengthen her."
Maren shook her head.
"That is not healthy especially not with the strain on her body."
"I know." Fia’s voice was firm. "Better than anyone. But we need her here and strong. It is necessary."
Maren looked at . Then back at Fia. Then she nodded.
"I will get it done."
She walked away quickly.
Fia sighed and turned back to .
"That settles it I guess. We should get in before it starts to feel strange why we aren’t present yet."
She started toward the door but I grabbed her arm gently.
"Wait."
She looked at
with those beautiful eyes and I felt my chest tighten. She looked so pretty. Even with worry written all over her face. Even with the weight of everything pressing down on her. I could not wait for all of this to be over.
"Was it my plan that really made you finally spill?"
She smiled.
It was small and it was tired but it was genuine.
"I just need you to survive Aldric badly."
She reached up and cupped my face with her hand. Her skin was warm against mine.
"After this, we will have a lot to talk about and celebrate."
I felt sothing shift inside her. Joy. Pure as it was bright and most certainly unexpected. It radiated from her and I found myself smiling back at her.
I could not wait to know what she wanted to talk about.
"We should head in," she said softly.
"Right."
I took her hand and we walked toward the hall together.
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