Chapter 4- Poison.

SETH’S POV

*Flashback

“Papa, please don’t lock me up here!” Little me cried. “I want to go outside like Elias.”

“You can’t. Stop being a cry baby.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“Why?”

“Because you’re a curse to this kingdom. Nobody should ever find out about you.”

I looked at him with tears in my eyes,I didn’t ask to be born like this.

“Please don’t leave me here.” I sobbed.

“You are a king. Kings don't cry.” He said as he turned to leave.

“Please Papa. It’s too dark here! Please, I can't stay here!” I begged as he left.

“Breathe, you’re not a curse. You’re a king and kings don’t cry.” I whispered to myself as I sat by the corner of that cold room shaking.

*End flashback

“Please don’t leave!” I screamed as I opened my eyes.

“Your Highness, I’m here.” Cassian said, rushing to my side.

Another nightmare.

“Cassian, what are you doing here?” I said, when I finally came around.

“I heard you scream.”

I looked away immediately. I hated when he saw me like this.

Weak.

Broken.

The same helpless child he was sent to protect fifteen years ago.

It’s been two days since Vaelor took over Velmora. Since he had killed two ministers just because they argued with him.

“And did you bring what I asked for?”

He nodded his head to say yes as he placed the little bottle into my hands.

No second thoughts. No going back.

The plan was going to work whether the heavens liked it or not.

I got dressed and left.

“Is everything ready?” Elias whispered to me.

“Yes.”

Vaelor sat at the other end of the table. He was watching me properly.

“You,”He met my eyes. “Taste it.”

“He’s my aide! He’s not yours to command.” Elias said, shouting.

His eyes weren’t joking, “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

He sat back in his chair, watching me taste every food in front of him.

“Is this enough or should I finish the food?” I glanced up, his eyes met mine.

Again.

He only chuckled.

Everything was going too smoothly, it was a bit scary.

Elias stayed silent across the table. Tensed. Waiting.

I returned to his side as I watched Vaelor eat slowly.

The poison should be kicking in soon.

Just a little longer. He reached for his wine but nothing happened.

I met his gaze.

He was…

Smiling.

A cold feeling crawled into my chest.

My vision suddenly got blurry and I could feel my knees weaken.

Cassian noticed my expression change immediately.

“Your Highness, are you okay?” He whispered.

Then it hit.

My fingers trembled.

The room was moving in circles.

For a second, it felt like someone had pushed me from behind.

I grabbed the edge of the table but my fingers slipped.

“Are you okay?”

I tried to make out the voice asking but voices kept ringing in my head.

No.

No, no, it can’t be.

I was careful.

Heat spread violently across my chest as pain made my stomach tighten.

The wrong side.

I swallowed from the wrong side.

I could see him smirking.

My knees gave out.

“Seth?”

The last thing I could hear was Elias' voice before I lost consciousness.

A strange room.

That was what I woke up to. I scanned the room even if my vision was still partially blurry.

“Welcome back.” A familiar voice echoed through the room.

That calm, cool voice that somehow managed to bring me back to reality fully.

“You tried to kill me,” he continued. “And as you can see, I’m alive.”

“Where am I?” I asked.

“Kaelor.” He paused before he continued. “We’ve been here for two days.”

“ I was out for two days?!”

“The fact you’re still alive makes me question the fact that you’re just an aide to Elias.”

That almost made me laugh. I didn’t know if that was a compliment or if he suspected something.

“I didn’t try to kill you.”

“Because you couldn’t. No matter what you do, I will always be a step ahead.”

I glared weakly. “Go to hell.”

“And I will make sure you wish you died instead because now my eyes will always be on you.”

“Nonsense! Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted? My attention?”

I didn’t know if I should say thank you because I actually wanted his attention.

“I didn’t poison you!” I snapped.

He only stared at me.

That calm expression on his face only irritated me more than anger would have.

“Really?” He asked. “Then did your King push you to do it?”

I stayed silent. The room felt too heavy.

“It’s such a pity you didn’t die because when I’m done with you, you’d wish you die.”

My stomach tightened.

“The fact I’m still alive shows that the heavens hate you too.”

He chuckled.

“Well we’ll see.”

He turned to leave but I stopped him. “Why are you doing this? I doubt you’re doing this for fun.”

He studied me for a moment.

“Go on then. Tell me why you think I’m doing this.”

For some reason, what I said only amused him more.

I hated it.

I hated the way he looked at me like I was something entertaining instead of dangerous.

I hated the way he looked at me like a child looked at his new toy.

I looked away first, not because I was afraid but because I needed to think.

But—

His fingers grabbed my chin.

I froze.

“You messed up when you tried to kill me. Now you’re mine. You can’t even breathe without my permission.”

“I’m not your —property—!” I sputtered.

I slapped away his hand immediately.

For the first time since the first day I met him, his expression changed slightly.

Interest.

Real interest.

Not amusement.

Not mockery.

“Seth!” Cassian walked in interrupting the silence.

We both turned. Vaelor finally stepped away from the bed.

“You should rest.” His lip curved slightly in a way that made him look attractive at that moment.

Then he left.

The moment he left, I exhaled shakily.

“He suspects something.” I glanced up at Cassian.

“Something happened while you were unconscious, your highness.”

“What?” I asked.

He clenched his fists. “A prophecy from the heavens.”

I swallowed. “About?”

“It was about you, your highness.”