"Master." I open my eyes and look at Bira. "Looks like you took your punishment well." She bowed. "I deserved it." I waved my hands and Kana moved from the tub. "The children are outside?" She nodded. "They asked if you were no longer taking their morning greetings." Kana picked up a robe for me as I stepped out of the tub.
"Tell them I can accept their greetings from where they are, but I don't wish to see anyone." She bowed and turned to leave. "No need." I could hear Kasian speaking to them. I'd barely gotten dressed in my underclothes when the doors were roughly pushed open.
"You killed him?" Kasian asked, carefully controlling his anger. "I didn't." I said as I walked out from behind the screen. "You are lying." I scoffed. "Do I need to? In fact, I could've dragged him in front of the mansion, brutally tortured him and then hung him at the door as a warning for your mother." He took a deep breath in and released it softly.
"I apologize. I wrongly accused you." I remained silent, sat down at the table and watched him. "As soon as I got back. I angered you and I'm sorry, but can you stop ignoring me? Everything I did was wrong but don't take it out on the children." I chuckled. "I'm tired. Can't I rest today?" He went silent. "I'll go deal with the body and go into the Palace to take over today." I nod. "Sure. Take the children with you."
His eyes narrowed. "You don't want to see the children that badly?" I sigh. "You're going to clean up. Lion and Kai can tell you which is my person. The other three can go along for enjoyment. Have you become dull after a mere year of healing?" He smiled. "I had more important things on my mind, like when you'll allow me to see your face."
"Your mother wants to kill us and you're worrying what I look like?" He took a step towards me. "I think it's equally important." I raise my hand. "I don't think it is. Leave. I'm tired."
"Why did you choose me?" I didn't reply. "You even allowed us to consummate our marriage. Don't tell me you fell in love with me at first sight because that would be a lie. It would also be a lie if you said that you choose me solely based on your investigation through your Pendant Tower. What's the real reason?"
"What about you? Why did you choose to get involved in a war that had nothing to do with you at such a young age?" His eyes narrowed. "How did you know- no, it makes sense that you would know." I nod. "There's not much that could be hidden from the Pendant Tower." He chuckled. "True." He sighed.
"I was forced to go. Although we are brothers, my mother always favored my brother and in turn for my mother's neglect, father favored me. Even though he favored me, he loved my mother more. When Heln asked for help, my mother suggested that I go as a general since my martial arts was higher than my brother's. Father disagreed but that didn't stop my mother. She poisoned Dmitri and tried to hang herself." He paused.
"I went in the first year of the war. A woman, a mercenary was already there and cutting her way through enemies-." I raise my hand. "Stop. I don't wish to hear about your one-sided love." He smiled. "Are you jealous?" I chuckled. "She used you, dumped the child on you and ran off into the sunset. Which part of that should I be jealous of?" His eyes narrowed. "How would you know that? I never told you anything like that."
I smiled. "Of course, my child told me. In more and better words than the ones I used but the concept is the same nonetheless." I waved him off. "You have other things to do. Leave."
"It'll take a few hours, maybe the entire day. Are you sure you don't want to see them before then?" I shook my head. "If you return, return on your own first." He nodded. "Then I'll see you at dinner." I nod. "Sure." He stared at me for a long time before leaving. "You can go with the children." I tell Kana and Bira. "Yes, Master." They bowed and left the room.
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"Master." A servant knocked on the study doors. "Come in." The doors opened. "Would you like lunch served here or in the garden?" I close the book in front of me. "Serve here." The servant bowed and motioned to the rest of the servants outside. I stood up and walked over to the table as two servants closed the windows.
After serving the meal, they left. I drank the soup and my throat burned. "Shit." I coughed. I knew she was coming after me but to think she integrated in the house so easily. What the hell are those two doing? I coughed again.
"I never thought you would fall for this so easily, Poloria." I stood and turned just as a dagger stabbed me in the stomach. I chuckled. "I had to lure you here somehow, Olani." Her eyes widened. "You knew I would come for you?"
"Who else would you come for if not me? I'm the cause of all of this. No matter if you favored Kasian or not, he's still your son. Isn't that what you're thinking?" I pull the dagger from my stomach. It's painful. I haven't felt this much pain in years. She coated the dagger in the poison.
"Thanks to you, I'll become immune to all poisons on this Continent." Olani laughed loudly. "You are crazier than I thought. Doing all of this so you can become immune? You sent away all of your people! How fast will they get here to save you?"
I took off my mask and smiled. "I never said all of them were gone." She scoffed. "You can't fool me. I may not be a high-level martial artist, but my perception and disguise skills are high-level. There's no one left." I nod.
She was right. If her disguise levels weren't this high, I would've had her caught already. "You killed Dmitri, didn't you?" She laughed as I slowly reached behind me and picked up a fork. "He was useless and almost on the brink. I made sure he didn't suffer anymore." Her eyes narrowed at me.
"How dare you do that to my son? My beloved son! I loved that boy more than my live." I scoffed. "Then you shouldn't have sent him to my side to pretend to be my husband. You are the reason he's dead." She grinned. "Keep talking but no one will save you." I smile at her.
"Why wait on someone else?" I grab her arm, pull her towards me and stab her neck. Her eyes widened and I pulled the fork out before stabbing her again. I pull the fork out once more and her blood sprayed onto my face. To be sure, I drop the fork and break her neck. My eyes became blurry and my body felt light as I let her body drop. "Damn it. Did she reinforce the poison? It's stronger than the others." I murmured to myself.
I fell backwards, pushing the table over. Shaking my head, I got a bit of clarity. "I need to leave quickly." My eyes blurred again and I walked forward. My body wasn't moving like it should've. I caused the poison to spread faster when I used my strength. This woman really meant to kill me, didn't she?
She definitely made this poison stronger. At this rate, I'll die before those idiots get here. My vision blurred, I tripped and fell down. Something was knocked over and I hit my head on the hall. I'll really die here if this continues but I'll make sure to kill Malek first since he should've been here by now.
Something yellow suddenly got brighter. I reach forward and felt heat. A fire. I can't even move anymore. I smiled. I'll shove 100 poisons down Malek's throat and make him a test subject before killing him. I swear it.