Veronica.
“What in the devil is going on here?” A voice boomed, echoing off the cold stone walls, and everyone froze, the whip hovering in mid-air. I swiveled around, my heart racing, to see King Caspian standing at the entrance of the torture room, his piercing gaze scanning the scene before him. His expression was indecipherable, but his eyes seemed to bore into my very soul. I gasped, my heart skipping a beat, as I hastily bowed my head.
“Y-your majesty!” I stuttered, trying to compose myself. “When did you arrive? I didn’t hear you come in. Forgive my impertinence.” I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact, as I fumbled for words.
King Caspian’s voice was toneless and calm, yet it still managed to send shivers down my spine. “I asked a question…” He took a deliberate step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. “What the hell is going on here?” The air seemed to thicken, heavy with tension, as he awaited my response.
I became flustered, glancing frantically around the room, searching for an escape or a plausible explanation. But there was none. When I felt King Caspian’s chilling gaze on me once more, I forced myself to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Nothing, your Majesty. I was just… punishing her.” I gestured vaguely towards Lienna, who seemed to be lying unmoving on the ground.
“Punishing her?” He repeated, a brow furrowed. He looked at Lienna before directing his gaze back to me. “And you had to bring her to the torture room? I’m the dungeons?” He asked, his piercing eyes boring into my the deepest crevices of my soul.
“She deserved it!” I blurted out, my voice louder than I intended. I recoiled when I saw King Caspian expression change. Placing an iron grip on my anger, I let out a deep breath and continued much more calmly. “She brought it upon herself. She slapped me.” I revealed, raising my head so he could see the mark on my face.
His gaze lingered on my cheek for a while, but his expression remained stoic and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He turned his attention back to Lienna who was still on the ground and a flicker of recognition flashed through his eyes. “Isn’t that… Lienna?”
My heart skipped a beat and I squeezed my clothes with my fists. Lowering my head, I forced myself to speak. “Yes, your Majesty. She is the one.”
“She’s unconscious.” He announced and that’s when I turned to look at her, really peering at her. It turned out King Caspian was right, she really wasn’t moving, I don’t think she was breathing as well. My heart rate spiked up and I turned to King Caspian thinking of what to do that would get me out of this situation.
“She was fine moments ago! I don’t know what happened!” I said, injecting tons of sincerity and innocence into my voice. That damned bitch, why did she choose now of all times to pass out!? For a while, nobody spoke, and King Caspian just stared at me in silence. Unsettled by it, I began to fidget. I had hoped that he would speak to my favor but it’s looking like it won’t be the case here. Biting the insides do my mouth, I began fiddling with my fingers.
“I have been getting information that this is the way you treat all the maids that work here in the fortress,” Caspian began, his voice low and even, but with an undercurrent of steel that made my heart quiver. He pinned his gaze on me, his eyes boring into mine like a cold, dark drill. I flinched, his words feeling like a physical blow, a slap across the face that left me reeling.
I opened my mouth to speak, to defend myself, but no words would come out. My voice caught in my throat and I swallowed, feeling a chill run down my spine as the atmosphere grew charged, Caspian eyes narrowing. The silence stretched out between us, thick and heavy, like a physical presence that pressed upon me, making it hard to breathe.
“Is that true, Veronica?” Caspian repeated, his voice a little louder, a little sharper, cutting through the silence like a knife. I quickly lowered my head, a bead of sweat trickling down my forehead as I bit my lips.
“N-no, it is not, Your Majesty,” I finally stuttered out, feeling my cheeks burn with shame and embarrassment. Caspian let out a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead as if trying to ward off a headache. “Just because you have been assigned as the head of the castle, it doesn’t give you the right to do as you please,” he stated, his voice firm but laced with disappointment.
I recoiled, feeling a surge of defensiveness, but Caspian’s next words cut me off. He motioned to the guards, who immediately swung into action, scooping Lienna up and leading her out of the torture room. She was limp and bleeding, her body battered and bruised. I watched in shock, finding the king’s actions completely unexpected.
“But, Your Majesty…!” I tried to protest, but Caspian raised his hand, silencing me. I snapped my mouth shut, still seething with rage and resentment. I hoped that girl would pay for her insolence. She was nothing but a nuisance, a constant thorn in my side.
Caspian turned his attention back to me, his eyes narrowing. “As for you,” he began, his voice cold and detached. I looked up at him, my body stiffening slightly, anticipating his words.
“You’re going to be punished,” he announced, his voice firm and unyielding. My mouth fell open in shock, my eyes growing wide. “What? What for?!” I demanded, trying to keep my tone even.
“For your inhumane treatment of the maids who work here,” he replied calmly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“But she deserved it!” I tried to argue, feeling a surge of anger.
“It doesn’t matter if she did,” Caspian cut me off. “You should have reported the matter to one of the Shifter Kings and not taken matters into your own hands. You’re the Shifter Kings’ Mistress, not the Queen. You’re in no way equal to do as you wish.”
I felt a sting of tears in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I lowered my head, trying to compose myself. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I will do better next time.”
Caspian’s expression remained unyielding. “You’ll be in house arrest for a week. Think about what you have done and make amends.” He gestured to the soldiers behind me, and I watched as they approached me.
Reining in my anger and humiliation, I walked alongside the soldiers, my head held high, as they escorted me to my room. Once we arrived there and the door closed behind me, I let out a scream, taking out my frustration on the inanimate objects in the room. Vases were shattered, flowers were torn apart, I kicked over a chair, sending it crashing to the floor till everything lay at a rubble across the floor. How dare him! How. Fucking. Dare. Him!!
Why did it have to be Caspian of all Shifter Kings!? Why not Hermes or Adonis? They would have supported me, taken my side. But no, it had to be Caspian, with his piercing gaze and his infuriating sense of justice. That crazy bastard!
I paced back and forth across the room, my anger boiling over like a cauldron. I couldn’t believe he had dared to punish me, to strip me of my authority and lock me away like a common criminal. Me, the Mistress of the Shifter Kings! It was unthinkable.
Eventually, I collapsed onto my bed, exhausted from my outburst. I raked a hand through my hair, pulling at the strands as if trying to yank out my frustration. Lienna better die from this, I thought, my mind seething with venom. Because if she fucking survives, I’ll make sure to kill her myself. I’ll make sure she pays for her insolence, for daring to cross me.
I lay there, seething with rage and humiliation, my mind racing with thoughts of revenge and retribution. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.