Veronica.
Ever since my last altercation with Lienna, that led me to learning she could be my permanent rival, forever contesting the Shifter Kings’ attention, I had been watching her, studying her every move, looking for the perfect moment to strike and get rid of her. She had become a constant thorn in my side, a festering sore I needed to get rid of. Her presence was a reminder that I wasn’t the only one who had caught the kings’ eyes, and that thought alone made my blood boil.
The thing is, I could no longer do it in the fortress. Everyone was already aware of the animosity between me and Lienna, and if anything happened to her now, it would draw too much attention. People would be quick to suspect me, and I couldn’t risk that. I needed a more subtle approach, one that would allow me to maintain my innocence.
So when I heard from the maids serving me that she had gone out of the fortress to have some time to herself, I immediately swung into action. This might be my only opportunity to eliminate her, to remove the one person who stood between me and the kings’ undivided attention.
I promptly called on my assassins, people I had secretly trained for moments like this, to my chambers. They arrived immediately, eager and ready to serve.
“You all know Lienna, right? The slave girl who was purchased by the Shifter kings and, by some measly luck, managed to survive?” I asked, my voice dripping with venom, as I turned to the hooded figures in my chambers. Their heads were lowered in respect, their eyes fixed on the floor.
They all nodded, and a smile began to dance at the edge of my lips. I could feel my excitement building, my heart racing with anticipation.
“Well… She has been a pain in my ass for far too long, and it’s high time I got rid of her before she does irreparable damage,” I stated, my gaze sweeping across the room, meeting the eyes of each assassin. I could see the understanding in their gazes, the knowledge of what needed to be done.
“Information has it that she’s out of the fortress, enjoying herself,” I continued, my voice dripping with malice. “You three are going to make sure she never returns to this fortress alive.”
“Yes, your highness,” they chorused, their voices booming with confidence. I let out a smile, pleased at their enthusiasm.
“And…” I continued, getting their attention once more. “I’ll be coming with you to see you kill her.” I said, and some of them noticeably stiffened. It was obvious they weren’t expecting that.
“You don’t have to do that, your highness,” the leader spoke out, taking a step forward. “We would do the job perfectly.”
“Oh, I know you will,” I replied, my voice cold and calculated. “I just need to be there so I can watch her die. I need to see her dead with my own two eyes.”
I could sense their unease, their hesitation. They didn’t understand why I needed to be there, why I needed to witness Lienna’s death firsthand.
“I have no plans of interfering with your work,” I assured them. “Just give me a front row seat when you get to killing her. Do you understand?”
They chorused back their response, their voices hesitant, but resigned. I smiled to myself, a cold, calculated smile. Lienna had no idea what was coming her way.
“Good, let’s get going then,” I said, slipping into my own disguise as well. I didn’t want the Shifter Kings to know I had ventured out of the fortress without informing them. I needed to keep my involvement a secret, at least for now.
Together with my assassins, we headed out of the fortress and began to trail Lienna. Luckily, she was too caught up with the sights and sounds around her to notice us, and it pleased me immensely. We stayed in the shadows, monitoring her every step and looking for the perfect moment to strike.
As we followed her, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. This was it, the moment I had been waiting for. The moment I would finally get rid of Lienna and eliminate the threat she posed.
When she and her friend decided to go to the river, we were right behind her, waiting for the moment she would be alone. It soon came. Lienna offered to pick blueberries in the forest, and her friend wasn’t there to follow her. My assassins hid themselves in the shadows, following her from a safe distance until she arrived at the blueberry patch and busied herself with picking the berries.
Now could not have been a better moment to strike. My assassins immediately swooped in, covering the distance in absolute silence. Until one stepped on a twig, causing it to snap and alerting Lienna of our presence.
She froze at first, looking around for a bit before returning to what she was doing, her posture uneasy. It was now or never. My assassins took the chance presented to them, jumping out of their hiding place and attacking Lienna.
They missed her by a narrow margin, and she immediately took to her heels, her basket of berries forgotten. My assassins were quick to give chase, however, and before long, she was tackled to the ground, rendered immobile.
“Let me go!!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, struggling. “You bastards! Let me go!!” She screamed again, trying to break free from their hold.
I almost broke into a giggle, she looked so pathetic pinned to the ground like that, her eyes wide with fear and panic. I took a step forward, my presence still hidden by the shadows.
“Look who’s struggling,”I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible. “You should have stayed out of my way, Lienna. Now, you’re going to pay the price.”
My assassins held her down, their grip tightening as she struggled. I could see the fear in her eyes, the realization that she was about to meet her end. And I was going to enjoy every moment of it.
A dagger flashed in the sunlight, its blade glinting harshly as one of my assassins raised it high in the air, ready to strike. Lienna’s eyes widened in terror, her screams growing louder and more desperate as she realized her time was running out.
But just as the blade was about to descend into her chest, something unexpected happened. A blindingly bright white light burst forth from Lienna’s hands, shooting outward in all directions and sending my assassins flying. I felt myself lifted off the ground, my body weightless for a moment before I crashed to the earth, my vision blurred and my skin feeling like it was on fire.
I struggled to sit up, my head spinning and my eyes streaming from the intensity of the light.
What the hell just happened?