Lienna.
It was the day of the execution. I sat huddled in a corner of the cell I was in, staring into space, my mind empty, my body numb. The cold, damp stone floor beneath me seemed to seep into my bones, chilling me to the core. Yet, the words wouldn’t stop ringing in my head. I’m going to be executed today. I’m going to be executed today. I’m going to be executed today. For a crime I did not commit.
The thought was like a relentless drumbeat, pounding in my mind, refusing to let me escape. I had lost all sense of time, trapped in this darkness, with no hope of reprieve. Other than Mara, who came to visit the night I was thrown in here, and Adonis, who tried to see if I would confess to a crime I didn’t commit, no one had come to see me since then. The silence was deafening.
The future was bleak, and any chance I had for a miracle had long evaporated. I was starting to come to terms with reality. My eyes stung, but no tears would form. I was too exhausted, too hungry, too broken for that. Swallowing the invisible lump in my throat, I lowered my head to my knees, closing my eyes tight. I just wanted this to be over already.
As I sat there, waiting for the inevitable, I heard the sound of footsteps outside my cell. My heart skipped a beat. Was it time already? I didn’t know if I was ready to face my end. But ready or not, it was coming for me. Raising my eyes to the steel bars, I watched as a footsteps grew closer, and I expected it to be a soldier. My heart began to pound, cold sweat breaking out of my skin.
Instead of a soldier, a cloaked figure appeared in front of me. The figure removed their cloak, revealing their face, and I stiffened when I saw it was Veronica. What is she doing here? The latter had a tiny smile on her face, her eyes tinged with sinister satisfaction in seeing me in this state. Rage began to boil at the surface of my skin, but there was no physical reaction from me as I stared at her, my body frozen in anger.
“What a pitiful state you’re in,” she began, her voice tinged with faux pity as she stared at me. A corner of her lip twitched up but didn’t quite form a smile. “I could almost feel sorry for you.” She added, her voice laced with disdain and mockery, and I tensed, feeling my anger spike. My hands clenched into fists, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t react.
“What are you doing here?” I tried to grit out, but my voice was scratchy due to crying and disuse. Her presence pissed me off so much I wished I could drag her away from here by her hair. “I don’t think this is a place for you.” I muttered, trying to keep my anger in check.
“Of course, it isn’t. What would I be doing in a place like this?” She asked, gesturing around the dingy cell, a light chuckle escaping her lips. Then her eyes narrowed, filled with vitriol. “Didn’t I tell you not to lose their trust? This must be unfortunate for you. The Shifter Kings really do not show any mercy to those who offend them.”
Veronica’s words cut deep, and I felt a surge of resentment towards her. She was enjoying this, reveling in my misery. I wanted to lash out, to hurt her, but I was trapped, helpless. All I could do was glare at her, my eyes blazing with fury.
She continued, her tone flippant. “Anyway, I’m just glad I’ll finally be getting rid of you.” Then, with a sardonic smile on her face, she added, “Didn’t think you’d be so stupid, but here we are.” The sentence struck a chord in me, and I thought about the events of that day. Now that I think about it, Veronica had come to see me before I took the food inside the dining hall of King Caspian.
An unknown surge of energy went through me, and I jumped to my feet, rushing towards the steel bars, shaking them in anger. “You poisoned the dragon king and made it seem like it was me!” I screamed, eager to tear her skin off her face, but she stepped away from me, laughter breaking out of her lips. “Took you long enough to figure out,” she said slyly, cocking her head at me.
I lunged at her again, but it was useless. The bars were too strong, and I was too weak. “I’m going to tell them,” I screamed, full of rage. “You’re going to pay for this!” But Veronica just taunted me, edging close to me. “And who would believe you?” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “Even if they did, you’ve already lost their trust.”
I glared at her, breathing heavily, my mind racing with thoughts of revenge. This snake! How dare she! She had manipulated me, used me, and now she wanted to get away with it! Then, the atmosphere changed as she stepped closer, eye level with me. Her gaze seemed to bore into my soul, sending shivers down my spine.
“Don’t worry, I’m going to make sure this stays a secret between us, so you don’t tell anyone,” she whispered, her voice dripping with malice. Her eyes seemed to gleam with a sinister light, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
Before I could ask what she meant by that, she grabbed hold of my hands through the steel bars and sunk her fingernails into my skin. I winced in pain, trying to pull my hands away from her grip, but it was unwavering. Blood began to drip out, and that’s when I felt it. A strange sensation flowing through my veins from the point where she broke my skin.
I looked at her and froze when I saw her expression change. Her green eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and her smile grew wider. I tried to scream, but my mouth became heavy, and no words would make it past my lips. My knees buckled, and I would have fallen to the ground if it wasn’t for her grip on me.
A daunting realization set in as I stared at her. Veronica knew how to use dark magic. How did she go for so long without anyone suspecting? I felt a wave of fear wash over me as I realized the true extent of her powers.
“What are you doing?” I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible.
Veronica’s smile grew wider, and she leaned in closer. “Just making sure you keep our little secret,” she whispered back, her breath cold against my ear. “You won’t be able to tell anyone about me, Lienna. You won’t be able to speak a word.”
Finally, she removed her hands, and I dropped to the ground, unable to move, speak, or do anything. My body felt like a giant log of wood, laying motionless on the ground. I was paralyzed, completely at her mercy. I tried to scream, but my voice was trapped in my throat. I tried to move, but my limbs wouldn’t respond.
Veronica wore back her cloak, concealing her face once more. Her eyes gleamed with triumph as she looked down at me. “The soldiers would be here soon,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “Enjoy the moments you have, Lienna. It won’t be long now.”
She took a step back, her eyes never leaving mine. “See you in hell,” she spat, before turning and walking away, leaving me there motionless on the ground. The sound of her footsteps echoed through the cell, growing fainter with each passing moment till it disappeared.