The Thread Of Fate

Chapter 15

"Did you follow me?" I got up, scanning the room for anything that I could use to defend myself with.

"Imagine my delight when I saw you leaving the palace in the middle of the night." She twirled the dagger between her fingers. "I was just coming to kill you but you made it that much easier. Now, I'm going to pin it all on Maria."

Maria !

With the state I was in, I knew I couldn't handle Kaili alone. All I needed to do was topple over a chair. Maria was sure to come check on me.

"What are you still doing in the kingdom?" I decided to stall her. It was a bad move because the question just pissed her off.

"Ah yes." She snarled, "you convinced him to kick me out didn't you? I knew your good girl act was fake. He gave me a day to take care of my belongings. Enough time for me to kill you!"

With that, she threw the dagger at me. I stumbled out of the way and crashed into the bedside table.

That's one way to do it.

My limbs felt weak. She took advantage of my clumsiness and threw herself on me. Her hands came around my throat and she squeezed, cutting off my air supply.

"Do you know what he did? In order to save you?" She laughed, "I guess you'll never find out."

Stretching out my hand, I desperately searched for something I could hit her with but it was an uphill battle. My strength was waning and so was my breath. Her face was too far away to hurt and her hands too tight around my throat to budge. I couldn't even reach her using my feet and she was too heavy to buck off. I gasped under pressure.

Just when the corners of my vision started blacking out, the door burst open and someone yanked her off. There was a loud crashing noise and it sounded like glass breaking. I was grateful for whoever it was and burst out into a coughing fit.

Gentle fingers examined my neck. As my vision cleared, Dominic's face came into view. He hugged me tight. With my face against his chest, I could feel how fast his heart was racing. Either he was really worried or he had come running all the way. Despite everything, I still felt safe with him around. I was still glad that he was here.

"You're safe." He kissed my forehead, "it's okay. you're safe."

I was confused at that until I realised that I was still crying. When we heard the glass crunch, Dominic stood up with me and faced her.

"Kaili." He crouched in front of me.

"You deserve more." Kaili said to him, her voice a soft plea. I noticed that she had scratches on her arms. A vase lay on the ground, broken. 

Maria came rushing into the room with Leo right behind. Without pausing for a second, she launched herself at Kaili. I watched as the two fought. It was hard to stand straight and my feet wobbled.

"Maria!" Leo yelled as Kaili used a broken piece of glass to stab her. Maria collapsed just as Leo caught her. She was bleeding profusely. My anger increased tenfold.

I picked up a shard that was lying near my feet. Kaili was going to pay. It was one thing to insult me but another to try and kill somebody. Someone she had been associated with since years. Maria did not deserve to die, I did not deserve to die.

I had to end her, for it was obvious that she would never give up otherwise. She was too devious and cunning to be stopped in any other way. She'd come to kill me only because Dominic had kicked her out of the kingdom, something I hadn't done. Even though it was he who had made the decision, she truly believed it was me.