The Eternal Queen

Chapter 34: Ardele

I whip out my dagger hidden in the folds of my dress, and I slash the hand of the first guard charging towards me. The heavy gown weighs me down, but I am still more agile than the human guard before me. He yanks on my dress, and a loud tear echoes through the library.

Gold fabric flutters to the floor, and the man is all up in my space. With his close proximity, I slam my knee up to the man's groin, and he keels over. I rip the sword out of his hand, juggling the thick sword with my dagger, and I hit his head with the heavy hilt of the back. He stumbles over, crashing into one of the large lounge chairs, blood spilling everywhere.

I step into a small alcove under a window in the moonlight, watching him sputter. All of the sudden, my magic comes wheeling back into my body, my body tingling all over. The barrier that freezes my mana, my magic energy, is wavering in some spots.

Mentally take a hold of his heart, I squeeze his pumping heart, and it bursts. His eyes turn hazy and then blank. I feel his life force leave him like a skittish bird. The chain around my ankle starts to burn into my skin as I suck in his life force but stays silent. The sound of heavy exertion pulls me out of the smell of death, and I realize that the crown prince and Nathen are now in the room.

I study the bright crimson blood all over my comrades, thankful. They look over at me with mixed expressions. I have just revealed something crucial to them. Clara's eyes are filling with confusion and Nathen is weary of my actions. The crown prince turns away before I can see his expression.

If a witch killed a being, they would be found easily by their stone. No wonder they are staring at me like I am an alien. Usually the chain would chime or glow, signaling that a witch has taken a life. However instead of doing those things, the cracked emerald encrusted chain laying silent on my skin. Witches that don't have a chain are immediately put to death. But the thing is, I do have a chain. It just so happens to not do its job.

Other beings can get away with murder more easier. Everyone just seems to be afraid of witches. When a person doesn't have power, they don't want anyone else to have it. Selfishness is what is driving many courts on witches today. Which is a good thing, and a bad thing. 

It hides murders committed by other creatures, while "justly" keeping magic wielders under wrap. Killing is in the cycle of empires, maybe even life, and is something that cannot be avoided. But maybe one day it can be.

No one addresses their suspicion, instead continuing on with the mission. We scour the library, looking for a document room. Nathen finds the room on the top floor of the library, and the rest of us climb our way up.

The tiny room is located in the last bookshelf of the library, and the ogre knocks down the door forcefully. Cautiously, we enter the room, but nothing looks out of the sort. I immediately feel a shift in the air. This room does not have a magic dampener on it, and I can smell something that I cannot put a finger on.

Suddenly, everything clicks when I realize that this room has the smell of something floral. However, it is much more deeper and darker. Uliope roots normally taste sweet, with a hint of floral. Clara leans over to touch a document out on the shelf, and I shoot my hand out.

"Clara! Do not touch! Everyone, especially Clara and his highness; do not touch anything."

Nathen, as an ogre is not affected to uliope roots. Only vampires are. However, he does not have gloves on, and I do not want him to be spreading around near invisible powder. Glad that I am wearing black gloves, I move to the document that Clara was about to pick up. The document feels normal, but its scent is what throws me off. It is not the room that smells like floral, but the paper itself.

"The paper has contaminated uliope powder on it," I mutter.

Clara sucks in a sharp breath, while Nathen and the crown prince remains stone faced.

I flip through more letters and records on the shelves.

"They all do, since about three months ago," I say, confusion swirling in my head.

"Where can King William get paper like that?" Clara questions.

The crown prince starts to walk around the room, carefully keeping a good distance from all things.

"Lady Ardele, does the paper have Illea's national emblem on it?" he asks.

With the letter in my hands, I flip it back and front.

"No."

Obviously, the King must have gotten it imported then. But the question is from where?

"Why did the paper with uliope root powder start three months ago?" Nathen asks.

Clara taps her finger on her chin. "Something must have happened three months ago."

I meet the crown prince's eyes from across the room. "Your highness, when did your father start the correspondence between this kingdom?"

His eyes narrow. "About three months ago."

I look up at the ceiling, closing my eyes. "Who do you think knew about the correspondence?"

"Some kingdoms nearby."

Opening my eyes, I gratingly shoot a look at him. "Which kingdoms?"

The crown prince starts to name some kingdoms, but I pause when I hear a certain one.

"Wait. Did you say Clairemont?"

There is a moment of silence, before he confirms, "Yes."

I breathe in deep, and I scour the shelves, looking for the Clairemont's national emblem. Swiftly making my way through all of the letter, I frown when I find nothing.

"Lady Ardele! Search the trash," Clara suggests.

Moving over to the rubbish bin, I dig through documents that have been miswritten and drafts of letters. At the bottom, I find a familiar emerald green crest. My heart stops for a beat, and I carefully pull it out. The crest has been torn in half, but the emblem is still recognizable. I meet the crown prince's gaze, and the amount of fury in his eyes startles me.

"We got all the information we need. We should leave now, before it is too late," Nathen admonishes.

I hesitate. "I feel as though we should search the king's chamber."

Clara immediately shakes her head. "We already have enough evidence we need to make a case against Clairemont."

A tiny emblem in the rubbish bin is not concrete information even though I know the truth in my heart. The king's chamber has got to have more important evidence. I cannot leave just yet. We do not have the luxury of time, but we have to do a thorough search.

The crown prince studies us all before running a hand through his hair.

"I will accompany Lady Ardele to King William's chamber.  Lady Clara and Sir Nathen, keep everyone out this wing."