Lost Souls of Gloria

Chapter Two

My heart stopped, he has to be wrong, too drunk on magical wine and having hallucinations. Our father, Lord Marcus was the most intelligent man in our house, to succumb to being murdered at his wedding didn't make any sense. I felt my knees buckle as the news washed over me. "No, no Griffon you're wrong, that is not possible." He took on my weight, slinging an arm around my waist holding me up, and pushed us forward continuing down the hallway. He spared me a stern look "Alea come on we need to get you out of here we don't know who just that someone poisoned father's wine, he fell moments ago I watched it happen."

His voice wavered no doubt reliving the moment our father fell. The explanation only furthered my panic "Is anyone else dead?" he shook his head "only father" his response was grim. I finally managed to compose myself enough to support my weight and I removed myself from Griffon's arms.

"I need to see" my tone was absolute; I could not blindly flee not knowing for sure that our father was gone. Griffon finally came to an abrupt stop, looking at me he seemed to search my face looking for doubt. His face finally softened if only slightly "fine but you need to get your arrows first, the culprit could still be here." Fear gripped me but I nodded not sparing him one glance before racing back to my chamber to grab my bow and arrows. Even though violence was not tolerated in Columba we did enjoy archery as a sport, and I had grown skilled in the art though I'd never had to use it for protection. The thought of having to aim my arrow at a person and not a target made my stomach turn.

I shoved open the door to my chamber cringing as the wood slammed into the stone wall behind it. quickly grabbing my bow and swinging the arrow sheath over my shoulder before running back out to meet Griffon who quickly fell into step next to me. We made our way to the ballroom in haste, the pit in my stomach growing as we neared. Griffon rounded the corner looking at me briefly before entering through the stone archway into the room that had not hours ago held much different energy. In the candle glow that had previously held warmth, all I could see were shadows, my nerves on edge as they flickered. The majority of the partygoers had fled leaving only a small cluster of our council elders and a handful of high-ranking Uneti. As we neared the dais, I saw mother Uneti, her armor removed and only the silk slip remained as kneeled next to a body. My blood froze as we finally got close enough to confirm that indeed my father was dead.

His body lay still on the ground, his shirt had been removed probably during the heat of the wine's effects if mother Uneti's lack of clothing had any indication. His lips were purple and dark veins spread from his neck down to his chest into his pants. Poison was indeed the cause of death, but it didn't make sense, everyone drank the same wine. Why had he been the only one to fall? I felt grief welling in my chest as I fell to my knees at his side not sparing mother Uneti a glance I stared down at my father. My hands shook as I reached to touch him but mother Uneti quickly reached across his body grasping my wrist I whipped my head up to finally look at her as she spoke her voice stern "do not touch him, girl, we have no idea what source of poison took him or what its effects on others are" I just shook my head still not understanding how this happened, my face felt wet with tears.

My gaze left her face focusing on the man standing behind her, seemingly guarding his mother like a watchful hound. My grief halted turning to rage as I stared at Calivar, is that what he had meant by danger? Had he been the one responsible for my father's demise? I quickly stood stepping over my father's body and avoiding mother Uneti's hard stare and I moved to stand chest to chest with the young lord I could feel the rage boiling over and I shoved him as hard as I could, yet he didn't budge just met my glare with an unreadable cold expression. My brother shouted my name no doubt startled by my sudden attack on the lord.

I seethed "You! Was this you? Was this the danger you warned me about? Wanted me out of the hall not to preserve my innocence but so I wouldn't be here to witness you murder my father?"