The Priestess' Affair [Books 1 &2]

𝐗𝐗𝐈. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

-HER-

"I've been waiting long for this day," she smiled as she placed the cup she had just sipped from on my side of the table, "Sit,"

Despite the command that came out of her lips, the smile playing on them told me to run for the hills. Her eyes gleamed with an incredible maliciousness. That same look of knowing was etched on her face.

"I wonder why," I asked as I slowly walked up to the table and took my seat. The smile on her lips widened.

"Why?" She repeated, "It'll be a historic day if you pass this test. A Royal has never been a priestess before," she spoke, sipping from her cup. As I looked down at my cup of tea, I reminisced the day I confronted Vittoria. I felt her eyes on me as I studied the colour of tea for a while.

She knew better not to say anything this time about it but still, her eyes lingered on me. She was waiting for me to have that sip. I knew she wasn't trying to poison me today, but it'd still be foolish to trust Vittoria readily. There was a reason why she happened to be the youngest high priestess of the Lagrifiri Shrine.

"Or maybe," I started, holding the cup, "You're trying to fulfil one of your purposes," I remarked, eventually taking a sip. She cocked an eyebrow at me and challenged, "What agenda do you think I might have?"

"I don't know," I answered candidly, "but I do know that I'm here because you wanted me here," I divulged, my voice lowered to a whisper, "not because I was chosen to be a priestess,"

Something flickered in her eyes. It was as if she was caught off guard, but she schooled her features in a second.

"I see you fancy getting into my business," she fought to keep that smile on her lips.

"I don't fancy that. It's just that I'm your business now, Vittoria," I pointed out coldly. She gave a humourless laugh.

"Let's stop with this word salad," she declared, finishing her tea, "and get to the real business,"

I had finished my tea as well, so she collected the cups and got up from the table, turning her back on me for a moment. I glimpsed around her office to steal a hint for my test, but nothing out of the ordinary caught my eye.

Everything in her office looked quite ordinary. I heard Vittoria humming to herself as she took her time washing the cups. In the meantime, I watched her back as she proceeded to put the cups away before walking to one of the cabinets in her office.

When she eventually turned towards the table, I saw a pouch in her hand. Her face was wiped clean of any emotions as she stalked towards the table and elegantly sat down without adjusting her dress. Thence, she placed the pouch on the table with the utmost gentleness in front of me.

"What is it?" I asked instantly. She looked at me with a sly smile arching her lips. She proceeded to open the pouch, and inside it was something similar to what Vittoria had given me that night in the lagoon.

"You're—"

"Take it like last time," she commanded.

"What is this... what does this mean, Vittoria?" I asked, enraged, "How is this going to—"

"—just do as I say," her voice dropped to a chilling tone.

"You're playing with me," I declared.

"Take it," she used the voice on me and instantly, my hand reached out for that leaf ball before putting it in my mouth. Vittoria watched with satisfaction as a look of disgust climbed on my face due to the sickening taste of that substance. I gained back control only after I had swallowed it.