Once upon a time, the realms of Chance and Men lived in peace and harmony. The balance of the worlds was perfect. Unfortunately, the thirst for power and magic is an inevitable poison, as insatiable as the noble families of chance. Their thirst led...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧
Chapter 19
✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧✧★✧
Powerful arms wrap around me in a comforting embrace, and I recognize the woody scent of Killian as I stop struggling and bury my face against his neck. I tremble so much that it takes me several minutes to calm down. I realize that the night is starting to fade into a pink sky. Dawn breaks, and with it, the final trial is about to begin. I hold on to Killian, who holds me tightly against him. "Everything's fine, it was just a nightmare," he reassures me. I nod without responding, and he eventually pulls away from me, wiping the tears streaming down my cheeks. "My sister," I whisper, and he says nothing.
Could my entire life be a lie? The royal couple on the balcony of the ballroom, the loving gaze of the man towards his wife. I think about my parents, the village of the blue rose, the increasing mysteries, and the Blue Rose Brotherhood. I feel dizzy. What if everything is just a lie? I no longer know what to think or what to do, drowned in a wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm me at any moment.
I sense my friend moving beside me and he whispers in my ear, "We're so close to the goal, Alice, don't let go now." I struggle to breathe and look up at him. He's right. My sister is all that matters for now. I need to sort out my thoughts. My mother always told me to learn to prioritize problems according to their importance. The priority is to survive the trial, to find my sister. My mother.
But is she really my mother?
The mattress lifts, and I watch Killian fasten his sword to his waist before reaching out his hand to me. "It's time to win, my dear. Together."
After one last hesitation, I take his hand and let him lead me away from our room, heading towards our destiny.
Most of the rooms are open, and we encounter some players. Red arrows are painted on the walls, guiding us on the path to follow. My heart beats painfully in my chest, and I tighten my grip on the sapphire dagger, closely following my friend through the maze of corridors. A large open bay window awaits us at the end of the building, and the daylight almost blinds me as I step onto a glass terrace, revealing the earth beneath our feet. I notice something white, and as I lean over, I bring a hand to my mouth, realizing that human bones litter the ground below us, covered by the glass of the terrace. Human bones. The malevolent beauty of this place is deadly. Killian's gaze follows mine, and his arm tightens around my waist, as if to protect me.
"I know you well enough to know that you don't need to be protected or saved," the voice of the King whispers in my mind, sending shivers down my spine, and I cling even closer to my friend.
The crowd grows larger, and I silently count the players. Philippe joins us a few moments later, and I realize that Xavier and Elise are missing. "Where are they?" I whisper to my two companions, who shrug in unison, looking around them.
"The trial is about to begin!" Anxiety builds within me, and I am about to rush inside when Philippe's arm stops me. "Alice, wait," I free myself from his grasp and turn back. Just as I am about to pass through the bay windows, they abruptly close in front of me. "No, no, no!" I cry, trying to turn the handle, but with no success.
Behind me, a voice echoes, and my blood runs cold.
