✓ | REBIRTH OF THE REBEL [Book Two]

CHAPTER 41

"I did not cheat," Annabelle suddenly said. Her eyes speak more than her mouth could but despite the trembling, she tried to express her intent. "It is my power they want, yet after knowing that my foresight is limited, they have to make arrangements," she added.

"You are a pure-blooded seer, why would your power be limited?" Laviene asked.

"I can only foresee the future of a person, and not the entire Empire's future. They know half-bloods are much stronger than pure-bloods, because they possessed both dominant and recessive power, and combined they could be either a curse or a gift...like you," Annabelle replied.

"Like her, is she a half-blood?" Napoleon asked Annabelle, trying to process the conversation.

"No, she's not considered as one. Her body contains mysterious magic, and so do the souls," Annabelle said.

"Souls?" Napoleon asked. His eyebrows were crossing as he tried to catch up with the women.

Annabelle didn't answer but continued looking at Laviene. At that moment she was looking at the future of the rebel right in front of her.

"You are chaos," Annabelle uttered.

"Did you see what I can do?" Laviene said. Her interest in the ability of the seer tripled. "Why don't we negotiate some terms and conditions, seer?" she added.

"I do not practice evil," Annabelle uttered.

"Ha, you're already evil for opening your legs to someone else other than your lover!" Laviene uttered.

"You better control your tongue, my lady," he said. His voice was nonchalant. He slowly let Annabelle stand beside him to release the pressure of his arm from carrying them. "You are spitting-"

He couldn't finish his words when an arrow suddenly and swiftly arrived hitting Annabelle's chest. It was a direct and calculated target that left them both astounded.

"ANNA!" he exclaimed.

And as a cue, the time slows down. Her fall went into a slow motion, and Napoleon's hand caught her body. Laviene stood there watching the critical moment as she bore witness to the incident that transpired.

Time resumed and Napoleon cannot accept the next thing that happened. The cries of the child echoed in the middle of the woods and was followed by Annabelle's coughing with blood.

"Who fucking did this?!" Napoleon said as he scanned around the forest, but his question was greeted by silence.

"Don't move!" Laviene uttered when she noticed Napoleon attempting to take the arrow from the flesh of the woman who's now in great pain. "I know that..." she added.

Napoleon, his face was filled with anguish and on the burst of tears looked at Laviene's face with equal balance of confusion and fear.

"Take the child away from her," Laviene uttered again, urging the lord to listen despite the overflowing of emotions twirling inside him. Laviene moved and held Annabelle's chest. "It has poison and it's rapidly flowing inside her body. She's not staying for long," she added.

"What?!" Napoleon uttered in surprise.

Annabelle heard what Laviene said and with all her might, she looked up towards Napoleon who was carrying her child. "You must take the child back to the duchy," she said, almost couldn't finish her words. "Tell his grace that the child is innocent," she added.

"What? No, I can't do that!" Napoleon argued. His eyes were beaming with tears, trying to stop himself from sobbing. The child began to cry as she was startled by the voices of the adults.