The Traitor of Inlustris

XLIX

Everyone gasped. He retreated from his position, slumping his shoulders. His gaze went over everyone else's. His forehead started glistening with sweat.

He was cornered. I bet King Rasmus hadn't thought of the possibility of me knowing Prince Mahli's involvement with his plan for war.

"I wasn't the one who started the war," I scoffed, "it was you."

The people rioted. Men from all directions surged forward, throwing Prince Mahli off balance and toppling over him. They yelled justice for the Inlustris. They punched, gagged, and strangled him.

I stood there and watched.

Prince Mahli screamed in agony. The corner of my lips tilted upwards, just a tad. For once, my people reacted the correct way. They saw how I was right for the first time. They fought for me, for the Inlustris.

After a couple of minutes of enjoying the sight of Prince Mahli being battered by countless men, I knew the fight was getting too carried away.

"Enough," I ordered. They stopped attacking him and stepped back. "Do not murder this coward. His punishment should be one worse than death." They nodded, but that didn't mean they stopped glaring at Prince Mahli.

Prince Mahli struggled to get up. Blood dripped from his nose as he groaned. His dress shirt tore, revealing his chest covered in scratches.

"It is revolting that you have manipulated Flambers into..." He stopped to cough, doubling over in pain. "...into thinking that you are in the right." He walked towards me, spreading his hands into the air. He looked like a madman thinking he was performing a show.

In a way he was.

And the director was none other than King Rasmus.

Ridiculous.

"You assassinated a royal servant," I reminded him. "You slit her throat and acted like you were sorry for her passing. You left a nine year-old orphaned. Have you no soul?"

"Ella." I bit down on my lip and turned to see little Orpheus standing by, tears brimming his big brown eyes. "He killed Mother?"

"Orpheus, babe, why don't you go to the back to help Adrian bring more goodies, alright?" I pointed to Adrian, who nodded and went to pick him up.

As I turned to meet Prince Mahli, his golden dagger dug into my neck. The people gasped. He tightened an arm around my waist.

Guards came forth, aiming their weapons at Prince Mahli.

"Shoot me!" He yelled. "And I'll slit her throat too."

I rolled my eyes. "You're even more stupid than I believed, you know? I just stopped a bomb from killing us all. What do you think I'm going to do to you?"

His arm around my waist went slack in realization.

"A fan of the dramatization, I see," I said.

With the last bit of strength I had left, I snapped my fingers and his body slammed into the double doors. His blade clattered to the floor. He followed the blade and face-planted beside it.

"Chain him."

The guards went into action, marching up to Prince Mahli. They picked him up like he was a raggedy doll. One came to him, holding the chains to tie him up.

Prince Mahli narrowed his eyes towards me, and dug into his pant pocket at the last second, and blew a smoke bomb over the guards. They collapsed in a heap at his feet.

He grinned, walking over the armed guards. I raised my hand, but he dug into his pocket. I took a step back.

He really was what I imagined and more. To think he was so close to getting the Potentia Flamber throne. That was unacceptable.

He must pay.

"You're sick," I growled. His grin only expanded. He stared behind me. I fought the urge to look back. Within a second, he threw the smoke on my face.

I yelped and fell on my knees. Everything around me went in circles. People murmured about, but they were farther away than I remembered. I could see their foggy legs pressing up against the walls of the palace.

"Ella!" Marisole's voice wafted over. The tone went lower as it reached my ears. I tried to look up. Men tried to grab Prince Mahli and stop his attack, but he only dug more smoke from his pockets, doubling the count of passed out Flambers.

I reached a hand in front of me, staring at how my fingers stretched and bended at my command. My arm seemed to multiply by four. I blinked and saw my one arm.

I was drugged.

But why wasn't I collapsing?

"You should be out cold," Prince Mahli said, sharing my same sentiment. He kicked over my arm and I fell on my face. Blood pooled inside my mouth.

"Hey!" Herc called out. I shook my head, waving him off with a trembling hand. He stopped coming forward. If he came to my aid, Prince Mahli would blow the odd smoke all over him. I didn't need anyone else drugged by him.

Prince Mahli knelt in front of me. "I was looking forward to marrying you, Queen Antonella. You were perfect. Regal, soft, beautiful, and naive." He caressed my cheek, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. "But then you had to prove yourself 'worthy' to your people. Just because you stopped a magic bomb doesn't say much about how you rule. If you were to think of your people, you wouldn't have started a war."

He tilted his face to the side as I squirmed on the floor. His fingers hooked under my chin, so I had no choice but stare him square in the face. His thin lips went up in a smirk. I spit blood all over him and rolled away from him.

"That isn't very royal-like, Queen Antonella," he deadpanned. I staggered backwards until I was surrounded by other Flambers. He straightened his spine, wiping away the blood with his hand. "You will pay for your actions."

Two of him surged forward into the crowd. My eyes adjusted to see Orpheus still there, behind the servant, Adrian. The servant was in too much shock to follow through with my order. I staggered to try to stand up. A middle-aged woman and an elderly man helped me get to my feet.

"Well, if it isn't adorable Orpheus," Prince Mahli announced. He blew smoke over Adrian's face as he tried to get Orpheus away. He fell in a heap on the ground. I cried out, and fell on my knees again.

The smoke tingled inside. It was like it was trying to get me unconscious, but my body fought it.

Prince Mahli took more smoke and blew it all over many servants, including Philip, and everyone close enough to stop him. I teared up at the mass amount of people collapsing over each other.

Orpheus cried as Prince Mahli picked him up. I reached out to him, but my magic was shot. The smoke had affected everything in my system.

"No," I whispered.

Prince Mahli grinned and winked at me. Then he pressed his golden dagger over Orpheus' neck.