The Bleeding Heart
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Chapter 25
Eugenie coughed as smoke blinded her eyes, “Gwyneth? Gwyneth! Where are you?!”
The library caught fire, again.
Eugenie then snapped her eyes open in realization and recognition as she was experiencing the most terrible déjà vu. No…this can’t be happening… the fire from five years ago was traumatizing her soul. No, she won’t let anyone die – not this time. “Gwyneth! Can you hear me? Gwyneth! Please! Answer me!”
“Eugenie!” A faint voice called. Eugenie was sure though that Gwyneth was the one who was calling her. She looked around, frantically searching for her cousin’s figure. “Gwyneth!”
Ironically, Eugenie was standing right on the spot where Ryan had died. She didn’t notice it though. She didn’t notice that something was about to smash her skull too.
Eugenie looked around, trying to search for the voice that she did not notice the flame-immersed wood falling directly over her head. “Eugenie!” Ryan exclaimed, frantic. “Watch out!”
“Eugenie! Look out!” she heard Gwyneth exclaim.
The next thing Eugenie knew she was sprawled on the ground. “Ryan! Ryan!”
Eugenie opened her eyes, finding herself on the floor. Hazy images started to form a solid figure and the heat from the raging fire found her skin and she shuddered. She started to look around, searching for her cousin even more frantic than before. “Gwyneth! Gwyneth! Answer me!”
Then she found him lying on the floor on fire. Eugenie’s eyes widened, “Ryan!”
Her mind and body stopped as she saw her cousin on the ground, her arms sprawled, her sleeves torn, her skirt badly singed, her torso having big, violet splotches marring it, her thighs having the hint of being burned, her face in a cringe as she struggled to her leg out which was stuck when another piece of wood fell her way. “No,” Eugenie shook her head. “This can’t be happening! Gwyneth!”
She found herself trying to desperately put out the flames with her hands and the sleeve of her blouse, “Oh my god, oh my god, Ryan…”
“Gwyneth?” Eugenie rushed to her side, pulling her leg out from under the piece of wood. “Gwyneth, answer me! Gwyneth!”
“Eu – Eugenie,” Ryan gasped, his breathing shallow. “Eugenie, I…”
“Eugenie…” Gwyneth coughed, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth with a hint of a smile on her face. “You should be more careful…”
“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Eugenie said hurriedly. “You’re going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Let me call for help. You’re going to be fine, Ryan.”
“I’m going to get help, Gwyneth! Stay awake, please!” Eugenie pleaded, getting up, her tears falling down already.
“No,” Ryan swallowed a difficult gulp. “Don’t…I…I can’t…oh…”
“Don’t leave, Eugenie…” Gwyneth gasped, her breathing shallow. “I don’t have much time…”
“It’s going to be fine,” Eugenie sniffed, more of soothing herself than him.
“No, you’re going to be fine!” Eugenie cried. “I’m not just going to let you die! I’m gonna get some help! You have to stay awake, do you hear me?! Stay awake!”
“I’m not…” Ryan’s eyelids felt heavy and Eugenie could see the burns that marred his left cheek all the way towards his neck. Red splotches were marked on his arms and torso and Eugenie could see what was underneath the human skin. “I won’t…”
But as she got up, Gwyneth pulled the hem of Eugenie’s dress and Eugenie halted in her movements, “Eugenie…I don’t have…stay, please…”
“Ryan…” Eugenie cried, her tears falling hotly down her cheeks.
“I’m not going to lose you too, Gwyneth!” Eugenie yelled. “I’m not going to lose you like I lost Ryan! Please, let me go! Let me go get help!”
“I…I’m sorry,” Ryan gasped as Eugenie laid his head on her lap. “Adrian…he…told me…you didn’t…didn’t kiss…kiss Brandon…you didn’t…didn’t cheat…”
“So…” Gwyneth’s voice was chapped. “This was how…he died…finally, I…”
“That’s not important right now,” Eugenie shook her head furiously. “I need to call for help. Help! Help! Please, somebody! Help us!”
“Please, Gwyneth! It will just take a moment! I’m going to go get help and you’re going to be fine!”
“Shh…” Ryan weakly held her hand. “Don’t…it’s no use…I won’t…it hurts…”
“Stay…I don’t want to be alone…”
“I know, baby,” Eugenie said. “I’m going to get help…don’t move, ok? Don’t…”
“Please, don’t choose this time to be stubborn, please!” Eugenie knelt down beside her cousin, tears falling endlessly.
“No,” Ryan shook his head fiercely. “I won’t make it…”
“Make sure…we don’t have…no war…”
“Ryan!” Eugenie cried. “You’re not going to die!”
“Gwyneth! Don’t!”
“I’m so…” Ryan moaned. “I’m so sorry…”
“Find the spy…even without the books…you can still…”
“You can’t leave! Please, don’t leave! Please!” Eugenie clutched his hand tightly. “No, please, don’t do this to me…I’m so sorry….I’m so sorry…This is all my fault, I caused this. This is all my fault…”
“No…” Eugenie wept, shaking her head vigorously. “This is my fault…this is all my fault!”
“It’s not…” Ryan used a hand to try and caress Eugenie’s cheek. “It’s not your fault…”
“Don’t blame yourself…” Gwyneth shook her head tiredly.
“I’m sorry,” Eugenie bit her lip, her eyes red and swollen. “I don’t – you will always, always be…”
“Please…you’re my family…don’t leave like this, I beg of you!” Eugenie sniffed. “Don’t do this!”
“I love you…” Ryan whispered, his breath against her ear. “You know that…don’t you?”
“Orion…make sure…no more wars…”
“I love you too,” Eugenie sniffed harder. “So much…so very much.”
“I can’t do it without you, Gwyneth! I can’t!”
“I will always…” Ryan gasped, running out of breath and panting. “I will always…love you…no matter what… remember that.”
“You can…you’re Eugenie Rennes…you can do anything…Promise me…promise that you won’t be angry at her…promise me…”
“Ryan…”
“Gwyneth…what are you…?”
“Always…”
“Be happy…Always…” Eugenie couldn’t move. No…
“Ryan?” Eugenie shook his body. “Ryan? Ryan? Ryan! Ryan!”
Eugenie’s eyes widened as her cousin’s body fell limp in her arms. “Gwyneth? Gwyneth! No, Gwyneth!”
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“No,” Adrian shook his head with Erielle beside him, holding his arm, her other hand covering her mouth. Gwyneth’s pale and cold body lay before him in a white bed, her dress already changed into a white one – customary for those who died. “Gwyneth – no!”
He rushed to Gwyneth’s side and Eugenie who sat beside the bed, let out a flow of tears again. Nadyn Jameson, who performed the autopsy, stood on the other side of the bed. King Theodore, Queen Riza Prince William and Princess Denise were also shocked. An attendant had called them over and said that the scholar, Gwyneth Markham died when the library exploded. Again.
They rushed to the morgue and found Eugenie Rennes there, sitting on a chair, crying while the girl’s body was lied frozen on the bed. Adrian’s sobs were heard as she clutched the fabric of the bed sheets. “No…Gwyneth…”
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“What?! A scholar who was investigating Queen Rosaria’s murder and Queen Riza’s poisoning died?!” Elysia stood up in shock as Erielle revealed to them the news.
“Who?” Franchesca gasped. “Who was it?”
“It was Gwyneth Markham,” Erielle said, biting her lip and Anne, who accompanied the princess to Elysia, Franchesca and Veronica’s cabin, placed a hand on Erielle’s shoulder as a sign of comfort.
“The black haired girl?!” Veronica exclaimed. “No way…How did she…?”
“The library was caught on fire around one thirty this morning,” Anne explained. “Eugenie Rennes, Gwyneth Markham’s cousin and witness to her death said that Miss Markham pushed her out of the way of a falling wood and therefore, died in her stead.”
“My god…” Franchesca said.
“She’s been murdered,” Keith suddenly spoke.
“Murdered?” Erielle sniffed. “But…it was an accident…right?”
Elysia played with her hands, “It does make sense. I mean, why would the library explode so suddenly?”
“And when two scholars who were investigating this whole thing were in there?” Veronica nodded. “It’s too coincidental to be an accident.”
“Yes, maybe it was because of the fallen wood that Miss Markham died,” Franchesca supplied. “But there’s no doubt that someone caused that explosion, with the intention of killing both of them.”
“That’s right,” Keith said, putting an arm around Lis’ shoulders. “And we’ll get to the bottom of this. Definitely.”
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“She’s gone,” Eugenie hiccupped, shaking her head, clutching Adrian’s shirt. “She’s gone! She’s gone, and she’s never coming back!”
“Sh,” Adrian soothed, putting an arm around her shoulders as he led her back to her room.
“Why?” Eugenie continued to sob. “Why is everyone leaving me? My family…Ryan…and now Gwyneth!”
Adrian just patted her on the back, not knowing what to say. He sat Eugenie on a chair and knelt in front of her, holding her hand, “Gwyneth – I’m sure she’s in a better place now, without any wars. She’s happy, probably.”
“But she’s gone…” Eugenie’s whispers were vaguely heard by Adrian when the door to Eugenie and Gwyneth’s room suddenly creaked open, revealing Head Scholar Bale’s brown hair and green eyes.
“Head Scholar,” Adrian greeted.
“Adrian, would you kindly excuse us for a moment?” the head scholar asked.
“Of course,” Adrian nodded his head then turned to Eugenie. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
Eugenie only nodded slowly, her head bent down. Head Scholar Bale sighed and knelt before the weeping girl, putting a hand over her shoulder. “Eugenie, I know that you are depressed right now but…she died for a noble cause. You have to know that. And it was meant to be…”
Eugenie’s eyes widened. What?
“But know that Gwyneth didn’t die in vain. Everything will be over soon, believe me…but I guess, it was necessary to have a sacrifice…”
Her fists clenched over her skirt, her whole body trembling in anger. What?!
“Everything will soon fall into place and I’m sure that Miss Markham would be delighted – ”
“Delighted?!” Eugenie stood up, her whole body shaking. “Why would she be delighted?! Because she died? Gwyneth didn’t do anything to deserve to die! She was a great person! She was a loyal one who obediently investigated this stupid case just because someone thinks that because you’re the queen, your death means everything! That your death needs to condemn a whole kingdom!”
“Eugenie – ”
“She’s dead, Head Scholar,” Eugenie gritted her teeth, fresh tears staining her dress. “But no one’s killing anybody because of it. She died – and because of what? Because people want to avenge Queen Rosaria’s death?! That’s the most idiotic thing I’ve heard! Just because she’s the queen doesn’t mean that she’s better than everyone else! Just because she’s the queen, it doesn’t mean that King Edric or anyone else had the right to kill someone who was innocent, someone who didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Miss Rennes – ”
“She didn’t do anything wrong,” Eugenie broke down, collapsing on the floor, her fists clenched.
Head Scholar Bale sighed and patted her on the back, “Eugenie, please calm down. I know that you’re upset at the moment but there’s no reason to vent it out on – ”
“And you knew, didn’t you?” Eugenie gave the head scholar an accusing glare. “You knew that she was going to die! You knew everything that’s going to happen!”
“I’m so sorry, Eugenie.”
“What’s that going to do?” Eugenie demanded. “She’s dead! She’s already gone! The least you could’ve done was warn us of what will happen! You knew. I bet you even know who poisoned the queen or killed Queen Rosaria, don’t you?”
“Eugenie, I admit, I know that the prophecy was meant for this predicament that we are now facing. And I also know the thirteen of which the prophecy is referring to. But I don’t know the rest. That’s why I called you and Gwyneth, two of the thirteen, to do this investigation because the thirteen of you should be the ones to uncover the secrets and make everything right,” Head Scholar Bale explained. “But I never thought that it would be Gwyneth’s life that would be taken.”
“You could’ve told us,” Eugenie whispered. “You could’ve said something. She didn’t have to die.”
“There’s nothing I could do, or anyone else, for that matter, Eugenie,” Head Scholar Bale stood up. “You have to know that. It was…meant to be.”
“Gwyneth…” Eugenie covered half of her face with a hand, her tears flowing hotly down her cheeks.
“I’ll be taking my leave now, Miss Rennes,” Head Scholar Bale bowed his head. “You need time to think and be alone for now.”
Eugenie sat there on the floor, embracing her knees when a sudden gush of wind made a book drop from the table. It was technically impossible but the book was on the edge, threatening to fall anyway. The book’s pages opened to the part where the prophecy was written and Eugenie sniffed as her eyes scanned it again.
Then, as realization hit her, she scrambled on her knees and read it again.
Thirteen shall rise and lead the fight
Be Orion’s defense and guiding light
One shall be lost to save the land
The other’s betrayal the rest must withstand
A single choice one must make
A solemn oath one mustn’t break
For the sake of love they answered the call
Though many will not recover the fall
One shall be lost…
…to save the land
…shall be lost…
…lost…
The word kept repeating in her head.
Gwyneth.