Author's Note: Thank you so much to @whblackonblack on IG for this beautiful art of Vandel. He looks so pretty here! Also, I absolutely love the flower crown!!!
Annette
My life was falling apart. It was like everything I once was and understood was slipping through my fingers like sand. I now sat in a cell, my back pressed up against the wall, as I tried my best to keep from breaking down into tears once more.
"Excuse me, princess," the voice of a guard suddenly said, ripping me from my thoughts. "There's a visitor here to see you." Slowly I lifted my head and my eyes widened in shock to see Ridley standing before my cell.
"Ridley," I stammered, "what are you doing here?"
The knight bowed his head. "I convinced them to let me see you for a few minutes. It was easy for me to sneak away since everyone is so busy with preparations for Stefan's coronation."
My stomach twisted at the words. "They're already getting ready to crown him?"
Ridley swallowed hard. "Yes...the kingdom needs a ruler." His gaze darted to the ground. "It should be you."
I let out a low, shaky breath. "Thank you for trying to protect me during the trial. I thought at least Percival or my brother would try to defend me but...I was wrong."
"He told me he loved you," Ridley said softly. "I don't know why he just stood there and did nothing."
I shook my head. "I think he was in love with the idea of being in love with me." I sighed heavily, leaning my head back against the cold stone of the wall. "What a sad way to die, being the princess of the kingdom and only having one person care enough about you to come to your defense." I let my eyes flutter shut for a moment. "Maybe it's a good thing my brother is going to be king. Everyone seems to actually like Stefan."
Ridley moved quickly to the bars now, his fingers wrapping around them. "I'm not going to let you die Annette," he said, lowering his voice. "Actually, that's why I came here."
My eyes widened, approaching the bars from my side of the cell. "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to prove you innocent...or at least get you out of here," he whispered. "Can you remember anything before the king's murder that might account for the blank points in your memory?"
I tried to think back for something new, something I might have missed. I seemed to be sorting through these damn memories almost every waking moment, trying to find a single discrepancy that could explain how such a horrible thing could happen.
"I don't know Ridley," I finally said. "Everything was completely normal until the feast. I woke up, dealt with some state affairs, took tea with Stefan before he left, got dressed for the feast and then..." I looked down at my hands. "It didn't seem helpful to add during the trial but there's a small piece of my memory missing from the beginning of the feast as well. After that I remember talking with you and Percy, going to stay with my father after he was poisoned and then opening my eyes and finding myself covered in blood."
Something I had said seemed to have caught Ridley's attention. When he spoke again he lowered his voice even further, his words a little more than a whisper. "You took tea with Stefan?"
I nodded. "There's nothing too odd about that. We've been spending a lot of time together since he was away for so long."
"Did he serve it himself?"
"Yes, it was just the two of us with some guards stationed outside. I don't think that's anything I can really use in my defense though."
"I think I have a lead," Ridley whispered.
"R-Really?" I stammered, trying to smother the flutter of hope building up in my chest in case this ended up being yet another dead end. "What is it?"
Ridley's gaze darted to the guards standing close by. "I can't tell you yet...I don't have enough proof. But I know you're innocent princess. I'm going to get you out of here." As he said that he sunk to one knee in a low bow. "This I promise you as your loyal knight."
"Ridley, your time is up, get out!" One of the guards called from down the hall. Ridley slowly rose to his feet.
"Goodbye princess," he said softly. "I'll see you soon."
Gods I hoped with all my heart that his words would be true. I took in every inch of him as he turned to leave. The sky blue of his eyes, the soft curl of his golden hair, the heart wrenching perfection of his face.
Who knew if I was ever going to see him again.
Vandel
"CORISATHIUM!" Ridley practically bellowed as he flung open the door to his room.
I jumped, casting him a small glare. "Fucking hellfire. Knock before barging into a room Ridley. Didn't anyone teach you some goddamn manners? What if I was naked in here?"
"You're always naked, besides this is my room."
I had been pent up it Ridley's room for about a day now. I suppose I didn't get to really complain about it since it had been my idea in the first place. There was no way I could leave while the entire human kingdom seemed to be crumbling from the inside out. I knew my mother would understand, in fact she'd probably be furious if I left at such a pivotal time.
I adjusted myself on his bed now. "Okay, so why did you burst in here screaming about corisathium?"
"I have a theory," Ridley said. "I would still need to gather evidence to prove it but-"
"Oh for the Gods' sake just spit it out!"
He let out a low breath. "I think that the princess might have been under the influence of the corisathium we've been hunting. Actually, I'm realizing now that I've been a complete idiot for not putting it together before! Everything lines up, the hypnotic expression, the lack of motivation for the murder, the missing spots in her memory."
I leaned forward. "You're right, it does make sense. But how can you be sure your little princess isn't just making this up to cover her tracks."
Ridley took a deep breath. "Because the motivation and means match up completely with someone else who she interacted with right before the king was initially poisoned."
I arched a brow. "And that would be...?"
"Prince Stefan."
"GODS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT LITTLE SHIT WAS BEHIND THIS!"
Ridley's eyes widened and I immediately cursed myself for allowing that guttural reaction.
"You...know prince Stefan...?" Ridley inquired awkwardly.
My gaze darted away. "Perhaps."
"If you have any information that could prove my theory I would love to hear it. It might help us get to the bottom of this sooner."
I transformed my eyes from black to red for the sole purpose of being able to roll my eyes at him. "There's no 'us' for this one Ridley. This is a concern for Alteria alone, not the demons. If I give you any information I'd be putting my own people at a disadvantage."
"So this is connected to the demon kingdom somehow?"
Shit.
I wanted to face palm at my own stupidity.
"Not the murder," I muttered. "Just...Stefan...which I guess is connected by default. But I promise I had nothing to do with this."
Ridley sat down on the bed now, sighing heavily. "Okay, I know it's probably hopeless to do so, and I'm probably about to humiliate myself, but I'm going to beg anyways. Vandel...you remember why we agreed to work together to find who stole the corisathium, right? It was because of how dangerous it would be if it fell into the wrong hands. Judging from your reaction at the mention of prince Stefan I think we're both on the same page that he is the very definition of the wrong hands. I know it might work against your own interests but please...help me."
And then I looked at him.
That was my big fucking mistake. He was staring at me so intently and expectantly with those giant eyes of his like a beaten puppy.
I swallowed hard.
What the fuck was wrong with me? Why couldn't I seem to deny him anything? I kept doing stupid reckless thing after stupid reckless thing for what...?
To make him proud of me?
To be someone a person as good as him could be proud of?
I shook away the thoughts immediately, hating the direction my mind was wandering towards. Instead I tried to think of a more positive and relatable feeling for me...hatred. There were few things in this world I hated more than Stefan. My mother's plan all was starting to make sense to me now. She would want me to marry Stefan now that he was the heir to the throne and merge the kingdoms, like our initial plan with Annette. She must not have told me because she knew I'd object.
And she was right.
There was no fucking way I was going to marry that literal piece of human garbage.
I took a deep breath, looking to Ridley now. "Fine I'll help you. Now listen the fuck up Ridley because I have a plan."