The Selection: Bride Of The Dark Dragon

MIRA

Going to my chambers now would be a terrible mistake. As this would be the first place Dargen would look for me after the show is done. And he would be pissed for sure.

I know I would have to meet him sooner and later and gods only know if I would be able to survive then… So, at the very least, I want to postpone whatever is waiting for me.

An idea strikes me suddenly and I hurry to the hidden staircase I once discovered. Guards use it sometimes. So, if my guess is right, somewhere down there would be their quarters and below them – the dungeons.

Luckily, mostly everyone is still at the Talent Show. I am lucky I got to perform right in the middle of it. I am also lucky that some of the girls are doing very long performances. Bless them. The spectators, I mean. There were about four or five more or less interesting numbers at all of them had already finished by now.

I wander around unknown floors for just a few minutes until I am at the very bottom of the castle. There are two guards at the metal gate. Luckily, humans. Not gerdians.

I raise my chin as if it is a perfectly normal place for me to be and march in their direction. They both look at me, startled, to say the least.

“I am here to see Isidore Vierne!” I say with a confident voice.

“Lady Freyn,” they both bow before me, “We are terribly sorry, but no one is allowed to see her.”

“Well, I was allowed to,” I lie without blinking, “By the Crown Prince!”

And to prove my words, I raise my hand, demonstrating the huge black diamond ring Dargen gave me. The two men look at each other for a second and then step aside, letting me through.

“Where is she?” I ask before entering.NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

“In the only occupied cell,” one of them replies, “You wouldn’t miss it.”

I enter a long and gloomy corridor. Cell after cell is dark and empty and only at the very end, I see a glimpse of light inside. A dull ball of magical light hangs on the ceiling and Isidore is sitting on the floor, hugging her own knees. I notice that her dress is dirty and torn in a few places. I also see a few bruises and small cuts on her. It doesn’t escape my eyes that she is shaking like a leaf in the wind.

“Hello,” I say quietly and she shrugs at my voice, sullenly looking at who came to visit her. But as soon as she sees me she jumps to her feet and in seconds her hands with broken nails are trying to reach me. Luckily, my reaction is too good to be caught that easily and I step away in time. She angrily waves her hands in the air, still trying to reach me, although we both understand perfectly well that she will not succeed.

“It’s you! You! You b***h!” she shouts with a croaked voice. I can tell that she’s been screaming a lot lately, “You did this to me! You set me up!”

I just wait for her to calm down and when she said every single insult that she knew, and I have to say that the stableboys back at my home have nothing on the noble lady Vierne, she finally falls to her feet, hugging the bars and starts sobbing.

I sit next to her and sigh heavily, “Are you done?”

“I hate you!”, she spits but I block it away with a simple shield.

“I know, it’s not new”, I say.

“You put that thing into my chest! I know you did it! You!” she says somehow desperately, “That’s why you’ve been going into everyone’s rooms. And because the Crown Prince chose you, no one is listening to me.”

“No,” I say calmly, “I was helping them to investigate, that’s why I was in all those rooms. I was searching for the artifacts and I found one in your room. That’s it.”

“Lies,” she exhales heavily, “All lies! You did it! You set me up!”

Tears are streaming down her face and a part of me believes it’s not her. Too obvious, too easy. If she was the murderer, she would play nice and lay low. She wouldn’t quarrel with her victims, she wouldn’t be so obnoxious… as if she has already won. She is not that stupid, even though she is definitely not the smartest either.

“Isidore,” I say carefully, “Who else had access to your chest?”

“No one,” she replies bitterly, biting her lips and trying to swallow another sob.

“Well, are you sure? Can you think about it some more? If anyone…”

“Of course I am sure!” she snaps, “It was locked with a two steps magic lock! I was the only one who could open it! You need to know the password and be me to open it! I am not an i***t to keep this much jewellery without protection!”

Hm, interesting. So, no one could put it in there except for herself.

“Was anything else in that secret compartment?” I ask and meet her furious gaze.

“Only my mother’s wedding ring! I took it out right before you came!” she says, “I wouldn’t let the likes of you touch something this precious!”

“So, you unlocked the chest before I came? Did you lock it after that?”

“Of course not!” she rolls her eyes, “I was in the room the whole time! Why would I?”

“I see…”

“You know what,” she suddenly smiles a very wicked smile and I strengthen my shield just in case, “At least I am happy that you would be the one marrying this monster!”

“You need to be more specific,” I snort and stand up, “There are a lot of monsters in that castle!”

“The Crown Prince!” she spits the words, “I wanted him so much! But I guess I am lucky to at least receive an easy death at his hands. YOU would have to live with him for a lifetime! And trust me, you filthy w***e, you would not enjoy that!”

She starts laughing. Not normally, hysterically. I would even call that cackling.

“Isidore,” I call her, “If you are truly innocent I would prove that. That’s a promise.”

She stops laughing and looks at me for a few seconds, startled. Then wipes away tears, just smudging more dirt over her face with that motion. “Who would trust you?!” she throws at me bitterly, “You are the source of all my problems!”

“Well, she is your best chance for survival as well!” Derrien appears behind my back out of nowhere, making me jump.

“Lord Derwood! It’s her! I told you! That’s her! Please! You have to believe me!” she stands up as well and tries to reach him desperately. She is relying on him too much, so that means that he definitely had nothing to do with her tortures. This little discovery suddenly brings some peace to my heart. So, he IS different. A part of me needed to know that. Even though it’s too late.

“It’s not her,” he says looking at Isidore, “She was working with me on this case the whole time. I also know for sure where she has been during both murders. It’s not her. She is not the one who set you up. If anyone did at all, of course.”

“Someone did!” she starts crying again, “I didn’t do it! I didn’t like them, yes, but it’s not enough to kill them!”

“Why did you confess then?” he says coldly and I flinch. Did she confess? Why on heavens?

“I couldn’t handle it anymore,” she sobs, “There was too much pain… I just couldn’t…”

She cries, holding the bars of her cell and I step closer, putting my hand on one of hers. She shrugs but accepts it.

“Please, Mira,” she says with eyes full of tears, “If you really mean well…help me. Help me, please!”

“I promise,” I nod to her and give her a sympathetic smile.

“It’s time to go, lady Freyn”, Derrien says and the fact that he addresses me officially is not lost on me.

I start walking to the exit and after a few steps feel his hands on my waist, “Don’t be stupid. That’s how you get caught!”

Flames of dark magic surround us and it’s another long transportation. During which he may or may not have pressed me harder into his body. And I may or may not have thrown my head back onto his chest just to feel his closeness…

But when I opened my eyes, I found myself in his chambers once again.