CHAPTER 468: ATONE FOR SINS (2)

"Huh?"

No one knew who had made that utterance, but even the head guard stopped in his tracks. The only sounds in the hall were from the distressed Prince Simon.

His mother, Ash, had become deadly pale. If this were not an indication of guilt, one would not know what it was. But the question remained, ’Who had she killed?’

Technically, killing was like child’s play for the royal family.... It was more so for these particular royals than the ones in the past. It was funny that they, who had never fully assumed power, had this reputation associated with them. However, even the fact that they had killed many times in the past did not deter the Faefolks from unanimously believing that there was foul play involved in the witch’s words.

The bizarre thing was that this thought was held unanimously by all.... Including the people who supported Syla and his wife.

"W-hat d-o y-o mean by that? D-o, do not spout nonsense like that!" Ash retorted.

Even Syla seemed to be agitated from these words and that did not make any sense.

He fidgeted, his fingers curling and uncurling on the armrests. His breaths were shallow and uneven, as if each inhale carried the weight of something unspeakable. His restless movements betrayed him.

The constant shift of his shoulders, the twitch in his jaw, the way his knee bounced despite the uselessness of his legs ... it all screamed of unease. Syla’s eyes darted around, searching for something, anything, to anchor himself to, but there was no escape from the stares drilling into him. He felt as if every Fae in the room was ridiculing and pointing fingers at him.

The Faes didn’t know the victim... yet. But they didn’t need to.

The guilt radiated off Syla, thick and suffocating. The words had been directed at Ash, but even as it clung to the air, tainting every breath, he felt as if it was whispering the truth that his lips refused to speak.

The room, once filled with murmurs, now sat in tense silence. A collective understanding passed between the onlookers. The Prince was guilty. And no amount of shifting in that chair would change it. They killed like they ate, so who was their victim that was making them behave so?

The Timeless Witch chuckled, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"Why are you all fidgety and on edge?"

Then, she intentionally switched her words,

"I’ll give your son one chance if you tell these honourable people the truth that is buried in your heart."

Shelby sat up abruptly on Ian’s lap.

’She wants to let him go?’

Even Ian frowned, but the witch turned and winked at them, which was strange coming from a child. Though the two did not like it, they settled to watch the show or whatever the witch was up to. She had proven herself in a short time, and even though Ian was still skeptical about her, he played along.

"Wh-at... Do you want to sow discord between me and my son?"

Ash looked anywhere but at the witch. Ash’s thoughts were chaotic, as was Syla’s.

The Timeless Witch did not say anything else to her but then turned to Syla,

"Would you like to relieve your son of his pain by telling us the truth on this?"

Syla narrowed his eyes at her,

’Where did this stupid witch come from?’ He thought but made no move to say anything.

Through his pain-filled mind, Prince Simon heard the Witch’s words and thought that he had a way out of the hellhole he was in, but that was sadly false.

For a fleeting moment, hope flickered in Simon’s chest. This was a way out! A chance to break free from this agony. Regret filled him to the brim, but it was already too late. Even his most prized head-guard was treating him as trash!

But then, all his mother had to do was speak the truth. Simon wasn’t confident that his father would save him from this; to him, Ash was different. Mothers were like that. Just a few words. That was all it would take to undo everything, to set things right. To make him pain-free...

He turned to her, his eyes desperate, pleading without a word, as torturous sounds escaped from his mouth.

But Ash remained silent.

Simon’s breath hitched. ’No, she wouldn’t... she couldn’t.’

But that harsh reality was that Ash did.

Even now, when new thorny vines coiled around him, she refused to speak.

The crushing weight of betrayal settled over him, his last and only chance slipping through his fingers like sand. He clenched his fists, his knuckles white with suppressed rage and anguish.

"WHYYYYY!!!!!"

His voice barely made a sound, though his mouth was wide open. The sound was lost in the deafening silence between them.

His pain didn’t matter to her. His suffering wasn’t enough to loosen her tongue. Just what had they done?

And just like that, his last hope drowned in her silence.

’Lírien Vaél! Lírien VAÉL!’ - [This is not fate! NOT FATE!! Why must my words be the key to free my son?]

’I’m sorry son, I promised your father that we would never speak of this ever for as long as we live!’ Ash thought, directing her silent plea to Simon, but did he care?

Hence, she and Syla’s thoughts mingled on the same thing as if they were having a conversation,

’Why did that bastard’s issue have to come up now?’

’Today of all days?’

’... and who is this scary brat that looks so much like him? He never had any children, did her?’

’How could he, when he had no companion....?’

’But the man seems to be human... Does that mean... no... it can’t be. He wouldn’t even sleep with Ash, whom he had known for long; why would he... with an unknown?’

’I am so glad that he died at our hands then...’

’That stupid fool was so trusting... He made our task easier for us... Thinking about that makes me feel good... but what is with this witch?’

The two looked at their hands in unison, but they failed to notice something else. The couple had no idea ...not the slightest clue .... that every single thought flitting through their minds was echoing loud and clear for all to hear.

As Faes, some were fitted with the ability to read minds, but the royals usually had a way of ensuring that this was not possible.

No one had any idea how it was possible because there was no active mind-reading involved.

Though Syla and Ash had not said a word, it was as if they were shouting at the top of their voices. The peculiar thing was that they were the only two who did not hear themselves at all.

Every detail, every fear, every silent argument they thought they were having in their heads was instead laid bare for the entire room. Even with the collective stares, the widening eyes, the barely contained shocks...none of it clued them in.

’Why is he looking at me like that?’

’I wish I could gauge his eyes out or weaken him just as I did with that stupid brother of mine!’

’He should just rot in those dungeons.... He will never get any place in the royal burial grounds! I-’

The whispers in their minds continued, oblivious to how the crowd fought to hold back their disgust and shock or how some stood in stunned silence, utterly stupefied by the unfiltered mess unravelling before them.

And then, someone coughed, then another shouted,

"Are you hearing this too? Did they kill Roman?"

A few stiff and grim nodes went around.

There was no other person that fit that description other than the missing royal, Roman.

Only then did the realization creep in. The way the room tensed, the way people looked at them, it clicked. Their thoughts weren’t private.

Their heads snapped toward each other, horror dawning simultaneously.

"You can hear me?!"

The Timeless Witch bit one fingernail and then shrugged, "You’re asking the wrong person...."

At the realization, Ash tensed, her breath hitching. She could feel their eyes on her .... a sea of silent judgment pressing down on her shoulders.

She didn’t want to look. She couldn’t. But she had no choice.

Slowly, she turned, her gaze sweeping over the room. Their faces were unreadable at first, but then.... disbelief. Anger. Betrayal.

With her family, she had been trusted. She had been believed to be the victim; the one whole fiancée had left her, but no one could believe that there was this back story. Ash’s chest tightened. It seemed that she had more guilt than he did. A murmur of fury rippled through the crowd again, making Ash swallow hard, her hands clenching at her sides.

For the first time in her life, she felt truly alone, especially looking at the sly look in Syla’s eyes. How could she not know?

"Do you want to be free?" The Timeless Witch asked Simon mischievously, just at that moment.

"You can put one of the curses on your mother.... Just say the words, and you will be free..."

Through Simon’s pain, he had heard everything. He didn’t even know how to stomach the information!

Tempers were rising in the room because of the new information they had heard, and to no one’s surprise, Simon did say the ’magic words!’

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