CHAPTER 149: DESPICABLE

I closed the distance between us in a heartbeat. "Enough..." I said in a heavy tone. "I’m done listening to you gloat like a child."

"It’ll never be enough. You tried to take my future from me, and now I’ll take yours. The prize is having to rub it all over your face."

"Did you think I wanted any of this? To be on the tail with a sorry excuse of a person like you? Nor thrust into the castle of horrors, where I have to fight for my life every day? Do I enjoy any of this? NO!"

Sloane wasn’t shaken by my outburst. She enjoyed it, and I just wanted to claw at her face with my nails.

"Poor Eloise, does life bore you already? It’s going to be okay, trust me." She cupped my cheek. "I know Damon will take good care of you when you marry him."

Marry him?

"The Dowager told me not to say anything, but I got too excited." She released my cheek. "So there you have it... your future."

I inhaled, turning away from her as pressure gripped my entire body.

"Are you alright, Eloise?" She asked with humor in her tone.

"I’d like to retire for the day."

"But I can’t allow that, there is still work to be done. Dowager’s orders."

I turned my bloodshot eyes to her, and she only smiled broadly.

"We must do our best to welcome the Fates."

~•~

Solitude or to curl up somewhere to wish the world did not exist was out of the question, thanks to Sloane. It was frustrating how she took charge, and she used it to torment me without sparing a single moment.

I knew she was representing the Dowager, but I could already see what awaited me two days from now.

I was in a state of hurt, disarray, and exhaustion. My head was spinning, like the entire world was closing in on me, but I tried my best to hold on, to what? Maybe the little sanity I had left.

My day turned far worse because I couldn’t get the image of Drevon off my mind. The more I thought about it, the more fear was coiled into my bones. The thought of losing him forever.

Maybe I already did when he found Damon feeding me.

Maybe I already did when that old hag planned to marry me off to Damon like I was some doll to be toss around. It’s happening again, hell, it was worse than the day Father announced my marriage.

Was I even in person in their eyes? To be tossed from one brother to another, of course, they wouldn’t think about it because it was the... human.

What did Drevon think about it? Did he know what his mother tried to do?

"Are you alright?"

I heard Diana’s voice, but I was too lost to reply.

I felt her take my hand, and my mind was grounded.

"Did you know?"

"About what?"

"The Dowager’s attempts to marry me off to Damon, when Sloane is made queen."

Diana stepped into my line of vision, her eyes wide in shock. "How could she do such a thing? Drevon will not allow it!"

I wish I could say that too, but after what happened, I think everything fell apart. My relationship with Drevon was not strained, but fading.

I instinctively rubbed my hand on my mark.

"How are things here?"

Dowager stepped into the hall, stern eyes roaming the fully decorated hall, a smile on her lips as she saw the moonflowers covering most of the scenery.

"Wonderful, Sloane! You did well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I did my best."

"This is beyond your best. You’ll make a fine queen. I’m sure the moonflower you’ll plant will bloom more than mine."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves."

"What do you mean? You should be proud of yourself and be happy."

"Yes, but..." Her eyes met mine. "I feel bad..."

"Why should you? You shouldn’t bother yourself with something trivial. It is for the good of the empire that you will take your rightful place."

"Is it also Eloise’s rightful place beside Damon?" Diana spoke up.

"What did you say?"

"Diana..." I whispered. "Stop."

But she didn’t listen, stepping forward. "You are the mother of the empire, and yet you do something as despicable as this."

Murmurs rang from the others.

"Your Highness, you’re being disrespectful to the Dowager!" Sloane interjected.

"Disrespectful?" she sneered. "Was she worthy of any respect in the first place? If she’s willing to destroy a woman’s life for her own—"

A smack echoed through the air. The Dowager had struck Diana on the cheek.

"The audacity of you speaking in my presence, speaking for this lowlife? Have you betrayed your own family?"

"Family?" Diana faced her mother, her cheek red. "Were we ever one? Was I ever your daughter?"

Silence followed before the Dowager cast a look around. "You’re all dismissed!"

Everyone left the hall in a hurry. The Dowager took one look at both of us before turning on her heels and striding out with Sloane following behind.

"You shouldn’t have done that."

"Just like you shouldn’t have talked back to Sloane. Take this as a thank you, just with a bonus." She placed her hand on her red cheek and hissed.

"Come..." I placed my hands on her shoulders and led her to a seat.

I walked to the table where refreshments were laid out, grabbed some ice, and piled them in a napkin and tied. My shoe echoed as I neared Diana and sat in front of her. I pressed the ice on her cheek, and she sighed in relief.

"Better?"

"Hmm..." She took the wrap from me, her hand brushing against mine briefly. "You’re warm," she murmured in confession. "You were cold as ice this morning."

"Seems like it..." I said.

Damon’s blood must have warmed the ice within me.

"Come what may... whatever the Fates decide, know that you will always have my support. I’ll fight for you."

"Thank you, Diana."

She took my hand in a tight hold. "Drevon will never give up on you either."

I forced a smile.