CHAPTER 453: DENIAL

Abrielle didn’t know the last time she slept so well since the night of the victory banquet. Her limbs felt heavy and sore, the kind of exhaustion that sank deep into her bones.

That was how she spent out she felt. Abrielle heard light clinking sounds causing her to stir awake. Her eyes immediately fell on the side table beside her bed opposite the window. She saw a familiar figure she hadn’t seen in a while by her bed.

"Evelyn," she called out. Her brows furrowed. Abrielle was surprised to see Evelyn here. How did she even get to this room? She wondered. Her head felt fuzzy and the last thing she remembered was talking to Aurelius in front of the door while waiting for the emperor to attend to Cedric’s injuries.

Evelyn heard Abrielle, her shoulders stiffened for a bit before she glanced at her. "Your highness, you are finally awake." She chimed. Abrielle struggled to sit up. Her back was being supported by the headboard

She had a very nasty headache that made her head pound. "My head feels like a mess." She complained then grabbed her throbbing temple.

"It is the side effect of the sleeping spell. Prince Aurelius had to force you to sleep." Evelyn explained. Abrielle glanced towards Evelyn’s direction being drawn by the scent of freshly brewed tea the maid was holding

"This will help with the headache." Evelyn offered. She nodded, then accepted the teacup without hesitation. The tea was lemon in colour and had a strong vibrant aroma she could not remember.

She tilted the brim of the cup to her lips to take a sip. The warm liquid felt like magic, Abrielle felt her muscles instantly relaxing. Her mind was clear now but it felt like she was missing something. "Cedric," she muttered.

Then turn to Evelyn passing her the cup. "Have you heard anything about him?" She asked Evelyn who slowly shook her head.

"I was only instructed by Prince Aurelius to look over you," Evelyn answered, making Abrielle feel greatly disturbed. She suspected Evelyn was not going to know much in the first place.

She felt restless.

There was this sense of impending doom she couldn’t shrug off when she woke up. Abrielle didn’t say a word more and got off the bed. "I need to check up on his condition."

From the window, she could see the mix of orange hues in the sky showing how many hours had passed by. The sky would be turning dark any second from now.

"I was instructed to let you rest. You need to take a break, Your Highness." Evelyn suggested.

Her heart squeezed seeing Abrielle’s condition. Although she didn’t know enough details as a servant, she knew there was something serious going on with the prince since their battle at Vesper. The princess had been overworking herself since then to personally attend to him.

"I will rest when needed. I am your mistress and not Aurelius. Know who your loyalty belongs to." Her voice was sharp and firm.

*******

The sky was already pitch black. Abrielle’s footsteps echoed through the walls of the empty hallway. Her hands grabbed her dress as she ran down. Evelyn had tried to persuade her to rest more but she could not sit still until she saw Cedric.

She arrived at the room she shared with her husband. From outside she couldn’t hear a thing or feel anything indicating the use of magic. It was safe to assume Emperor Silvanius was done

With no guard in sight, she pushed the door open herself. The lights from the hallway fell on the bed. Her heart spiked a beat once her eyes fell on the figure gasping for air on the bed.

"Cedric!!" She called out, and her feet moved on their own to his side. Cedric could not hear her, his entire body felt completely numb and he could barely breathe because his lungs were too heavy.

Abrielle got more anxious seeing he wasn’t responding, just staring blankly at the ceiling with his lips parted as he struggled to breathe.

"Cedric—please—say something. Anything. Don’t do this to me. What is happening to you?" Her voice choked, and several questions rambled out.

He didn’t answer.

She still felt the familiar sparks when she touched him. This didn’t put her at ease, something didn’t feel right.

His eyes looked dead and didn’t react to any light.

What was going on? His condition was meant to improve. That didn’t seem to be the case, it felt like he got ten times worse.

"Cedric, it is me, Abrielle. Can you hear me? Just blink or do anything." She begged him, her anxiety was taking over. Her heart was thudding loudly.

Cedric could not see her. In his last moment, he was deprived of the right to see her face once more.

His body has become completely numb, and his eyes have failed to see. He could only hear her voice anxiously calling out. He could not even move his eyelids to close them, and tears streamed down his face.

" I am sorry, Abrielle. " He said the most heartbreaking thing she has ever heard. It seemed like their final farewell. Tears rolled down her cheeks without her even realising.

"Why are you saying sorry? Something is wrong. I will go tell Aurelius and find the emperor." She cried out in denial. Cedric knew the emperor could not do anything. The emperor tried for hours with no results.

Even when it seemed like the grim reaper was by his bedside waiting for his last breath, he didn’t want to break her hope. "I will be waiting." He replied. She smiled, but her eyes were dead.

Abrielle placed a quick kiss on his forehead before she bolted for the door. He should have held her hand and stopped her from leaving. Cedric knew he might not even hear her voice again but maybe it was better she didn’t get to hear his last breath.

"I am sorry you were cursed by my love." He whispered at her exit.

She ran as fast as her legs could move until she got to Aurelius’s study. She entered without knocking.

Her lungs had run out of air, and she was gasping with sweat trickling down her face. "Aurelius," she called out.

She tried to catch her breath as she reached the study—but it was empty. No Aurelius. Panic sharpened her senses. The balcony door stood ajar, curtains fluttering. She bolted toward it.

No one was on the balcony.

A strong sense of dread filled her mind. Then, as if the wind was speaking to her, it blew across her hair, making her turn in a particular direction to shield her eyes from the wind. "Aurelius," she blurted.

Her eyes caught sight of him, and he seemed to be arguing with the emperor in the garden below. She quickly left the balcony to the study, heading for the exit.

On her way out, her eyes noticed something that piqued her attention earlier. It was strange and distracted her for a moment. Abrielle stopped then took a few steps to Aurelius’s desk where a framed picture was kept

It was a drawing of a lady. Her hands reached

out for it. "Who is this?" She asked, unable to believe her eyes.

.