Chapter 2

Elora slept for hours on the bed, sprawled without care of her image, while the maids outside anxiously peered through the broken wall.

"Is Her Majesty okay? Why hasn't she woken up? It's almost midnight," one whispered, hinting that someone should call the doctor. Her eyes flashed a with strange light as she looked at the Queen.

"Do you think her Majesty might be sick? This can't be done," the other maid reacted, rushing down the hallway with the intent to fetch the healer as quickly as possible.

Once alone, the remaining maid's gaze darkened with murderous intent. She stared at Elora's rising chest and wondered why the poison hadn't worked.

What was she going to tell her employer? She needed to get those life stones. Her eyes gleamed with greed as she moved swiftly.

Inside the room, she pulled out a dagger hidden in her clothes and stabbed at the sleeping queen.

Expecting blood, she instead found Elora dodging in her sleep, leaving the blade to pierce only the pillows.

The maid frowned, assuming the queen had just been lucky. She stabbed ruthlessly again, but once more, she still met the same result.

Drool slipped from Elora's lips as she snorted and sank deeper into sleep, vexing the assassin even further.

Frustration built in the maid's face; she had to finish this before the other maid returned with the healer.

Her hands glowed as strange symbols appeared, her lips chanting unintelligible words. Wooden veins came to life, snaking towards Elora's neck to strangle her.

In her dream, Elora felt a weird sensation on her neck and frowned, swatting the source away. The force flung the maid against the wall, snapping her neck instantly. She died with her eyes wide open.

Elora, still dreaming, thought she simply swatted away a pesky fly disturbing her sleep. She turned over, settling into a more comfortable position, completely unaware that she just killed someone.

Twenty minutes later, the other maid returned with the healer and two other guards. As they reached the room the guard's eyes widened at the sight of the dead maid and the dagger on the floor.

One guard reacted quickly, casting sealing magic around the room so tight that not even a fly could escape.

The other guard's eyes sharpened as she turned to the two figures.

"Speak. Were you working with her to murder the queen?" Her spell shifted into the form of a whip, circling their throats, promising to tear them apart if they didn't start talking.

The maid knelt on the ground with fear. It was a grave crime to attempt to assassinate the queen, and if caught, her entire family would be burned alive with soul-corroding flames.

Her head hit the ground repeatedly as she sobbed, tears and snot mixing as he pleaded for mercy.

"I swear on God of light, I know nothing of this! I only sought the healer because Her Majesty had been asleep for too long. Please believe!" She begged but the guards remained skeptical. The queen only allowed her closest maid to be near her when she was in her quarters. Why had this one acted now?

The healer trembled with fear, cursing his bad luck to be involved in a murder plot against the queen, who made him be on duty today?

He shivered when he saw the cold eyes of the guards on his body and knew it was his turn to prove himself innocent. And from the maid's case, he sensed her words were not believed by them.

"I was simply on duty when the maid rushed in, requesting treatment for the queen. I know nothing of this!" He tried as much as possible to make his words as clear and stable as he could manage, hoping they believed him, or else he was as good as dead. Healers like him were not rare in the Palaverda kingdom, after all.

Elora stirred at the noise around her, feeling annoyed in her dream.

(somebody save me; I am still young, I haven't married yet. I can't die now...whoo hoo...) She moaned, irritated by the voices in her ears.

"Quite," She muttered, turning over in bed to fall back asleep. (We, your loyal guards, failed you! We deserve punishment- destroy our magic chamber!) The words grew louder, forcing her to open her eyes.

Her silver hair cascaded over her back, and her nightgown slipped from her shoulders as she gazed groggily at the people bowing before her. "Didn't I say be quiet?" She drawled, still half-asleep.

(Your most beautiful Majesty, please free your subject, whoo hoo....I know nothing of your assassination plot- I'm just a poor healer.) Elora groaned, the sound pounding in her head, and glanced at the group angrily, only to realize none of them moved their lips.

She flopped back into bed, thinking she was imagining things and needed more sleep when another voice rang in her head.

(Useless. Why isn't she dead yet? I gave her enough time to kill the queen. so bowing, groveling, and acting to remove herself from doubt was for nothing.) Elora frowned when she heard that voice, and sleep cleared away from her eyes; she focused her mind on that voice and heard more.

(She swore on the God of light, knowing it would hinder her magic advancement. But for wealth, who cares? She had not advanced in magic for years. I will plead innocent with the queen, she trusts me after serving her for years, then bid my time and look for the opportunity to strike.) Her thoughts flowed freely, completely unaware that Elora was listening.

Elora surveyed the room; she spotted the dead maid on the ground, the guards looking ashamed, and the healer on the verge of tears. Then her eyes stopped on the groveling maid; her forehead bloodied from banging against the floor.

Had Elora not heard her thoughts, she might have believed the maid was innocent of the plot against her life.

On her first day here, someone already wants her dead. She thought as a tired sigh left her lips, turning their attention to her.