CHAPTER 2
"What's wrong?", I instantly got up. Elijah reached me, his face white, and I could feel dread grip every bone of my body. Elijah was not normally agitated by something, so something important would've happened to distress him.
"He knows", Elijah whispered.
"Who knows", asked Lena, but I went slack, there could only be one he who could instil this fear in Elijah. He didn't reply to Lena's question, just looked at me, apprehension clouding his face.
"The king"
Lena stared at me, worry in her eyes. I nodded again,"The king knows". I had stopped calling him my father a long time ago. The only times I referred to him was as king or in words not meant to be heard by any ears.
"But how?, it's not possible"
Lena's query forced me out of my reverie. That was not even my primary concern. The question was what would we do now. I looked at Elijah again, and with a jolt I realized that he was in the most danger of us all. The king couldn't kill his own daughter. It would bring up far too many unnecessary rumours. He didn't know about Lena's involvement, and I sent a mental thanks to above.
The Sun shone through the windows, making this winter day uncommonly warm. I briefly prayed for Lena's safety, then turned back to Elijah.
"You have to go" I told him firmly.
"Not happening" he responded with the equal resolution.
I levelled him with a glare,"You will do as I say". Lena's mouth opened with shock. I didn't often use my royal voice, as she liked to call it. But I knew Elijah wouldn't listen unless I did.
He still didn't waver.
Burning Sol, this man was even more stubborn than I was.
"Please, Elijah, you have to go". I pleaded with him. "You know what the king will do now. I won't let that happen". I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose him. The man who was my father in all the ways that had mattered. His eyes softened as if hearing my thoughts, but he remained firm.
"I can't go, it won't even matter if I did", he told me gently.
"Of course, it will matter. You will live!" I almost shouted. Lena put her hand on my shoulder and I tried to calm myself. She glanced at me, then turned to Elijah and asked him softly.
"Why do you think it won't matter, Elijah?"
"Because I'm already dying. I sent word to my family. They are already on their way out of the capital. But I can't go. I don't have much time anyway. Lord Caverly he offered me a drink in front of the king. I couldn't refuse it, so I finished. As I left the room, he said…"
He trailed off, glancing at both of us.
"What did he say?" Lena prodded him. I just stayed quiet and stared at him.
"He said that Solani tastes just like wine to most".
I heard Lena gasp, but I couldn't process it. My head was spinning. Solani was the most painful poison available here. I had seen people who were injected with it plead for death. To think that Elijah was given it made by blood boil with rage and my heart thunder with fear. He was going to die, and I was useless, completely useless against it.
I blinked my tears away and looked him in the eyes. There was no resentment, no pain, no fear. Just acceptance. It made me shake with fury at the people who had done this. I moved towards the door in my haze, but stopped as I watched him fall to the ground. Sinking down to my knees, I cradled his head in my lap. Lena took his hand, and we watched him take deep gulps of air.
Then he lost consciousness.
I just watched him for a long time, unable to tear my gaze away.
He wasn't dead yet. No, the poison took several hours to spread. Otherwise, it wouldn't be as painful.
We moved him to the bead with much difficulty and sat there for hours hearing his breaths grow laboured, watching his body convulse in pain.
When he opened his eyes, I knew it was the last time those warm eyes would look at me. I choked back tears as he spoke to us in gasps.
Looking at Lena, he whispered
"Show them light, Lena. Don't let your flame die."
Then he turned to me, his words unnaturally steady
"But you, Estelle, You give them hell."
As I watched the light leave his eyes, I vowed that I would.