Episode 13.2

Even though I should be safe here, I hardly close my eyes, just like in the past few nights. If it's not the pain keeping me awake, it's the thought that someone might sneak into my room again to kill me.

I know it's nonsense; after all, the two warriors stand guard outside my door. What could possibly happen to me?

Slowly, I close my eyes again and try to sleep. This time, it's a beam of light falling through the open door that prevents me from drifting off. Someone has entered my room.

Is it morning already? I wonder as the light in the room is turned on. If it's Tarisa bringing me my food, I'll have to disappoint her this time. I simply don't have an appetite right now.

The door closes again, and I sit up to see who has entered my room. But it's not Tarisa bringing me my food this time. With wide eyes, I see the brunette girl whose green eyes are fixed on the bowl she's holding.

My gaze is confused. What is going on? I ask myself. Why is she here?

A slight fear rises within me, especially after last night's conversation. Given my accusations, she would hardly bring me my food out of kindness, considering how angry she seemed about it.

"Tarisa is unfortunately unavailable, so I am taking over her duties today." A pleasant smile rests on her lips. Far too pleasant, especially since she usually looks at me with a venomous glare. And that's exactly what arouses my suspicion.

But I'm good at acting too.

My confused expression vanishes, replaced by a smile, my suspicion hidden. "Would you please put my food on the table," I ask her. "I'm not hungry yet."

Tosa steps beside my bed, her concerned gaze on me. "But you need to eat so you can recover quickly."

If I didn't know her otherwise, I would believe her concern, but now it only heightens my mistrust. I just can't imagine she has forgotten last night's conversation. She was so angry; this concern doesn't fit. She would probably be happy if I suffered.

"I can recover in an hour too," I say, curious about her reaction.

"The porridge is freshly cooked; it tastes best now," she responds, keeping the smile on her lips. "Later, it loses a lot of its flavor, which is why the authorities and our ruler schedule their breaks around when the kitchen finishes cooking." She winks at me, but I remain stubborn.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't want anything right now."

"But..." Tosa no longer looks as pleasant as before. Her voice sounds impatient, as if she's tired of arguing with me. "You have to eat something!"

Now I'm even more stubborn. Something must be wrong with the food if she's so insistent that I eat.

My gaze now fills with suspicion. "But I don't want to eat!"

No matter what Otscharsan thinks, Tosa is involved in the poisoning attack, I'm sure of it, and she's proving it to me now.

"If you won't eat willingly, I'll have to force you!" Her voice doesn't sound like that of a cold-blooded killer, just as her gaze shows genuine regret.

Slowly, she places the bowl on the table next to me. My body tenses, and fear rises within me.

"So I am right!" I shout. Even though my voice is just a croak, it reveals how I start trembling with fear. "You and that Kyle are behind the poisoning and the attacks on me!"

Her nod is completely unnecessary. "Yes, you're right! About everything!" Her gaze turns serious as she looks at me. "Kyle instructed me to poison Torso's food, but since he tends to eat fruits on the station rather than the meals we prepare for him, I poisoned the drinking water." Something I can confirm, given how often Akara offered me a second helping before the poisoning incident. "But that didn't work out." A smile flashes across her lips, more pained than happy. "You were unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"The poison was in the pendant!" I interject, slowly sitting up.

"Exactly!" She nods. "Kyle told those idiots something about the bracelet and also tried to kill you in the infirmary. But you were saved by those monsters."

I don't have time to think about the motive now.

I want to jump up, to get to safety, but she throws herself at me. Pain shoots through my ribs as her weight presses down on them. I scream out loud in pain.