Chapter 190 - For My Queen
Florencia took Elliot to a back alley where no one would usually pass through. Elliot felt the uneasiness in Florencia's aura and whatever that had happened to the girl, or whatever she may heard, must've been really shocking.
"Elliot, it's about the villagers from Cilca…" Florencia trailed off, taking a deep breath.
"Florencia, I'm calm, just tell me anything," Elliot said, to which neither of them believed. His aura was pulsating, it was screaming kill and it was screaming the desire to know.
"You know, Christina ran away from home, right? Even when her father basically threw her out when she became the rain woman thing, her disappearance would still be ruled out as her just running away."
"Royals and nobles are always like that," Elliot said with an intent of venom in his voice. "They always want to come clean and not want to get their hands dirty or their reputations to be trampled on. Do, what's Christina got to do anything with the Cilcans?"
Even Florencia who knew that the words weren't directed to her could feel the sting that was bluntly implied within them. Elliot wasn't holding back his words anymore.
"Elliot, Christina's disappearance was plotted," Florencia said that almost made Elliot's world stopped. Just when he thought that his new friend had betrayed him, Florencia continued. "It was their aim all along to rule out Christina as gone so they could marry their second daughter to the lord."
"Just when I thought they couldn't sink any lower," Elliot seethed. "And you're still not saying their connection to the Cilcans."
"Well, someone saw Christina with the Cilcans when we got to Alorde. And they reported it to the Royal Guards…"
Christina was speaking but there was a buzzing in Elliot's ear, making every noise that enter his head hazy. He wasn't hearing anything, but he could feel a strong feeling inside of him pop out like a volcano.
"Elliot?"
"Elliot!"
"Elliot!" He felt a slight pain in his face. "Elliot!"
As if he was pulled from the depths of the icy waters, Elliot awoke, seeing Lance in front of him, clutching his collar and raising his hand. He then felt the sting in his cheek, he touched it and saw that it was a from a slap.
"Why the hell?!" Elliot wanted to argue but Lance pointed at the walls in the alley.
There were scratches, no sword marks on the cemented stones. It looked as if two strong beasts with swords partied on the alley, slashing their sword on the walls like they were decorating it.
Looking at Lance's raised hand, Elliot saw the blood dripping from his white long sleeve. He wore a black and white dress shirt that was parted in the middle. His chest plate was nowhere to be found so he was almost vulnerable.
"L-Lance…" Elliot trailed off. "What happened?"
"You happened," Connor said. He walked up to Elliot with something bloodied up in his hands. Connor offered his hands, showing Elliot a bird that was cut in half, separating its breast from its tail.
"I-I did that?" Elliot stuttered. "Florencia?! Is she okay?"
Lance took a step aside, letting Elliot see a small black and white fortress, Florencia curling inside it, trembling in fear.
"I blacked out," Elliot said. "I didn't know what happened. I just didn't hear Florencia anymore and then…"
There were tears welling on Elliot's eyes. Lance and Connor could even see the fear in them, his pupils dilating rapidly as he was struggling to find answers to his questions.
"It's fine," Lance said. "Let's bury this bird together and talk about what happened to the Cilcans. Is that okay?"
"Okay," Elliot sighed. "But your hand…"
"Don't worry about it," Lance smiled. "We have tons of healers in the guild. Let's bury this bird first."
Lance placed his hand on Elliot's back, guiding the confused boy. His other hand was hidden behind him, flicking his two fingers that lifted the barrier up from Florencia.
Ed hurriedly ran to the girl, kneeling in front of her to calm her down.
"Are you okay?" Ed asked. "Florencia, you should forget this happened, okay?"
Florencia was confused momentarily, still taking everything in. Not a few moments later, she nodded, knowing it might get Elliot in trouble if someone else would know that he almost hurt a noble like her.
"I thought I was going to die," Florencia sniffled. "What was that attack? I never saw something like it. It was like he was all over the place. Like he was the wind itself, but was slashing his sword in his path."
"Shhh," Ed cooed. "You're okay."
"I saw life flash before my very eyes when I felt him slashing his sword just a few inches from me. I swear…"
"Shh," Ed held her back, knowing his limits and guided the girl to the guild's back door and into their infirmary. "Shh, everything is okay."
–
"Everything is not okay!" Christina's voice rang loudly around the hall. She slammed her hands on the table, glaring at the men that was sitting around the round wooden table.
"They did nothing wrong, so why are they in the palace's dungeons?!" Christina yelled. "I don't believe you, father."
"You abandoned us when you lost control of your magic and then you decide to do whatever you want after we saved you from those petty commoners?!" her father's voice boomed even louder than hers. This time, it was his clenched fist that was slammed into the table, breaking it in half that made all the men stood and back away.
"My blood runs through you, remember that wench," the Lord's voice spoke with a sharp tone. "You will do as I say and go back into your room."
"Fine!" Christina yelled. "But only after you release them."
"Then don't count on it," he replied. "Back to your room!"
"I will kill you," Christina whispered. She made sure they saw her mutter something under her breath, but not loud enough for them to hear anything.
"What did you say?" Her father narrowed her eyes.
"Nothing," Christina said, turning around and walking out of the conference room, making sure to slam the door as hard as she could as she did.
"My Lord…" the treasurer cried. "Your daughter has been getting worse and worse, my lord. What shall we do?"
"Nothing," the lord said and sat back on his chair. He touched the broken table and, making the part where it split glow and connected them back together.
"She's not even your real daughter," the head builder said. "Why is it that you are keeping her, my lord?"
The lord raised his hand in his chest level, promting for everyone as he muttered something under his breath.
"For my Queen."