Page 100 of War of Her Heart

“What? What is it?” I asked, confused by her presence.

She pointed at the empty spot next to me in the bed.

Bash had come back after retrieving Adar yesterday and proceeded to profusely apologize for leaving me with him. His apologies grew better the further into the night we went. Even when we spent most of the night up doing other things, Bash always seemed to be up and out of my room before me. I didn’t think he slept much at all, but I knew something was wrong this time.

“Where is he?” I asked as I sat up from the bed.

Danger.

The one word she signed had me on my feet throwing my clothes on that were scattered across the floor from where I had thrown them off yesterday.

Yara flew down the hall as I ran after her.

Bash. I said down the bond. Silence was all that returned. I could barely feel him. Something was very wrong. I knew he used a lot of his power to protect me, but he told me he was fine.

I had chosen to believe him because the truth would’ve been far scarier. Now I was living in that nightmare.

Yara stopped when we reached the front door and pointed for me to continue. I followed the little bit of pull that I could feel to find him.

I ran through the front gates and deep into the woods. I had never been outside of the castle walls alone before, but any creature I could possibly run into didn’t scare me right now.

I’d burn anything or anyone that stood between us.

I stopped at the edge of the woods to see hundreds of armed guards standing everywhere facing the center of a field. I pushed past a few rows to see what they were surrounding.

None of the soldiers batted an eye as I pushed past them. Their attention was fully focused on something.

When I got my eyes on Bash, I froze. He was on his knees, covered in blood, with a member of his Guard holding a knife to his neck. Adar was next to him held in the same position by another soldier.

Bash’s eyes rose towards me. I knew he sensed me there. His eyes widened when he met mine.

Leave, he said down the bond.

What’s happening?

The soldiers around me still seemed to not realize I was there standing within them. Or they didn’t care.

A small, weak female didn’t bother them.

Violet.Even down our bond, it was barely a whisper.Please find Bronwen and leave. You will be safe with her.

Before I could say anything back, the soldiers on the far end parted to let someone through. Lilian, Nathara, Celine, and Calum. My father followed him closely behind.

Calum was in his formal attire with his crown on his head, something that rarely made an appearance unless it was a very important event. Nathara wore a formal black gown that was almost identical to the white wedding dress she had tried on and a crown to match.

It wasn’t wedding day yet. No, this was something much worse.

I tucked myself behind a soldier to ensure they didn’t see me.

As they moved in closer, I realized the crown Nathara wore wasn’t a small crown that a consort wore to match their Sovereign.

It was Bash’s crown.

My stomach dropped as I realized what this was. Nathara was claiming her birthright the only way she could.

By taking down Bash.

They stopped when they were standing in front of him.

---