Page 69 of Villainess's Redemption
Anderic?What in seven hells was the golden prince doing here? And why did he sound so… concerned?
I tried to respond, to squeeze his hand, to do anything - but my body refused to cooperate. Frustration welled up, threatening to choke me.
“Your Highness, perhaps we should let her rest. The poison-”
“No.” Anderic’s voice was sharp, brooking no argument. “I’m not leaving her side until she wakes up properly.”
Poison? Oh, right. The wine.Memories flickered through my mind - the greenhouse, Queen Felicia’s tea party, my desperate attempt at avoiding suspicion. It all seemed so distant now, like a half-remembered dream.
“As you wish, Your Highness. But please, try not to agitate her. Her condition is still quite delicate.”
I almost wanted to laugh at the situation I had created myself but my body spasmed with pain again as my breath leaked from my lungs.
Through the white-hot pain, a warm hand clasped mine, surprisingly gentle for someone I’d always seen as cold and calculating. “I know you’re in there, Lya,” Anderic murmured, his voice so low I could barely hear it. “You’re too stubborn to let a little poison keep you down. Fight this. Come back to m- to us.”
Was that a hint of vulnerability I detected? Surely not. The ever-composed Prince Anderic couldn’t possibly be worried aboutme, of all people… could he?
But then I remembered how he cradled my body in his arms, the desperation in his voice. Not everything can be an act, right?
Agony. Searing, all-consuming pain coursed through my veins like liquid fire. I wanted to scream, to thrash, to do anything to make it stop. But my body refused to cooperate,leaving me trapped in a prison of agony as I wavered between consciousness and oblivion, each moment a battle to stay awake.
I must have lost consciousness again as the fog in my mind slowly cleared, snippets of conversation drifted to my ears. The voices were familiar, but in my addled state, I couldn’t quite place them.
“What have you found out?” The first voice was crisp, and authoritative. Anderic, my barely functioning brain supplied.
What is he still doing here? How is that even allowed? I’m married to his cousin for God’s sake—even though the marriage is a sham. Speaking of my marriage, where is my husband when I need him to throw away his cousin? It’s not like I ask much of him anyway. What is Laurel doing even?
“We’ve been questioning her, but she hasn’t said anything yet.” That gruff tone could only belong to Lennox, Anderic’s ever-present shadow. “But we found out that she started working in the palace last week in place of another maid who suddenly died. I suspect she had something to do with her death too.”
That’s new information I didn’t have from my past. Then again not much was released about the poisoning to the public. They even made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. Obviously, they didn’t want anyone to panic.
“Do we know any personal information about her apart from her name?” Anderic asked, a hint of frustration coloring his words, his usual calmness gone.
“No, we checked her address and it was a sham too. Her identity might be forged as well, I suspect.”
Oh, they were good. “She” had done a thorough job of covering their tracks. I almost felt a grudging admiration for their efficiency if I wasn’t at the receiving end of the poison.
“Find out whatever you can about her.” Anderic’s voice had taken on a hard edge, anger simmering just beneath the surface.
Silence fell, and for a moment, I thought they had left. But then Lennox spoke again, his voice uncharacteristically subdued. I could feel their gazes on me. “This lady Ilyana seems so different from the one I knew. I still can’t believe she took the poison herself. The dosage was lethal. If Her Highness had taken it…”
The voices faded away as darkness crept in once more. But this time, I fought against it. I needed answers, damn it. What changed this time? And did their opinion about me change? Was I free of suspicion?I don’t want to wake up to see Anderic look at me with suspicion again.
With monumental effort, I forced my eyes open. The world swam into focus, revealing an ornate ceiling adorned with intricate gold leaf patterns. Definitely not my chambers, then. The mattress beneath me was obscenely soft, softer than the one in my bed. The lavish royal bed-chamber swam into focus - all gilded moldings and plush fabrics that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. Not thatthatwas saying much these days.
Where the hell was I?
I turned my head, wincing at the stabbing pain the movement caused. Anderic sat in a chair beside the bed, his golden curls disheveled and dark circles marring the skin beneath his eyes and the look in his eyes. He looked… terrifying. That lunatic! Was he angry at me? Did he think I poisoned his mother?
Oh God! Even almost dying didn’t convince him?
“You’re awake,” he said, relief evident in his voice. Relief? “How do you feel?”
I opened my mouth to prove my innocence, but all that came out was a pathetic croak. Anderic quickly reached for a glass of water on the bedside table, gently lifting my head to help me drink.
As the cool liquid soothed my parched throat, I couldn’t help but wonder, when had the infuriating prince become so… attentive? And more importantly, why did I find myself not entirely hating it?
“I didn’t do it,” I finally managed to choke out, my throat still raw as sandpaper.
