Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Terrible lie

Verbena

"Speak, girl," the prince demanded.

"What do you mean when you say the person responsible is here?" asked the short-haired woman warrior.

I trembled; this was worse than I had imagined. After five years of training to live in a constant state of alert and prepare for adversity, my mind saw threats everywhere. It was like a bell tolling again and again, warning that danger was near. Fire, cold, wolves, the current of a river – it could be anything. The prince was cruel; he was my executioner. He had left me, abandoning me to my fate. But this Gabriella Bloom... They knew... I was certain of it.

Everyone there was the same: elves who supported these atrocities. I staggered backward, my weak legs forcing me to brace myself against a wall.

"I only want to help and understand," she said, lifting her hand toward me. "I am Briar, protector of His Majesty," she explained. Then I understood. They still clung to the idea that my attackers had been someone else. Or were they trying to make me believe that?

"Sire, you – " I began, but the red-haired fae interrupted me.

"My prince, it is clear that the human is not of sound mind," she said.

"Let her speak. That is why she has come here," said the other man.

"What do you mean, Gabriella? Do you know something I don't?" the prince asked.

"She a disturbed girl. Isn't it obvious? Just look at her!" She pointed at me. My heart pounded like a cornered animal, ready to strike. "She is unwell. She should be in a place where they can care for her mental health issues. Not here, beside Your Majesty. She could be dangerous."

"I find it hard to believe that a young human could be dangerous," the prince insisted.

"My prince, do you remember what occurred at my family's home? How is it that we still don't know what happened to the others? She was the only survivor. You must be careful. Briar, you must protect him!" the red-haired pressed. The warrior visibly tensed. Now, they were debating whether I was a threat. Even Moss joined in.

I could not take it anymore. Did they truly think I was capable of harming them? Did they think I was crazy? That I was dangerous? I suddenly screamed, and silence fell. Then my words spilled from my lips like acid.

"You abandoned me, left me alone, exposed to the dangers of the world." Every gaze snapped toward me. The prince’s blue eyes were wide with shock now.

"Miss..." Briar said. I moved forward, shaking and dragging one foot along the floor.

"You are the one who hurt me. You condemned me to a marriage and were more than happy to let me die.” The prince’s face hardened into a mask of irritation. Surprise gave way to rage.

"How dare you say such things?" he roared. "I sent you away so that you could come of age!" he shouted, stepping closer.

"In five years, you never checked on me or looked for me. You didn't care where I was, not even because of that stupid prophecy," I said. Even the short-haired fae rose to his feet. The prince radiated an aura that seemed to weigh on everyone in the room. Yet, I continued, trembling with fury.

“You do not know what you are saying…”

"It seems the human has quite a lot to say," Gabriella cut in, peering out from behind the prince. "Why don't you explain why you burned my family's house? What happened to the workers?" The question knocked the breath from me.

"What...?"

"Can't you see that this human is not well? Where are the people who worked at the Bloom estate? The maids, the gardeners, the stable hands, and the horses?” What did you do? Who did you ally yourself with to wipe them all out? How was your life spared?"

My mind went blank. This could not be happening. The prince watched me intently, as did everyone else.

"There was no one. I arrived alone. The soldiers who took me—"

"The soldiers who took you left you with servants, or so they claim," the prince said, looking at me as if I were a liar. I could not believe it. I brushed my fingers over the necklace on my wrist, Tori’s necklace, my only comfort. Five years of suffering, abuse, and hunger, dismissed in minutes, as if they had never existed. I swallowed my tears and clenched my fists.

"I...I didn't..." I muttered.

"You see, my prince? I´ll call it pure... madness," Gabriella stated. The others stared at me as if I were a strange creature.

"Enough lies, Verbena. Tell the truth,” the prince snapped. I looked at him in horror. They truly did not believe me.

"There was nothing, the house was abandoned. They left me alone...the house burned...I don't know how," I whispered.

"And where is the proof, human?" she demanded. I had nothing to say. It was her word against mine. How could I explain those years of horror? The hunger? Tori’s death?

"She couldn't have done it alone," Briar said quietly.

"We need an investigation, Gabriella. I assume your father will conduct a thorough inquiry. I need answers,” the prince said, fixing her with a stern look.

"Of course, my prince. You will have a precise report on your desk soon," she replied with a smile, casting me a look of pure disdain.

"And you," he said, pointing at me. "This is not over." He seized my arm and dragged me away. His cold grip on my skin felt wrong, and the more I struggled, the worse it became.

The prince left me in a corridor, with Moss and Briar standing guard and barely breathing. Briar leaned closer and whispered to me, playing the benevolent role as if she truly wanted to help. I knew it was all an act.

"It is better if you tell the truth," she urged. "Otherwise, it will be worse for you. His Majesty has ways of making people talk." I swallowed hard. "The prince is harsh, but he is loyal. He protects his own."

Raised voices echoed in the distance. The prince was arguing, and only his voice could be heard. I didn't know who he was berating, but I was glad not to be in their place. I had already endured enough.

"No matter how many times he says it, I was never truly his. You don't abandon your own," I shot back. She looked at me with concern. When he returned, he was like a storm. His dark attire gleamed as he strode forward, each step deliberate.

"Take her away," he ordered.

I feared the worst. The dungeons? They say elves let their enemies rot there. I imagined a dark place filled with decaying bodies, a living tomb. Or a trial? Or exile again. Perhaps that would be better. Clearly, they believed a greater threat was coming and that I had aided their enemies. They would not let me go. They would torture me until I gave them answers.

But I never imagined the prince’s command.

"To my private chambers,"