THE BLOOD OF A HEALER
1049 Words
The crowd erupted.
Fear became panic.
Panic became fury.
And fury spread faster than fire.
The dead man lay on the ground.
His eyes stared blankly toward the night sky.
His final words still echoed through the square.
> "The Silver Witch..."
For one terrible moment, nobody moved.
Then the accusations began.
"She killed him!"
"The rumors are true!"
"The monster cursed them!"
"The throne chose a witch!"
The crowd surged backward from Elaria as though she carried a plague.
Mothers pulled children away.
Men grabbed weapons.
Fear spread from face to face.
Exactly as the Shadow Court intended.
---
Elaria stood frozen.
The world felt distant.
Unreal.
A few moments ago she had been winning them over.
People had listened.
People had smiled.
People had started seeing her as human.
Now it was gone.
All of it.
Destroyed in seconds.
The worst part wasn't the accusations.
It was the doubt.
For one brief moment, a terrible thought entered her mind.
What if she really was dangerous?
The Lunar Throne awakened because of her.
Ancient enemies returned because of her.
People died around her.
The poison of the rumors had finally reached its target.
Her.
---
"Protect the Princess!"
The captain of the guard shouted.
Royal soldiers immediately formed a defensive wall around her.
The crowd responded with anger.
Stones flew.
Insults followed.
The situation was spiraling out of control.
Fast.
---
Then something unexpected happened.
Another victim collapsed.
A woman.
She hit the ground screaming.
Blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
The crowd panicked further.
Several people ran.
Others prayed.
Some simply watched in horror.
The woman convulsed violently.
Everyone stepped back.
Everyone except Elaria.
---
Before anyone could stop her—
She ran forward.
Straight through the guards.
Straight toward the dying woman.
"Elaria!"
Selene's voice rang through the square.
But Elaria didn't stop.
The woman was dying.
That was all she knew.
That was all that mattered.
---
The crowd stared in disbelief.
Because monsters didn't run toward suffering.
Monsters caused suffering.
Yet the supposed Silver Witch dropped beside the victim.
Ignoring the fear.
Ignoring the danger.
Ignoring the hatred.
---
The woman gasped for breath.
Her skin had turned pale.
Too pale.
Elaria remembered something.
A memory from childhood.
Mira teaching her herbs.
Teaching her poisons.
Teaching her medicines.
The realization struck instantly.
This wasn't a curse.
It was poison.
---
The symptoms matched.
The trembling.
The blood.
The breathing difficulty.
Someone poisoned these people.
The certainty hit like lightning.
"Water!"
Elaria shouted.
Nobody moved.
The crowd simply stared.
Fear still controlled them.
---
Then another voice answered.
"I'll get it."
Prince Lucien.
The Crown Prince pushed through the crowd.
Ignoring the shocked looks around him.
Ignoring protocol.
Ignoring appearances.
Minutes later he returned with water.
Elaria immediately began helping the woman.
Trying to keep her conscious.
Trying to keep her alive.
Trying anything.
Everything.
---
The crowd watched silently.
Confused.
Because nothing about this matched the rumors.
Nothing about this looked like a monster.
---
A royal physician finally arrived.
He examined the victim quickly.
Then his eyes widened.
Shock spread across his face.
"What is it?"
Selene demanded.
The physician swallowed.
Then answered.
The words echoed across the square.
> "Poison."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The crowd froze.
"What?"
The physician nodded.
His voice became stronger.
More certain.
"This isn't magic."
Another pause.
"It isn't a curse."
Another.
"It is poison."
The revelation exploded through the crowd.
People stared.
People whispered.
People questioned everything.
---
The Shadow Court's plan had a problem.
A very serious problem.
Elaria had ruined the narrative.
Instead of standing apart from the victims—
She had rushed to save them.
Instead of looking like a witch—
She looked compassionate.
Instead of looking guilty—
She looked heroic.
---
On a nearby rooftop...
The hooded figure watched.
And for the first time—
The figure looked irritated.
Very irritated.
This wasn't how the scene was supposed to unfold.
The heir was proving more difficult than expected.
---
Back in the square...
The physician continued examining the dead victim.
Then his expression changed.
Fear appeared.
Real fear.
He slowly looked toward Selene.
"Your Majesty."
The Queen immediately noticed the tension.
"What?"
The physician hesitated.
Then whispered:
> "I've seen this poison before."
The words sent a chill through everyone nearby.
Selene's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
The physician's face turned pale.
Almost white.
Then he answered.
> "Nineteen years ago."
The entire square froze.
Even Elaria stopped breathing.
Nineteen years ago.
The year she disappeared.
The year the palace burned.
The year the royal family was attacked.
---
The physician's hands trembled.
"I treated survivors after the palace assault."
His voice shook.
"And several had this exact poison in their blood."
The crowd fell silent.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone understood what this meant.
The deaths tonight weren't random.
They weren't accidents.
They were connected.
Connected to the same conspiracy.
Connected to the same enemy.
Connected to the same people who tried to erase Elaria from history.
---
Then Lord Cassian made a mistake.
A small mistake.
A dangerous mistake.
The councilman stepped forward too quickly.
Far too quickly.
His voice came out sharp.
Aggressive.
"Are you certain?"
The physician looked startled.
"Yes."
Cassian pressed harder.
"Completely certain?"
The reaction caught Elaria's attention immediately.
Why was he nervous?
Why did he care so much?
Why did he look afraid?
The pieces began moving inside her mind.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
---
Then another voice echoed through the square.
Ancient.
Powerful.
Impossible.
The Lunar Throne.
Every person in the city heard it.
Every noble.
Every servant.
Every child.
The voice rolled across the kingdom like thunder.
> **THE BLOOD OF THE HEALER AWAKENS.**
Silence consumed the city.
Elaria froze.
The crowd froze.
Even Selene looked stunned.
The voice continued.
> **THE TRUE HEIR PROTECTS LIFE.**
The words struck the crowd like lightning.
Because moments earlier they had watched Elaria risk herself to save strangers.
The Throne itself had witnessed it.
And now—
The Throne was defending her.
---
Far away...
Hidden beneath the palace...
Ancient silver eyes slowly opened.
Watching.
Waiting.
Judging.
And deep in the darkness, a chained figure smiled.
Because the game was changing.
The heir was beginning to awaken.
And soon—
The kingdom would learn the truth.
- Writer
