Chapter 3. Shadow Of Deception
1264 Words
The Highcourt of Erandraal ballroom buzzed with music and chatter
Lucien Ardent stood near a pillar, half in shadow watching
People glanced his way, then quickly looked away
“ There he is” A woman muttered, gripping her wine glass.
“ Lucien Ardent, I heard he ripped a man's heart out last week with his bare hands” she continued.
Her friend leaned closer “ They say he's cursed, that he is a monster ”
Lucien said nothing, but his thoughts burned.
Let them talk. They whisper poison, but none dare speak it to my face.
Earlier that day, he was strolling around the field when a guard approached him
“ My lord” The guard greeted
“ Go on ” Lucien said, irritating lacing in his tone
“ A letter for you, my Lord ” The guards said with bow bringing out a black envelope sealed with gold.
Lucien took it from him
He broke it and read
” Your have been invited to the Highcourt gathering, your presence is required ”
He scoffed
He looked at the guards and asked
“ Will Elias Thorne be there?”
“ Yes, my Lord" The guards answered, bowing down.
“ Then go prepare my carriage ” he dismissed the guard.
Lucien folded the card, his mind racing.
The ballroom door opened with a rush of air.
Gasps and excited murmurs ripped through the crowd .
“ They have arrived” someone said
“Lord Thorne ” another whispered “ And lady Elira”
Lucien's jaw tightened.
“ They always make an entrance ” A nobleman nearby muttered.
“ They think they own the court” the woman by his side replied
Then the crowd shifted , parting around the center of the room.
There they were.
Elias Thorne, bathed in light, flashing the same charming smile and beside him, Elira Valea glowing and laughing.
Lucien chest clenched.
A man Lucien didn't recognize stepped beside him, the smile on his face was tight and forced.
“ Lord Ardent” he said smoothly “ How's your health these days?” the man asked
Lucien's eyes stayed fixed on Elias and Elira
“ I'm alive. Clearly” he replied
“ Shame” the man said with a shrug “ I was hoping the illness would have finish the job. Would have done the realm a favor ”
Lucien turned to man slowly, staring at him flatly
“ I won't die just to ease your fears” he said coldly
The man's smile faltered
Lucien leaned in just slightly “ Now, if you'll excuse me, I've endured enough nonsense for one evening ”
The man took a step back, silent
But Lucien didn't move, he glared at the man, making him hurry away with fear on his face.
He needed to breathe
Standing there , watching Elira, she glanced at him and quickly divert her eyes back to Elias
He felt like dying again
The woman he had once loved looked through him like he was a smoke.
Not that be blamed her, he was Eryndor anymore.
“ Aren't they perfect?” A voice purred from beside him.
But Lucien didn't turn
“ Lord Thorne, the Highcourt's hero and he took Lady Elira as his reward”
His jaw tightened as he looked at the woman “ Is that what she is now, a reward?”
The woman gave a small laugh
“ Well, she certainly look the part, look at her, glowing "
Lucien's eyes drifted back to them
Elira leaned in to whisper something
Elias laughed out loud, he stood beside her with ease and confident with his hand placed on her lower back.
Lucien's fist clenched at his sides, nails bitting into his palms
“ They look happy ” the woman said, sipping her wine.
She turned toward him and smiled “ You should smile, Lord Ardent, it makes people less afraid of you”
He turned to her “ Fear is the only thing keeping them alive” he said, his voice low and cold
The smile dropped from the woman's face
Lucien walked away, but Elira's laugh followed him.
The sight of their closeness lit a cold, quiet rage in Lucien's chest.
He had fought for them, bled for them, even died for them.
And yet, Eryndor is forgotten.
And Elira
She smiled at Elias like he was the only man she have ever known, she hadn't once loved Eryndor.
“ So be it” he whispered
A passing noble caught his expression and stepped back in fear.
He didn't care
“ I'm going to get my revenge " he murmured, watching Elira and Elias laugh beneath the chandelier “ I'll destroy everybody that get in my way”
He turned and left , the weight of vengeance steady in his chest.
Lucien's room was dark, silent and waiting.
he lay still on the bed, eyes closed , breathing steady .
But he wasn't asleep.
Then he heard the door creaked
The comes soft footsteps but he didn't move, he have been waiting for the person, he knows will come.
The footsteps creaked closer, Lucien kept still, breathing slowly.
“ So, this is how it ends , Brother?” Aric whispered, voice laced with venom.
“ Not on the battlefield, but in your bed”
Lucien out a low moan
Aric hovered near the bed, eyes sharp, the knife glinting in his hand.
He raised it slowly
Just as he was about to stab Lucien, Lucien shifted slightly letting out a strained groan, soft and pained .
The blade slipped from Aric's hand clattering loudly against the stone floor.
Aric flinched “ What was that” he asked himself
Lucien clutched at his chest
“ The poison is working faster than I thought ” Aric whispered, with a twist smile on his lips
He pick up the knife from stone floor and raised it up again to strike Lucien.
“ Just a moment of pain, and it will be over« he whispered.
A sudden knock broke the silence
“ My Lord, is everything alright?” A guard called from the hallway.
Aric froze
He rushed to the door, lowering his voice to sound like Lucien
“ It is!, just a small accident. Go back to your post”
A pause
Then the sound of footsteps fading
Aric turned back, breathing hard, he looked at door from the entrance.
“ Don't worry ” he muttered softly. “ I'll get it right tomorrow, sleep tight, brother” he said and silently slipped out.
Lucien didn't move
He waited
Listening to the faint echo of Aric's footsteps vanish down the hall.
Then slowly, he sat you, his expression calm.
“ Fool” he muttered
Earlier that day, he had torn through Aric's study and found the truth.
A hidden vial and letters tucked beneath a loose floorboard.
He found a letter as well a bottle of a substance which he already know it was the poison in his vein.
The letter was from one of his servant, Lyra telling Aric about the poison and her love .
He had slipped the bottle and the poison back into the vial.
“ No, I won't confront you, Brother” he said out loud into the dark “ I won't kill you, not yet"
He
got up from the bed and walked to the window, breathing the cold air and his eyes fixed on the dark horizon.
“ I will let you think, you're winning ” he muttered “ And when you finally smile, I'll take everything ” he smiled.
- Writer
