Chapter Four: Poison and Promises Part 2
211 Words
Amara crouched low beneath the brambles, her breath shallow, heart hammering in her chest. Kael was gone—vanished into the mist to draw the pursuers away. She was alone now, forced to navigate the forest's shadowed paths by memory and instinct.
The stone archway he described loomed ahead, half-buried in vines and time. She scrambled through the narrow tunnel beneath it, mud clinging to her palms, scraping her knees. The tunnel stank of rot and damp earth, but it led her to safety—back to the rear gardens behind the royal stables.
By dawn, she slipped silently into her chamber, undetected. Her cloak was torn, her hair tangled, but she was alive. For now.
A knock startled her.
It was Miri, her handmaid, bringing morning tea.
"You look pale, Your Highness," Miri said, placing the tray down.
"I didn’t sleep well," Amara lied, eyeing the steaming cup.
Miri curtsied and left.
Alone, Amara lifted the cup to her lips—then hesitated.
Something about the scent was wrong.
She dipped her silver ring into the tea, then ran it across her tongue. A sharp tingle bloomed instantly.
Her blood chilled.
Poison.
Someone had tried to kill her—again.
And this time, it had come from within the palace.
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