The Serpentine's Revenge

Chapter Seventeen

I couldn’t sleep. Everything kept me awake. The mice scrambling around the wooden floor. The bright moonbeams that shone through the window.

It was dark. Far too late for anyone to be out. I looked out the window in my room of Anya Arawyn’s infirmary. There was no sound except the slight push of wind against the leaves. I pushed open the door to my room, and stuck my head out. The hallway was empty, no sound at all. I pulled on my cloak and boots, and stepped out of my room. I tested my weight on my foot, and took another step. One foot in front of another. I passed Anya’s door, which was creaked open. I peaked in and saw her chest rise and fall with each breath. Her red hair splayed over her pillow in a wave. When I made sure she was asleep, I made my way to the front door. I closed it with barely a click.

I sprinted back into the forest.

A cloud of vapour formed out of my mouth as I breathed out into the chilly night. My sword whooshed in the air, and I swung it, practicing strokes that have become second nature.

Side. Side. Forward. Slice. s***h.

A routine. Again. Again. Again.

Each stroke I saw Cobalt, standing in front of me. He dodged each of my slashes, moving with ease. I saw his smirk, his dammed smirk, and his bright blue eyes. Full of energy, as he dodged another. I slashed with all my might. I needed to kill him. I have to. I slashed again. My blade missed by an inch. I tried again, but this time, I stopped my blade when I saw Millard. The sword’s edge barely touched his neck.

My chest raised up and down as I desperately drank in air. “Millard,” I said curtly. I turned and continued to move the blade through the air. The swoosh of the blade made me wish it ended in the thud of Cobalt’s head on the ground.

“What’s wrong?” Millard stood a fair distance away. Smart boy.

“Nothing.” I continued to swing my sword around my head. Hoping each stroke will be one stroke closer to Cobalt’s demise.

Millard scoffed. “I know you too well. When you’re upset, you train. Train until your body gives out. But your mind won’t.” I ignored him and continued. Again. My arms burned, my legs ached with each step. But I didn’t stop. Maybe Millard was right. I don’t know when to give up. Don’t know when to stop.

I swung again. But Millard grabbed my wrists, and stopped the blow. “Azuria, what is wrong?”

My breathing became heavier and heavier. “Nothing is wrong. Not a single damn thing.”

He shook his head. “Stop training! Anya said that it’ll take time to heal.” As if my body decided to listen to Millard, a dull throb ran across my shoulder.

I winced, but continued. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at the Palace working? Won’t you learn that I just need to be alone?”

“If you haven’t noticed, our King is dead. The queen is gone. There is no one to work for.” I ignored him, and sliced through the air again. “You aren’t happy. About anything. Why can’t you be happy? You are alive, and healthy, and you have friends, like Anya and myself. Why aren’t you happy?”

I broke. “WHY CAN’T I BE HAPPY?!” I puffed out another breath. “BECAUSE HE IS STILL ALIVE! How can I be happy if the murderer of my parents is still alive? That is he is breathing, his heart beating, and theirs is not.”

“Crimson is dead. You avenged them.”

“Crimson was not the one who killed my parents. It was Cobalt. Allura’s Assassin—and most likely her whore.” A pang of shock ran through me. Was I jealous? Of Allura? Stupid, I shouldn’t be jealous of someone like her, even if she has Cobalt.

“Forget about him. You can be happy.”

I tugged my wrists free from his hold. “Happiness is overrated. There’s nothing to happiness. It’s an illusion. It’s nothing more.”

He cupped my cheek. “Life can be bland without happiness.”

I ripped his hand off my face. “I can be happy. I know that. I can be happy when that traitor’s head hangs from my hands!”

Millard shook his head. “Don’t mistaken revenge for vengeance; and don’t mistaken revenge for happiness.”

“You wouldn’t know. You live a boring, mundane life. You wouldn’t know anything about the pains of wanting happiness, but never able to have it. I know what my happy ending is. It’s ending that traitor’s miserable life. I should’ve killed him tonight. I should’ve skinned him alive. I should’ve made him suffer. All I want is to have my dagger embedded in his head. My sword through his spine.”

“But you didn’t.”

I leaned closer to Millard’s face. “I don’t give a damn if he gets impaled through the heart by a spear. I don’t give a damn if he dies within the next hour. I only give a damn if I am the one who ends him. That spear will be from me.” I stepped away from him, catching my breath.

“This didn’t matter to you before. Why does it now? You are not this person.”

“You don’t even know who I am. You didn’t know my real name until earlier tonight. How can you say you know me?” He stayed silent, thinking. “I am not Alexandria, and I never was. It was a hoax. You don’t know me.”

He smiled. I stepped back. I’ve never seen someone smile after I told them off. “You’re right. I don’t know you. But I know your heart, because Alexandria may not be real, but you were still apart of her.”

I rushed up to him, and grabbed his neck. “Get out of here. I don’t want to see you and your dammed face in my forest for a long while.” I let go.

“Stop pushing everyone who tries to be close to you away.” He said.

I didn’t look back. I walked back slowly to Anya’s infirmary. Thinking of what I said. When I walked in, Anya was waiting for me. I pushed past her, and into my room. I slammed the door. I didn’t want to see her, or anyone. I wanted to be alone.