Bound by Venom: The rise of the serpents

Chapter four

The palace was in chaos. Warning bells rang without pause, and soldiers raced through the halls, their boots pounding against the marble floors. The king and queen stood in the throne room, their expressions sharp with disbelief.

“This isn’t possible, You locked him up in the El dribu cave, did you not?” King Nero spoke to his wife.

Queen Marissa hissed, her fists tightening. “Yes. He was locked in the El Dribu caves! Chained to the walls! Sealed behind a rock! In a place where no magic holds power. There's no way he could've escaped.”

“And yet he is gone,” King Nero said, his voice cold with rising anger. He turned sharply to his guards. “How did this happen?”

But no one had an answer. They all looked down in what seemed to be shame.

Amidst the uproar, Yotta’s stomach twisted with dread. She had been standing at the edge of the gathering, absorbing every word, but now a more pressing fear took hold of her.

"Your Majesty, I think it's best to get you to safety first," the Queen's guard urged, extending his hand to lead Queen Marissa away from the potential danger that lurked within the castle walls. However, the Queen ignored his offer, her expression unwavering as she stood firm, refusing to be swayed.

Yotta, who had been listening intently to the conversation, felt a sudden pang of concern on hearing the guard's words. The phrase 'it was best to get Queen Marissa to safety' echoed in her mind, and she was instantly reminded that she had someone to ensure her own safety as well. Yotta's thoughts turned to her mistress, and she felt a surge of loyalty and responsibility towards her.

"Saphina." She mumbled in sudden realization.

She turned and sprinted from the hall, knocking over a tray carried by a passing servant. Ignoring the shouts behind her, she raced toward Saphina’s chambers. The door was open.

"No. No no no, Saphy no." Yotta swallowed hard and rushed inside but the room was empty. Almost as though Lady Saphy had not been there for long.

She searched frantically. Under the bed, behind the curtains, even the wardrobe, her breath coming in panicked gasps as she lifted the pillows.

“This is stupid,” she muttered. “She wouldn’t hide under a pillow! Come on Yotta.”

She she hurled the pillow across the room in frustration. Then a terrible thought struck her.

'What if Radna took her?' Her blood ran cold.

Tears already brimmed in her eyes, and her skin was stretched taut, revealing the sharp contours of her bones. Before she could even process her thoughts, a single idea crystallized in her mind as another realization suddenly dawned on her. This was not the first time Lady Saphina had disappeared: finding Lady Saphina. "The archery," she whispered to herself, already racing out of the room and sprinting toward the archery range.

As she rushed through the corridors, a servant approached her, urgency etched on her face. "The king wants Lady Saphina in his chambers immediately," the servant announced, but Yotta brushed past her, ignoring the message.

The servant hastened to catch up, grasping Yotta's arm. "I said, his majesty wants his ward in his chambers now," she repeated, her grip tightening. Yotta's gaze snapped to the servant, and her eyes narrowed as she took in the familiar face of Zia, notorious for her gossiping ways.

Zia's reputation preceded her; she knew everything that transpired within the palace walls and wasn't afraid to share the information with the right people. Her beauty belied her meddlesome nature, and the other servants avoided her, wary of becoming the subject of her rumors.

"What's your problem, Zia?" Yotta retorted, trying to extricate her arm. "You should prioritize your own safety first."

Zia's expression remained steadfast. "But I'm on an errand for his majesty. Is Lady Saphina in her room?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Yotta's response was measured. "She's my responsibility. You can leave now; I'll ensure the message is conveyed."

Yotta seethed with impatience, eager to be rid of Zia and continue her search for Lady Saphina. She knew the consequences of failing to protect the young lady and was determined to prevent any harm from befalling her.

Zia, however, seemed reluctant to depart. "Good, I'll inform the king that you're bringing her to his chambers. He believes it's the safest place in the castle at the moment."

As Zia turned to leave, she suddenly spun back around. "Why are you in such a hurry?" she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. But Yotta was already gone, vanished into the labyrinthine corridors of the castle.

Zia's expression twisted into a disapproving scowl. "Hmph," she muttered to herself, her eyes glinting with suspicion as she continued on her way.

“Lady Saphina! Saphy, answer me!” Yotta’s voice cracked as she entered the archery range.

But the archery range was silent. She froze, her heart hammering. The archery was her very last hope on finding Saphy but now she's not even there.

"What if Radna has kidnapped her? What if he took her with him just to get back at Talcuta?" Yotta panicked. "What do I do now?" She panicked.

Something was very, very wrong. Yotta spun around, ready to run back to the throne room and report Saphina missing, when a hand grabbed her arm.

She gasped and whipped around. It was a palace guard.

“Yotta, what are you doing here? Do you not realize how unsafe it is right now?” the guard asked.

“Tell me how Radna escaped!” she demanded.

“That is not your concern. Just get yourself and your lady to safety.”

She shoved him aside and kept running.

She had no choice. If Saphina was missing, then every second mattered.

In the Throne Room, Inside the king’s chambers, Queen Marissa’s fury boiled over.

“This was not an ordinary escape,” she spat. “Radna’s powers should not have worked in that cave. If you know what i mean your Majesty.”

King Nero’s gaze darkened. “Then someone helped him.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“That is the only way he could've escaped without magic. Whoever is responsible has committed treason,” the king declared. “And they will suffer for it.”

At that moment, Yotta had already approached the King's chambers but hesistated at the door.

"Are you sure you searched the whole of Talcuta?" The King asked sir Eliot, the knight leader.

"Yes your Majesty. There is no trace of Radna anywhere but so far, no one has been reported missing." Sir Eliot responded.

On hearing it, Yotta almost collapsed but she knew that the more time she wasted, the farther away Radna possibly got with lady Saphina so mustering up courage, she walked into the king's bedroom without permission.

"Greetings, your royal majesty." Yotta said bowing before the King, her face falling to the ground.

"Yotta. I told you I'll be fine here." A familiar voice spoke.

Yotta raised her face to set eyes on Lady Saphina standing very close to sir Eliot.

"What?" Yotta mumbled in shock but also in relieve.

She looked around the room to notice the people present there were the king, his Queen, lady Saphina, sir Eliot and the Queen's guard.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I just thought it was proper to check in." Yotta responded giving Saphina a questioning glare while Saphina pretended not to notice.

Turning to the King, “I apologize for my sudden entrance, Your Majesty.” Yotta stammered, her voice weak.

King Nero barely acknowledged her. He was focused on the palace knight, Sir Eliot, who had just received a troubling report.

“Your Majesty, a servant claims to have seen a suspicious figure leaving the castle grounds,” Sir Eliot announced.

As soon as Sir Eliot uttered those words, an unmistakable air of discomfort settled over both Queen Marissa and Lady Saphina. Their faces reflected a mixture of unease and apprehension, as if they had been caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

Queen Marissa, regaining her composure, spoke up with confidence, her voice commanding attention. "Who is this servant who has brought forth such grave information?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for the individual in question.

Sir Eliot, with a subtle nod, beckoned the servant to enter. "Come in," he said, his voice firm but measured. Zia, the servant, stepped forward, her eyes cast downward in a display of humility.

Queen Marissa's gaze narrowed, her eyes scrutinizing Zia's every move. "She made this report?" the queen asked, her tone laced with a hint of skepticism.

Zia, standing tall, responded with conviction, "Yes, Your Majesty." Her voice was clear and steady, devoid of any hesitation.

King Nero, seated on his throne, leaned forward, his eyes fixed intently on Zia. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled.

Zia took a deep breath before launching into her account. "Earlier today, I had gone to fetch water for the horses in the stables when I saw two figures exiting the castle. One had herself covered in black hoods, but she wore the servants' shoes, while the other was a strange man who boldly left himself uncovered."

The king's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "And you didn't report this immediately?" he asked, his tone laced with disappointment.

Sir Eliot stepped forward, his eyes cast downward in a display of contrition. "She did report it, Your Majesty. That was when we noticed Radna was gone. Please accept my apologies."

The king's gaze lingered on Sir Eliot, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and frustration. Then, he turned his attention back to Zia, his expression unreadable.

"A servant, hah?" he said, his voice dripping with skepticism.

"I'm certain, Your Majesty," Zia replied, her voice firm and confident, her eyes locked onto the king's.

The king's gaze narrowed, his eyes boring into Zia's very soul. "You know a lot of things, Zia, and you're never wrong. Now, tell me, the figure you saw, which servant do you think it belonged to?"

"That is where the trouble lies your Majesty. The servant shoes was just a camouflage. It wasn't an actual servant..." Zia swallowed.

Tension hung in the air, Lady Saphina and Queen Marissa's hearts beating in unison, racing with anticipation, as if expecting either of their names to be called. The silence was oppressive, weighing heavily on the assembled group, until Zia raised her head, her eyes locking onto the king's, and let out a name...