Chapter 13

VLADIMIR'S POV 

The lady shook with fear, and had become a complete shadow of herself. Goosebumps had formed on her entire skin even as she had tears running down her cheeks.

I didn't care after all. All I needed to know is where Zamora was, or a shadow of herself would be the best thing she ever became. I wasn't sure she knew how cruel I could be, else she wouldn't be playing such games with me. 

“Please sir… please don't kill me sir,” She pleaded, shivering. She looked like she was going to pass out anytime soon though. I was glad she knew I was going to kill her anyways, and with the way she was acting? Her death would happen much faster.

“Answer me!!” I thundered, bringing the sword lower to her neck. I watched colors drain from her face at once. I could see her heart pounding recklessly against her chest even as she knelt before me.

“I will speak sir. I will,” She spluttered, more tears falling from her eyes. “Lady Zamora had stepped out to see the queen mother.”

Her words snapped within me, leaving me with a numb feeling. I leaned closer to her, curious.

“The queen mother?” My brows arched. My hunch was right after all. She and my mother had something up their sleeves, and to think they have been doing this right under my nose? Their audacity left me in shock. 

“And where did they agree to have this meeting?” I roared again, glaring hard at her. My patience had neared it's limit and now, all I needed was swift responses

“They agreed to meet at a secluded part of the palace. I am not sure exactly where.”

“Good!!” I had gotten the details I needed, and without wasting time, I dashed out of the room, the guards following right behind me.

My heart thumped heavily against my chest, mostly out of the burning anger and curiousity flowing within me. I couldn't help but wonder what discussion they both could be having in the middle of the night, and outside the palace for that matter.

Whatever it was they were hiding, I was sure to unravel it this time around. 

Mad was an understatement to how upset I was. My blood boiled and there was only one thing I could think of, getting my hands on Zamora and probably getting rid of her for good. 

I moved quickly through the palace yards, my eyes scanning through the entire place. A secluded place? It wasn't so hard to find as there were only a few such places in the palace.

Finally, I got there but was shocked to see Zamora sprawled out on the floor. With the way she laid, I could tell she was unconscious. My mother knelt by her side, almost agitated.

What could have happened? I began to wonder, but immediately, the thought that this may be one of their plans came upon me.

I stood still, hands akimbo. I remained that way for almost a minute, watching my mother try to revive Zamora. Who knows what they both had done. 

“Wake up, Zamora! Wake up! You have to return to your chambers before Vladimir finds out you're missing,” she said, sounding agitated.

“What's going on here?” I asked. She froze, her eyes widening almost twice their size.

“Vladimir!!” She called, laughing. “What are you doing here?” Beneath that laugh of hers was fear she was trying so hard to conceal. 

“I should be asking that question, mother, and not the other way around.” It took all the patience in me not to yell at her. Her laughter wasn't helping things either. 

“Zamora and I needed to discuss so we stepped out of the palace walls. We were about to return when she passed out,” she explained, her voice quivering.

I glared suspiciously at her, unable to believe those words of hers. There was something off about her, the way she spoke, everything. Slowly, I moved my gaze on Zamora as I knelt beside her.

My eyes caught sight of her hand. It was wrapped in a red strand of cloth that immediately set me off. What was a red cloth doing on her hand?

“What's this?” My voice rang in the air, my anger seeping through my lips. My hands tightened into fists as I awaited a response from her. 

“It's a protection I gave to Zamora against any evil that might be plotted against her.”

“Hmmm…” I grunted, not convinced. At that point, absolutely nothing could convince me. I grabbed her hand in a single stroke, still glaring through it.

“You still haven't told me why you are out here. Shouldn't you be in your chambers?” 

“That's my decision to make mother, not yours,” I fired, irritated. At that moment, I didn't want to hear anything, not from her or anyone else. 

Without thinking twice, I began to unwrap the cloth on her hand. It was knotted so hard, leaving me struggling with it for a while. 

“Don't!!” She said with urgency, her face immediately turning pale. There was this strange fear in her eyes, one I had never seen before.

“Don’t what?” I snapped, my eyes flashing with rage. I quickly untied the cloth around her hand, revealing her bare hand. I noticed a cut on it, one that set me off immediately.

“Why does she have this cut?”

“I think she was working in the kitchen when the knife suddenly pierced through her. I had to help her treat it then cover it with the cloth,” Mother said immediately, her voice still quivering. 

Her agitation seemed to grow with every second that went by, but I remained calm. Until I got to the end of this, I cared about no one, regardless of who they were. 

I was convinced. Believing my mother's words was the last thing I could do. I held the hand closer, and led it to my nose. What I was doing, I had no idea, but I did it anyway.

My face darkened abruptly. There was something odd. Absolutely odd. I fixed my gaze on my mother as my brows hardened. 

“What's going on? Why can I smell my own blood here?” I roared.