CHAPTER 3 - MIRROR

--KARLOS--

"I cannot believe this!" Emerald squealed, taking a twirl before the mirror, admiring herself in Reine's ebony gown. It puffed around her, glittering under the golden chandeliers of my room. "This is exactly how I imagined it, Karlos. It's all over now."

She looked at me through the mirror, and I gave her a half smile.

Was it really over?

I had watched her disappear under the surface of the river.

I'd stood there long enough--waited for the bubbles of her breath to stop reaching the surface.

And yet, my heart refused to rest.

She was my mate for the last two years.

I was supposed to feel the moment she took her last breath.

Crushing pain until I took a new mate.

But all I felt in my chest was hollow.

No ache.

No hurt.

Just empty.

"Where is the red one? The one with gold embroidery?" Emerald asked, now buried deep inside Reine's trunk of clothes.

"They're all yours, my beautiful queen," I sighed, fastening my night robe and standing up from the bed.

I made my way to her and took her arm, pulling her up.

"Go lie down, Em. You shouldn't be hovering like this. It might hurt my child."

She smiled, her brown eyes glistening with happiness.

She took my hand and brought it to her face, leaning into the touch.

"You are so caring, my lord," she whispered. "I am so lucky to be by your side. To be your future queen, and the mother of Warhill's heir."

I gently pulled her to my chest, and rested my chin on her head.

I had to lean my head back for it.

Reine was the perfect height.

Not that it mattered.

"Thank you for having my child," I said to her. "The moment you give birth, I will lay the treasures of my entire kingdom in your feet."

"I don't want your riches, my mate. Your love is all I need," Reine's voice replayed in my head.

"I know you will," Emerald said chirpily, hugging me tighter. "You're the best."

I frowned, blinking.

Reine was gone.

And Emerald was giving me an heir.

Everything was just how it was supposed to be.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

Emerald looked up, scowling.

"Who is disturbing us at this hour?"

"I'll see," I reassured, making my way to the door. "What?" I pulled it open.

Tarren stood outside, his gaze downcast.

"Your Majesty, I apologise for the interruption. We... we failed to recover Her Majesty's body."

My grip on the door tightened.

"What did you say?" Emerald roared, marching to the door to join me. She pulled it open wider, her eyes gleaming as she glared at Tarren.

He stepped back, his eyes widening.

"I... I just came to info--"

"Her Majesty?" Emerald hissed, stepping closer to him. "Was your king not clear enough about her treachery? Will you still address her as that?"

Tarren glanced at me desperately.

"I--I didn't mean it. It--it was an honest mistake. My apologi--"

"Save them," Emerald snapped, then turned to me. "I want him out of this palace, Karlos."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, before taking Emerald's hand and leading her back inside.

"Keep searching," I ordered Tarren, before slamming the door shut.

- - - -

--REINE--

I was drowning again.

The river pulled me down, refusing to release me.

I kicked my legs and waved my hands, trying to reach the surface.

But every second, it kept drifting further and further away.

My body shook with lack of air, and my lips parted as a last resort.

Bloody water rushed into my mouth, filling my lungs and stomach.

My chest and face burned, until a hand closed around my wrist and I was pulled to the riverbank.

I coughed and opened my eyes, scanning my surroundings.

No blue irises blanketed the ground.

Only hard rocks.

Eren?

He had found me.

I glanced around frantically. Screamed his name.

But my eyes met crimson ones instead.

Karlos.

"Good bye, my beautiful queen." He grinned with his canines, before grabbing me by the throat and tossing me back into the river.

No.

Please.

Not again.

I fought with all my might.

I had to survive.

"You were given a second chance, my child. You wasted it. Now you must pay..."

What?

No.

I never got to try.

What--?

My eyes shot open, and a scream tore from my lungs.

"It's okay, Your Highness. It's okay!" an unfamiliar voice reassured.

I sat up to find myself somewhere I didn't recognise.

A plain room.

Bowls of bloody water at my side.

Sharp scent of herbs.

Women in white clothes.

"You must rest, Your Highness," one of them said, approaching me. She pushed me down by the shoulder.

"No," I muttered, shaking my head. "No, let go of me!"

"Everything will be alright. You must rest."

My body was on fire.

My face.

My arms.

My chest.

All of it.

Hands caught my wrists before I could rip away the herbs from my body.

Bandages pressed against my face.

"Let me go!" I yelled, struggling against the hold.

I was weak.

Too weak.

"Help me! Eren!" I sobbed.

- - - -

--EREN--

Her screams shook the entire corridor, echoing through the palace.

I pressed my back tighter against the wall, taking a deep breath.

She was calling for me.

But I couldn't help her right now. Only the healers could.

"I'm going in," Prince Cain announced, his eyes gleaming as he marched towards the door.

I quickly stepped in front of him.

"Your Highness," I said calmly. "You must let the healers do their job."

"My sister needs me, Eren," he growled, grabbing my collar. "She's terrified!"

Their mother cried louder, slumping down on her chair with her face in her hands.

"So is your mother, Your Highness," I pointed. "You have done everything you could for your sister. Now we need to let the healers work. And you must comfort your mother."

He glared at me for a long moment, while Reine's screams continued to rock the ground.

Then he stepped away from me and approached his mother, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Immediately, she hugged him, softly crying against him.

Cain continued to stare at me as though he intended to deal with me later.

I turned back to the room where Reine was, and leaned against the wall beside the door.

Her screams haunted my very soul.

Whoever did this to her...

They would pay.

We would make sure of it.

- - - -

--REINE--

Silence and warmth surrounded me this time.

The scent of herbs still hung in the air.

My skin still burned all over.

But everything was gentler now. Like time had soothed it.

The only thing it hadn't made better was the ache in my chest.

The ache of betrayal--of losing everything I'd held dear for years.

"Reine," a voice whispered, broken.

Mother.

My mother.

My eyes shot open to find her sitting beside me, her eyes red from crying.

She took my hand, her hold so gentle like she was afraid she'd shatter me.

"You're awake!" Cain's voice came next, and he rushed to my other side, collapsing on the floor beside my bed.

I blinked at him, unable to believe it.

He was here too.

My whole family was.

I was back home.

My eyes searched the room until they landed on a person standing a safe distance away.

He leaned against the furthest wall, watching me, his brown eyes dim.

Eren.

He really was here.

He really had found me.

That part had been true. Not a dream.

I opened my mouth to speak, and even that small movement hurt.

I coughed.

"Shh, shh," Cain whispered, taking my other hand in his. "Don't put strain on yourself."

Hearing the concern in his voice broke me.

I was safe.

A sob racked my chest, and I squeezed my eyes shut again.

I was in Nymore.

Against all odds, I had actually survived.

My mother sobbed with me, gently squeezing my hand. "It's okay, baby. You're okay, my Reine. You're okay."

"Don't cry. You're the stronger sibling, remember?" Cain said softly, trying to joke. "You'll be fine." He let go of my hand and gently touched the top of my head.

The gesture made me think.

Usually, he would touch my forehead. Or my cheek.

My hand instinctively rose to my face, but Cain caught my wrist. "Don't," he said in alarm.

I glanced at him.

"Why?" I whispered.

His gaze lowered.

My chest tightened.

"Cain," I said softly, my throat stinging with cries. "I need a mirror."

- - - - - -