It wasn’t the gruesome bloodbath I had braced for.

Putting his hand out, Lucian shielded my head from the collision.

His fair, long fingers were gashed by the bronze, and blood seeped through the skin.

I remembered the days when I kept us fed by selling pies. I wouldn’t even let him gather wood, all to keep his hands for writing.

Yet, he cared little for his livelihood.

The rage in Lucian’s eyes threatened to burst out.

“What has gotten into you, Lyra Thornfield?

“Your sad little suicide stunt isn’t going to make up for what you did to Tara.

“So, save it!”

I smiled bitterly to myself.

“So why are you stopping me? Isn’t it better if I pay for your beloved Tara with my life?”

Julian’s expression tightened with unease.

“I-I just can’t allow you to die today. It’s the day Tara becomes Queen. Your death will reflect badly on her.”

I was lost for words. That was rather thoughtful of Lucian.

Lucian had only known Tara for four years, not even half the time he and I had spent together. Yet, Tara was already a sister to him.

With Lucian getting in the way, I would struggle to end my life.

Turning on my heel, I retrieved the coins gifted by the King.

“His Majesty has granted my release from the palace. You may leave, my Lord.”

I sauntered out. Instead of going our separate ways, he trailed behind me.

“You’re always up to something. For all I know, you might come between His Majesty and Tara. It’s my duty as the High Chancellor to keep you under my watch.

“At the very least, I must ensure that you stay with House Thornfield.

My footsteps came to a halt.

House Thornfield…

That was my home in this quest world.

They were the family I shared a bloodline with.

However, my time with them lasted two brief years, barely a shadow of Tara’s childhood.

I was an unwelcome presence in House Thornfield, the one who had almost killed the adopted child they loved above all.

For a minute there, I thought I would never go back to them.

However, the manor was a good place to get away from Lucian.

It held the one person who hated me the most—my brother, Commander Sylas Thornfield.

I stepped into the manor to find the servants cleaning Tara’s chambers.

Next door, my chamber door stayed shut, the lock covered in a thick layer of dust.

Sitting in the gazebo, Sylas hunched over tallow candles and worked late into the night to craft a bow of polished bone.

If I wasn’t mistaken, Tara had always shown a keen interest in archery, and Sylas wasn’t one to let her down.

Sylas scoffed at the sound of my footsteps and lifted the unfinished bow to fire an arrow.

The arrow, aimed at my face, landed right at the tips of my boots.

“Who permitted you to enter? I told you that you are not welcome here.”

I smiled wryly, my mind wandering to the time I was first brought home. Sylas stared at my calloused hands in heartbroken tears.

“Fear not, Lyra. You’re home. You have me now, and I will keep you from harm. You don’t have to put yourself through so much now.”

On the surface, Tara kept the sweet act of a sister, but the next minute, she’d jump into the icy lake, accusing me of pushing her.

Without hesitation, Sylas pulled Tara out of the water and turned to me, his eyes full of blame.

“Lyra, Tara is my sister too.”

When Tara went missing, Sylas threw me into a cell and slashed my wrists, demanding her whereabouts.

It was once my dream to master the family’s swordsmanship, but I was left a cripple, never to lift a blade again.

I couldn’t even defend myself during the beatings at the palace.

Observing Sylas’ attitude, Lucian became hesitant.

“Commander, she tried to take her life twice at the laundress quarters today…”

The disdain on Sylas’ face grew.

“And you believe her, Chancellor?

“You, of all people, should know her. You won’t find another woman as cunning as her in the kingdom.

“She’s not afraid to risk her life to gain an edge.”

Convinced, Lucian nodded with a wry grin.

“You are right. I was careless to forget the kind of person she is.”

Sylas secured the last piece of attachment to the bow before getting up. He was due at the palace to celebrate Tara’s consecration as Queen.

He gave me a look of disgust.

“You are permitted to stay for one night. I want you out by tomorrow. I won’t have Tara’s joy soured by your presence—”

Before Sylas could finish, I lunged for the arrow on the ground.

I plunged the sharp tip into my chest.

Color drained from Sylas’ face.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed, Lyra?

“The arrows of our House are dipped in venom. You know that!”

Of course, I did. The poison arrows were Tara’s idea. According to her, our soldiers could inflict better damage on enemies. even when they missed their marks.

I voiced my objections, concerned that the plan could backfire on our men.

Sylas retorted in annoyance, “Our men are trained, not fools who would hurt themselves. Lyra, you don’t have the grit of this House, unlike Tara.”

Now, this poison arrow could very well facilitate my departure from this world.

Tossing the bone bow aside, Sylas sprinted toward me and tore the fabric from my shoulder.

He pressed his lips against my wound, drawing out the venom.

It took three long pulls for my blood to be cleared of poison. By then, Sylas’ complexion was pale.

He screamed for the antidote and forced the liquid down my throat.

Following my refusal to swallow, Sylas smacked me hard in exasperation.

“How much longer are you going to keep this up?

“Don’t you get it? His Majesty feels nothing for you. If he did, he would’ve named you his Queen, not kept you as a laundress and chambermaid.

“You chose to take the coins and leave the palace, so show some dignity to live. Don’t disgrace the honor of our House!”

I burst out laughing.

“Honor? Where was your honor when you crippled me for no crime at all?”

Sylas was at a loss.

Then came the frantic thuds of hooves outside the door.

The King’s Royal Guards stormed the gates.

“By order of the King, Lyra is to be captured and brought back to the palace.

“Her Majesty the Queen is missing again.”

All matters related to Tara put Sylas and Lucian on edge. They grabbed my arms, one on each side.

“I see. What did you do to Tara now? This fake suicide of yours is just a distraction to cover your tracks.”

I was stunned, unable to believe that Tara would keep up with the disappearing act.

It was my chance to escape.

Their obsession with Tara had reached the point of madness. For all I knew, they might kill me to keep her safe.

Without a word, I let them escort me back to the palace.

Leon Lionheart, the King, narrowed his eyes at the blood on my shoulder.

Sylas explained, “Don’t be deceived, Your Majesty. She pretended to kill herself. That was all.”

Leon nodded before putting his hands around my neck.

“Where have you hidden Tara?”

Looking up, I met the gaze of the man I’d shared so many nights with. His eyes were filled with deep resentment.

His mind drifted to the time we first met.

During the struggle for the crown, Leon was hunted relentlessly by rival heirs.

Risking my life, I drew his pursuers away.

I later snuck back and offered myself to help him get rid of aphrodisiac effects.

When Leon came to, he learned that I had been rejected by my fiancé and shamed before the whole city.

He promised he would make things right. Once he took the throne, I would be his Queen.

However, that changed when Tara came into the picture.

Leon compared Tara’s brilliance to the sun while I was a mere flickering firefly next to her.

When news came of Tara’s disappearance, Leon lost his cool for the first time and led his army against the bandits, heedless of royal disapproval.

Despite my denial of involvement, Leon was dead set on breaking the engagement.

Back then, he looked at me in callousness, declaring that I was unfit to be his bride as I had lost my virtue to him before marriage.

From that point on, I was nothing but a shamed laundress, at the mercy of his desires every night.

Obsessed with avenging Tara, he was rough in bed and caused me to lose a child.

Leon sneered at my silence. Releasing his grip on me, I fell to the floor.

He ordered the servants to fetch a set of bloodied torture devices—the very same ones he used to break his political rivals.

In his mind, I might as well have been one of his enemies.

“You know the pain these instruments can inflict. Just tell me where Tara is, or I won’t show you mercy.”

I shivered all over.

The only thing on my mind was leaving the world, but I’d rather go without agony.

My fear of pain was no secret to Leon.

Mistaking my behavior for defiance, Leon commanded Sylas and Lucian to pin me down while he carried out the punishment.

“These tools were last used on the Duke of Yves. They are not lethal, but they will make you wish you were dead.

“Even the tough duke confessed his deepest shame. How long do you think you can last until you break?”

As the iron tore into my flesh, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

Sweat broke across my skin in streams.

I couldn’t even stop my tears from falling.

A desperate plea escaped my lips.

“Please, just end me right now…”

Despite the flicker of hesitation in his eyes, Leon showed no signs of stopping.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Where is Tara?”

I was in so much pain that I started laughing.

“Tara? She stole my life for sixteen years. Of course, I killed her!

“She made it out alive the last time, so I had to finish the job.

“Well? Do you hate me now?

“Kill me and avenge her!”

Feeling the rush to his head, Leon grabbed his jeweled dagger and stabbed me hard in the abdomen.

Just as darkness swallowed my consciousness, Tara’s voice boomed.

“Your Majesty? Sylas? Lucian? It’s wonderful that all of you are here. I prepared a little surprise for you…”