They stood in heavy silence, mourning the loss of the woman they'd known.
The Annabella who'd danced last night with stars in her eyes, who'd laughed and teased and burned with life so bright it had lit up every room she entered. That woman was gone.
What remained was a beautiful shell, protected by layers of ice so thick that warmth couldn't penetrate.
Because if it did, if she let herself feel even a fraction of what she'd just done, she would shatter completely. And Rea needed her to stay whole. Even if whole meant frozen.
***
After what felt like an eternity but was probably only minutes, Annabella returned from the balcony. Her teacup clinked as she set it down on Andrew's desk with deliberate precision.
"The poison," she said, her voice flat. "Give it to me now."
Andrew and Lyz exchanged alarmed glances. Andrew stepped forward, hands raised placatingly. "Annabella, we discussed the timing. You need to take it during the journey, not before. The story needs to be consistent, but we cannot endanger your life more than necessary. Based on the original plan, you would need to ingest a heavy dose. But if administered in small doses during the trip, you'll arrive at your father's estate in a weakened state, as planned with less risk—"
"The dose you would have to take now could kill you for the sake of the plan" Lyz added, frustration creeping into her voice. "Do not worry! The travel time will easily account for the deterioration of your condition."
Annabella simply arched her eyebrow in that specific way of hers. Then, before their eyes, she began to glow. Purple light erupted from her skin like dawn breaking, swirling around her in ribbons of pure magical energy. The temperature in the room dropped, then spiked. The air itself seemed to vibrate.
"What are you doing?"Andrew's voice pitched higher with alarm. Lyz grabbed his arm and yanked him backward, away from Annabella.
"She's powering up," she breathed, eyes wide.
"Why?" Andrew demanded. "Why would she—"
"She's trying to break her seals," Lyz said, and there was something like awe in her voice. "Look."
Annabella's feet lifted off the ground. She levitated there, suspended in the centre of the room, her eyes blazing with violet fire so bright it was painful to look at directly. Her hair whipped around her face as if caught in a windstorm that didn't exist.
"It won't do," she said, her voice layered with power, echoing as if multiple versions of her spoke at once. "I need more."
"Get back!"Lyz screamed, and her hands shot up instinctively, golden light erupting from her palms as she threw up a protective barrier around herself and Andrew. She was just in time. The explosion was cataclysmic. Purple energy detonated outward from Annabella's body with the force of a thousand thunderbolts. The blast wave hit the barrier and Lyz gritted her teeth, bracing against the impact as the shield buckled and strained. The sound was deafening, like reality itself was tearing apart. Every window in the office exploded simultaneously, glass shards blasting outward into the courtyard below. The blast shook the entire castle to its foundations. Stone walls cracked. Furniture disintegrated. Andrew's desk splintered into pieces. Books flew from the shelves and ignited mid-air, pages turning to ash before they hit the ground. The shockwave rippled outward through the estate, rattling every door, shattering chandeliers, sending servants stumbling.
Up in their chamber, Rea, deep in sleep, stirred. Her face contorted as if in pain. Her hand clutched at the sheets. A soft, anguished sound escaped her lips, as though somewhere in her dreams, she felt Annabella's agony, her desperate power. But the sleep spell held. She didn't wake. Couldn't wake.
Back in the office, Lyz's barrier finally gave way with a crack like breaking ice. She and Andrew were thrown backward against the wall, the protective magic dissipating in golden sparks. When they could finally see again through the smoke and debris, Annabella was descending slowly to the floor amid the wreckage. Her eyes still glowed with that unearthly violet luminescence. Purple electricity crackled along her skin, dancing between her fingers.
The seals began to break.
The first one, on her shoulder, ignited with white-hot light. The intricate runes that had been etched into her skin for years flared once, twice, then shattered like glass. The pieces dissolved into nothing, as if they'd never existed at all.
The second seal on her back followed. It burned so bright they could see it through her clothing, the ancient binding magic screaming in protest before it too shattered and vanished. One by one, every seal that had constrained her power broke and fell away, burned from her skin by the sheer force of her will. When the light finally faded, Annabella descended slowly to the floor. Her eyes still glowed with that unearthly violet luminescence.
But the most striking change was her hair, what had been blonde with white streaks was now pure, radiant white, like fresh snow in moonlight. She looked at them both, power radiating from her in waves that made the air shimmer.
"Give me the poison." Her voice was calm. Almost casual. As if she hadn't just performed magic that would have killed most mages. Andrew stared at her, speechless.
"Your plan," Annabella continued, smoothing down her clothes with hands that didn't shake at all, "made sense only as long as I kept my powers sealed. But the truth is, if I were really in danger—if Rea truly had imprisoned me against my will—I would have broken every seal and annihilated the threat."
She looked between them. "My father knows this. He would never believe I stayed captive with my seals intact. Now give me the poison."She turned to Lyz. "And you—make sure we reach my home as quickly as possible. No unnecessary delays. No sightseeing. No stops at the Suspended Gardens or anywhere else. Understood?"
Lyz's jaw tightened. Her carefully laid plans to spend time with Annabella during the journey, to forge some connection, had just been obliterated.
"Understood,"she said tightly. She pulled the vial from her pocket and held it out. "Just two sips," she instructed. "That's all you need—"
Annabella took the vial, uncorked it, and drank the entire contents in one long swallow.
"No!"Andrew lunged forward as she swayed. "Just two sips! Two sips would have been sufficient—"
He caught her as she collapsed, lowering her carefully to the floor. Her eyes were already glazing over, consciousness slipping away.
"Why are you so stubborn?" he demanded, cradling her shoulders. "Why the whole vial?"
Annabella's words came slowly, each one an effort as the poison worked through her system. "Had to... knock myself out completely..."Her eyes struggled to focus on his face. "Before my resolve changes."
Her lips curved in a sad, knowing smile. "I know myself, Andrew. If I stayed conscious... none of you could overpower me. Not anymore." Her eyes fluttered closed. "My legs have a tendency... to carry me back to her..."
Her body went limp in his arms. Andrew stared down at her, something like wonder and grief warring on his face.
He carefully brushed that now-white hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek with unmistakable tenderness.
"She'd rather poison herself unconscious than risk walking back to Rea,"he murmured, almost to himself. A sad, bitter laugh escaped him. "How tragic. How utterly devastating."
His thumb traced her cheekbone. "I would give up my throne just to be loved like that. To be someone's entire world."He leaned closer, unable to help himself, and breathed deeply near her shoulder. Her scent, jasmine and magic and something uniquely her, filled his senses. The warmth of her body against his was intoxicating.
"That's enough." Lyz's voice cut through the moment like a blade. Andrew looked up to find Lyz glaring at him with barely contained fury.
She reached down and lifted Annabella from his arms effortlessly, cradling her against her chest as if she weighed nothing at all.
"Annabella will never be anybody's but Rea's," Lyz said, her voice fierce and protective. "I will protect her with my life now. Do you understand? That means I serve Annabella from this moment forward. Not you. Not anymore."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, slowly getting to his feet. "Are you claiming your freedom from my service?"
"I am." Lyz's arms tightened around Annabella's unconscious form.
"I would rather suffer by her side than miss this opportunity to become her closest ally.To matter to her. To give her my devotion. She made her choice. She chose Rea. And I'll make damn sure she gets back to Rea when this is all over."
For a long moment, Andrew said nothing. Then he laughed—a genuine, somewhat rueful sound.
"I never thought I'd lose you to a woman, Lyz. Especially not one who belongs so completely to someone else. The question is when the time to give her up will come, will you fold or try to foolishly hold on to her? " He shook his head. "This lie you have told yourself now will be your undoing! But I suppose it is what it is."
"It is,"Lyz said firmly. She adjusted Annabella in her arms, settling her more securely against her chest.
Annabella's white hair spilled over Lyz's arm like silk. "We leave Now. It was an honour serving you Sire!"
Andrew watched as Lyz carried Annabella toward the door, this woman who had just broken every seal that bound her power, who had poisoned herself rather than risk her own heart betraying her resolve.
"Take care of her," he called after them, and his voice was softer than usual. "I hope you find some sort of happiness out of this. Really, Lyz. She's... she's remarkable. Enjoy it as long as you can"
Lyz paused at the doorway, not turning around. "I know she will never love me but at least I can be by her side and love her with all my heart as I await the dreadful day, the person she loves will claim her back"
Then she was gone, carrying Annabella away from the estate, away from Rea, toward a future neither of them had chosen but both were trapped within.