LILY'S POV
The Queen's guards moved fast.
They didn't ask questions. They didn't look sorry. One minute Lily was standing in shock at the theft announcement and the next minute a guard was grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the bridesmaids' chambers.
"Let go," Lily said but her voice came out small. "I didn't steal anything."
The guard didn't answer. Three more guards were herding the other bridesmaids down the corridor. Rose's best friend was crying. The Queen's cousin looked terrified. But none of them were struggling. None of them looked guilty.
Only Lily felt like the floor was disappearing under her feet.
The guards brought them to the chamber where the bridesmaids had dressed before the ceremony. Lily's stomach twisted. This was her room too. They'd given her a small space in the corner with a vanity and a wardrobe because she was family, even if nobody treated her that way.
"Search everywhere," the lead guard commanded.
The other guards started opening drawers and wardrobes. Pulling out dresses and shoes and personal things. Lily stood frozen watching them tear apart the room. This couldn't be happening. The necklace was priceless. It was the Queen's. Only a completely mad person would steal something so obvious.
A guard pulled open Lily's drawer.
Her drawer. The one where she kept her few belongings.
"Found something," the guard said.
Lily's heart stopped.
He was holding the emerald necklace. It glittered under the chandelier light. And wrapped around it was a white handkerchief with tiny blue flowers embroidered in the corner.
Lily's handkerchief. She'd had it since she was ten years old.
"That's not mine," Lily heard herself say. "Someone planted that. Someone put it there."
But even as she said it, she knew how it sounded. Desperate. Guilty. The kind of thing a criminal would say.
The lead guard's eyes turned cold. "We have the necklace. We have your handkerchief. We have witnesses who saw you near the Queen's chambers this morning."
"I wasn't near the Queen's chambers," Lily started to argue but the guard wasn't listening anymore.
He was already dragging her back toward the cathedral.
The wedding reception had transformed into chaos. Guests were standing in confused clusters. Servants whispered behind their hands. The music had stopped. The decorated tables with their fancy food sat untouched. Lily caught sight of her father's face in the crowd and her knees went weak. He looked furious.
They brought her into the main hall where Queen Margot sat on a raised chair like a queen on a throne. Which she was. She was the actual Queen and she was staring at Lily like she was looking at an insect.
Daniel was still standing at the altar. Rose was beside him looking shocked and frightened.
"Your Majesty," the guard said, kneeling. "We found the emerald in the Lady Lily's personal space, wrapped in her own handkerchief."
Queen Margot didn't speak. She just nodded slightly and the guard gripped Lily's arm tighter.
"This is insane," Lily said. Her voice was shaking now. "I didn't take anything. Someone is lying."
"I can explain," a voice said from the crowd.
A servant stepped forward. Lily recognized her vaguely. She worked in the Queen's household. The servant pointed directly at Lily and said she'd seen Lily leaving the Queen's private chambers that very morning.
It was a lie. Lily had never even been inside the Queen's chambers.
But the servant said it so confidently that people started believing her. Lily could see it in their faces. The doubt spreading like poison.
Then Rose screamed.
The sound came out of nowhere, piercing and terrified. Rose clutched her stomach and collapsed toward Daniel, her face twisting in pain and panic.
"I can't breathe," Rose gasped. "Something's wrong. Something's really wrong."
Chaos erupted. Servants rushed toward Rose. Daniel caught her as she fell. The Queen stood up from her chair.
"She's been poisoned," someone yelled.
Another voice joined in. Then another. Soon the entire hall was in panic about the poison.
Lily felt the world tilting sideways.
"The wine," a servant said loudly. "Someone poisoned the bride's wine."
And then, like a trap snapping shut, another servant stepped forward. This one was a man Lily had never seen before. He was holding a small vial filled with clear liquid.
"I found this in the Lady Lily's belongings," he announced. "Hidden in her personal bag."
The poison vial.
Lily's breath caught in her throat. She didn't own that vial. She'd never seen it before. But it was being held up like proof. Like evidence of her crime. The room erupted into angry noise. People were pointing at her now. Calling her names. Thief. Poisoner. Traitor.
"No," Lily whispered. "No, that's not mine."
She looked desperately around the room for anyone who would believe her. Her mother was covering her mouth with her hand, backing away. Her younger sister was clinging to their mother's arm, staring at Lily like she was a stranger. The bridesmaids who had been her friends just hours ago were moving away from her, creating distance.
Lily's eyes found Daniel.
He was still holding Rose. But he was looking at Lily. His expression was unreadable. For a moment their eyes locked and Lily felt something break inside her.
Help me, she tried to say with just her eyes. Tell them. You know me. You know I would never do this.
Daniel stared at her for one long second.
Then he turned away.
He wrapped both arms around Rose and turned his back to Lily completely. As if she was already gone. As if she didn't matter at all.
Lily's knees buckled.
"I didn't do this," she said to the room but nobody was listening. "I didn't steal anything. I didn't poison anyone. Please, please listen to me."
Queen Margot's voice cut through like ice.
"Take her to the tower. She will stand trial for theft and attempted murder of the Crown Princess."
Guards moved toward Lily. Strong hands grabbed both her arms. She tried to pull away but there were too many of them. She was screaming now, not words exactly but pure panic and denial pouring out of her throat.
That's when her father stepped forward.
Marquess Crane looked at his daughter and his face was made of stone. Without pity. Without hesitation. He opened his mouth and said words that destroyed everything.
"I disown her. As of this moment, Lily Crane is no longer a member of my family. Let her face trial and justice. She's brought nothing but shame upon our name."
The words hit Lily like a physical blow. She stopped struggling for just a second. Long enough to process that her own father had just publicly rejected her. Abandoned her.
Long enough for her to understand she was truly alone.
The guards started pulling her toward the exit. Lily felt something wild wake up inside her. Some animal part of her brain that knew she was being hunted.
She twisted hard, using her whole body. Her arm slipped free. She spun and shoved one guard backward. For just a moment there was a gap in their circle.
Lily ran.
She tore through the crowd like she was burning. People shouted. Guards yelled commands. She ripped off her heels so she could move faster and ran barefoot toward the great doors of the cathedral.
Behind her she could hear them chasing. Could hear the thunder of boots. Could hear the crowd gasping and shouting.
She burst through the doors into the cold night air and kept running.
Away from the palace. Away from everyone she'd ever loved. Away from the only life she'd ever known.
Into the darkness that was waiting to swallow her whole.