Alina slamd the study door open and stood in the doorway, her chest heaving and her face pale. She had run all the way from the corridor with Audrey’s words burning through her mind.
"The king is already preparing for your wedding to Audrey," she said, her voice uneven from running.
Austin rose from his chair and walked towards her.
"I know."
She almost couldn’t believe her ears.
"You knew? And you didn’t tell ?"
"I found out yesterday," he replied. "I was going to tell you. But with everything that has been happening...I was trying to find the right mont."
She laughed bitterly.
"The right mont? Austin, the king is planning your marriage to another woman. There will never be a right mont for sothing like this."
"The king can do whatever he wants," he said, holding her hands. "I don’t care. I’m not marrying her."
"But we promised him, didn’t we?" Her voice cracked. "If you break your promise..."
"I’m ready to leave," he whispered. "I’m ready to leave Ravenmoor. We will walk away together and never look back. We were prepared for it earlier as well, rember?"
Alina rembered. It was their last option. At that ti, she didn’t want him to. But now, with no option left, she felt relieved on hearing those words again. She was being selfish, she knew that. Austin would lose his everything to be with her. No one would call it a wise choice.
But love never cared about being right or wrong. It only cared about doing everything you can do to be with the person you love the most. And moreover, could he live happily in Ravenmoor without Alina? No.
"Do you truly an that? You would give up everything?" she asked as tears stung her eyes, though she already knew the answer.
He cupped her face and brushed away a tear from her cheek.
"I’ve never ant anything more in my life. You are my everything, Alina. Without you, none of this matters."
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly, afraid of the world trying to pull them apart.
From the study, she went straight to the sewing circle. The circle was working as usual. She took her seat and noticed Rosilyn sitting at a corner with a needle in her hand.
Her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She tried to push the needle through the fabric several tis, but failed each ti. And in the process, pricked her finger. She quickly wiped the blood with her sleeve and tried again.
"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry..." she whispered but no one was actually watching her.
She pricked her finger. A small bead of blood welled up on her fingertip. She didn’t flinch. She just wiped it on her sleeve and tried again.
"I’m sorry," she whispered to herself as no one was actually watching her.
She tried to work but pricked her finger again and the needle fell. She bent to pick it up and knocked over the brass fittings. Everyone turned and looked at her.
Rosilyn dropped to her knees, scrambling desperately to collect the fittings.
"I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t an...I’ll fix it. I’ll find them all. I’m sorry..." she kept murmuring.
Marguerite knelt beside her and caught her shaking wrists firmly.
"Stop."
Rosilyn looked up, her eyes were red as if she hadn’t been able to sleep for days.
"I’m not crazy," she whispered, "I know everyone thinks I’m crazy. But I’m not."
"We know you’re not crazy," Marguerite said, her voice full of compassion. "We know you’re just scared. But it’s okay. You’ll be fine soon."
Alina didn’t say anything. She just observed her through the entire session. And by the end of it, she was sure there was definitely sothing wrong with her.
In the evening, Alina went to see Rosilyn in her room. She was sitting on the bed with her knees pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around them.
"Rosilyn. I need to ask you sothing," Alina said as she sat beside her.
Rosilyn just nodded without looking at her.
"Can you tell more about the n chasing you?" she asked.
Alina had an intuition that sothing was missing from what she had told them. She didn’t know about Harrington’s report but she was surprised at the fact that it was taking too long for Harrington to catch those goons. The fact that investigation was taking too long made her uneasy. Sothing wasn’t adding up. So, she decided to talk to Rosilyn directly.
"Those n....those n aren’t sent by my husband," she confessed.
Alina’s heart clenched as she stared at her in shock.
"Then whose?"
Rosilyn’s hands began to shake again. She pressed them between her knees to steady them.
"I don’t know his na," she whispered.
"Whose na?"
"A week ago, I stopped alone at an inn for one night. There was a drunk man who kept staring at . Then he grabbed my arm and said horrible and disgusting things to . I...I slapped him without thinking."
Tears stread down her face.
"He laughed and said I’d regret it. The next day, the n started following ."
"You think he sent them?
She nodded.
"He had money and connections. He bragged about. He said he could make people disappear," she finally looked at Alina.
"I didn’t tell anyone because...because I was ashad. I knew people would say I brought it on myself. So, I kept quiet and hoped they’d just go away."
"But they didn’t."
"No. It only got worse."
"Then why did you lie?" Alina asked. "I could’ve helped you either way."
"I don’t know...I don’t know," she was wailing now. "When you asked...that’s the first thing that ca into my mind. I was ashad, I guess. People have already questioned my character...maybe that’s why."
Alina moved closer and hugged her tightly.
"You don’t have to be ashad in front of ," she said. "I will help you."
Then suddenly the door to her opened. Austin stood there with Harrington beside him. They had been passing by when they heard Rosilyn crying and stopped. And happened to hear the conversation.
"Catch every man who has been following her as soon as possible," he ordered.
Harrington nodded and left without a word. Austin looked at Alina with worry on his face. She gave him a small nod, assuring him she was fine. He nodded and left while Alina stayed with Rosilyn for a long ti to calm her down.
At night, Austin was with Harrington discussing strategies to catch those n. Alina, on the other hand was exhausted and had decided to rest.
She was about to lay down when a knock ca at the door. She opened the door and found a small boy in a dark coat standing there. He had covered his face with a mask. He pressed a letter into her hand and disappeared before she could ask him anything
She turned around and saw a na written in short letters at the bottom of the envelope.
Eric.
She closed the door and opened the letter imdiately.
Alina,
I found the last two files that Chancellor Crane had kept in his private archive.
But I can’t travel with them. It’s too dangerous. I’m scared, Alina. If they find , and take away the files...everything we’ve worked so hard for will be gone.
So...you need to co to with Austin. Co to the old archive in the Aldre. I’ll be waiting.
And don’t tell anyone about this letter except for Austin. Not even to Maren.
Co quickly.
Eric.
Alina could tell from his shaky handwriting that Eric was scared to death. And Eric was not the kind of person who got scared so easily.
What did he find?? That made him so scared? What is in those files?? What more could Audrey have done?
She didn’t think twice and hurried to Austin’s study. Harrington had already left and he was about to leave as well when Alina barged inside.
She didn’t say anything. Just held out the letter to him. He read it and looked scared as well.
"He is scared," Austin whispered.
"He doesn’t get scared easily. If he is, then there must have found sothing big and dangerous."
"Let’s leave for Aldre tomorrow!" Austin said.
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