Hertrude's POV
"W-What the heck is happening?! Where are they?!" I shouted, my voice cracking as it ca out louder than I intended.
The sound felt small compared to everything around us, like it got swallowed up by the confusion in the air.
"Leon and the others… they're gone?" Tris said, her voice trembling. "H-How is that even possible?"
She looked just as shaken as I was. Her hands weren't steady, and even the way she stood made it obvious she was trying to keep herself together.
"Even Johanne is gone. What the hell happened?"
"I-I don't know," I answered, and I hated how weak that sounded.
There was nothing to explain this. Nothing that made sense. It wasn't like they left. It wasn't like they ran off. One mont they were there, and the next, they just weren't.
They were just gone.
My thoughts were all over the place, spinning so fast it felt like I couldn't grab onto anything solid. The more I tried to think, the worse it got, until my body just… stopped.
I was frozen in place.
"Johanne and Leon aren't picking up, even when I call them," Tris said, glancing at her phone again.
It kept ringing.
And ringing.
And ringing.
But no one answered.
That sound started to get annoying in a way that made my chest feel tight, like it was mocking us. Like it was confirming that sothing was really, seriously wrong.
It felt familiar. Too familiar, in fact.
Like I had already lived through this mont once before.
So that's why… back then… in my vision…
I couldn't see Leon or the others.
Because they were already gone.
"Hello, beautiful citizens of Milham."
A voice suddenly echoed out, cutting through everything.
It didn't co from one direction. It didn't even feel like it ca from above or below. It was just there, surrounding us, like it slipped into the space itself.
There was sothing off about it.
It sounded deep, almost like it ca from sowhere dark and endless, yet at the sa ti, it was clear enough that every word landed perfectly.
It was the Prince's voice.
But it didn't feel like the sa one I rembered.
"I am your Prince, the one and only Julius Milham. You must have missed , right?" he continued, his tone light, almost playful. "But don't worry. The rightful heir to the throne is finally here to take his place."
"The Prince…?" Tris muttered quietly.
As his voice spread, people started to co out.
At first, it was just a few.
Then more.
Nobles stepped out, looking confused, whispering to each other. Commoners followed, so hesitant, so curious, all of them trying to figure out what was going on.
The crowd grew fast.
It didn't take long before the area was filled.
Everyone was here.
Just like in my vision.
This was it.
This was the mont everything started to fall apart.
My feet moved before I could even think about it, carrying outside.
The mont I stepped into the open, a chill ran down my spine so sharply that I almost stopped right there.
This place.
This angle.
I recognized it instantly.
This was where I saw it.
The exact sa view.
The exact sa position.
This was where the Queen… would be hanged.
So it really was real.
That vision wasn't just sothing my mind made up.
It wasn't just a possibility.
It was happening.
Right now.
"Oh, you all look surprised. Why am I here, of all places?" the Prince said, his voice carrying easily over the growing crowd. "Well, to be honest, today is what you'd call a Judgent Day."
He sounded amused.
Like he was enjoying this.
"And why do I call it that? Because today is the day judgent will finally be served."
I found myself staring at him.
There was sothing about his face that made it hard to look away, even though every part of wanted to.
It wasn't just confidence.
It wasn't just arrogance.
It was sothing worse.
Sothing twisted.
Like I was looking at soone who had been waiting for this exact mont, holding it in, building it up, and now he finally got to let it all out.
My hands felt cold.
My body started shaking again.
What is this…?
Where are Leon and the others…?
My chest tightened as that thought kept repeating.
There wasn't anything I could do here.
That truth settled in heavily.
I could see everything unfolding right in front of , and yet, I couldn't move to stop it.
All I could do… was watch.
And if Leon and the others didn't co back soon…
The Queen was going to die.
"Now then, for the person who will be facing the Wrath of God today… why don't you bring her in?" the Prince said casually.
His tone didn't match the words at all.
A mont later, movent stirred from the side.
The Queen was dragged into view.
Chains were wrapped tightly around her limbs, forcing her forward with each step. The sound of tal scraping against the ground echoed faintly, mixing with the murmurs of the crowd.
She looked… terrible.
Dark circles surrounded her eyes, like she hadn't slept in days. Her face was pale, her expression drained of any strength.
She didn't look like a Queen anymore.
She barely looked like soone who could stand on her own.
"I should… do sothing…" I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Right as I said that, a hand grabbed mine.
"Don't."
I turned quickly.
Charlotte was standing behind .
Her presence alone was enough to make my mind pause for a second.
She raised a finger to her lips, signaling to stay quiet.
"Just watch," she said softly.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough weight to make listen.
Why was she here?
Wasn't she supposed to be hidden sowhere safe?
Leon made it clear that she could be the Prince's biggest target.
So why would she co here, of all places?
None of it made sense.
Still…
For so reason…
When she said those words, sothing inside cald down.
Just a little.
Even though I knew things were about to get worse.
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