A loud cracking sound woke me, followed by Seran’s scream, and I sprung out of bed, grabbing my sword before rushing downstairs. Guards swarmed inside through the splintered door with swords drawn. Seran dropped the book she’d been reading, and a guard snapped a holy obsidian collar around her neck, while a few others ordered me to drop my sword. This couldn’t be happening. She hadn’t done anything! Her terrified eyes met mine, and I wanted to kill every one of them.
“Drop your sword!” a guard shouted again. I threw it to the floor but got up in the man’s face.
“Explain,” I growled.
“Your little witch poisoned Lord Arenda,” he said, not backing down. “There’s your explanation. Don’t suppose you knew about that?”
This was idiotic. Seran would never do something like that, especially something that would obviously be pinned on her. I glared the guard down, and he scoffed, turning to follow the others. Seran’s eyes pleaded to me before they dragged her out.
I had to do something. They had to have the wrong person. The lord had a taster, so he couldn’t have been poisoned through his food or drink. It had to be linked to the potions, and the only other person with access to those was Ninau.
She’d framed Seran, and she was going to confess.
I threw on my cloak and boots and ran for the manor.
“Whoa, you’re not on night shift,” a guard at the gate said. “What are you doing here?”
I shot him a scathing look. “It’s about Lord Arenda’s poisoning. You letting me in or not?”
The two guards glanced at each other but shrugged, letting me through. Now I just had to convince the guards at the records room to let me in, too.
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“You need something?” one asked.
“I’m looking into the lord’s poisoning. Let me through.”
“Not a chance. Nobody gave you permission to barge in here.”
“I just need Ninau’s address.”
The guard burst out laughing. “Oh, that’s what this is. Need a late night fuck, eh? Fine, just wait here.”
He entered the room, but the other guard kept a hand on his sword hilt as we glared at each other. Then the piece of shit came back with a scrawled note.
“There you go. Now get out of here.”
I stormed all the way to Ninau’s little compartment house in the slums and slammed my fist against the rickety door. I could have kicked it down if I needed to, but Ninau answered in nothing but a cropped top and undershorts, leaving her toned abdomen and thick, strong legs on full display. Scrapes covered her knees and arms, but I didn’t give a shit.
She smiled. “Paying me a midnight visit? How scandalous.”
I barreled my way inside, and she jumped away. I slammed the door shut and loomed over the girl. “You poisoned Lord Arenda.”
Her face twisted, but then she laughed. “Is this how you flirt?”
I shoved her against the door. “You think I’m joking around? They arrested Seran!”
She pried my hand off her with a scowl. “And I’m sorry to hear that, but that has nothing to do with me.”
“Bullshit. You’re the only other person who could have poisoned Seran’s potions. You’re coming with me and you’re telling the truth.”
She smiled dangerously. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
I grabbed her upper arm and pulled her away from the door, but she kicked me hard in the crotch, and I forgot to keep my grip. Something threw me across the room, and I crashed into the tiny dining table, toppling it and shattering a few dishes on the floor. The blow to my back knocked the wind out of me.
Before I could catch my breath, an invisible hand wrapped around my throat and squeezed. I gasped uselessly as my lungs burned, and I pushed on the thick arm I couldn’t see. By the door, Ninau threw on a cloak, gave me a quick glance I couldn’t read, and hurried out. I was going to die, and so was Seran. Thanks to this witch.
The hand released me, and I gulped down air between coughing fits. I had to get it together and get to Seran. The guards needed to know the truth, with or without Ninau’s confession. It was the only thing left I could do.