41. Unleashed

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The silence made its way into the helicopter again and while the men tried to get some sleep in, I couldn't. Exhaustion and thirst had hit me like a truck now that we were able to sit down and get some rest, and even though I managed to drink six water bottles, sleeping just wasn't in the cards for me. I was too on edge to even attempt it.

What if I did fall asleep and they would try to kill and decapitate me? I was pretty sure it wouldn't work since I healed too quickly so the front of my neck would've been healed before the axe would leave the back. But what if they captured me instead and found a way to imprison me for the rest of my life? I didn't even know if I would age, I could be stuck there forever. What if I got the nightmare again and accidentally killed someone because of the adrenaline when I woke up?

Get it together and stop your mind from derailing, Iola.

I slapped myself in the face and shook my head. This helicopter ride wasn't good for my sanity. I needed a desperate talk with my father. Unfortunately, I probably had to arrange a shit load of other stuff before I could talk to him because I was the ruler of this kingdom now.

By the time we landed I was frustrated as hell. It didn't help that the second the doors opened, reporters swarmed in front of the helicopter. Palace guards had to push them aside to make way for us and even then, some reporters managed to wiggle themselves through security. 

Valerio and I exchanged a look before we got out. How unexpected that when we did, every camera, microphone and other reporter technology suddenly malfunctioned. Even pens appeared to stop rolling. Regardless of that, it didn't stop them from bombarding me with questions.

"How are you feeling, Queen Iola, now that the prophecy has come true?"

"Can you tell us more about your powers?"

"Why did you grant them mercy?"

"Are you in love with them?"

"How will you rule?"

"Do you know anything about the investigation?"

We were greeted by Foxglove halfway to the car and I wondered why on earth they had allowed those reporters onto palace grounds in the first place. They really wanted to milk this conquest as much as they could.

During the car ride Foxglove attempted to give me a random crash course on royal etiquette, but one look was enough to make him shut up. It was the last thing I needed right now. When we got out of the car, he suggested that I freshen up a bit first, which again, earned him a look. I was put through shit and I felt like it too, so I was going to face these people looking however I fucking pleased.

"Come on. Let's get you to the ballroom. Everyone's waiting for you there." Foxglove swung his arm around my shoulder and I immediately removed it. 

Yes, after going through the conquest I was mad at him again for not stepping up when I got framed.

Guards bowed to me wherever we went and when the doors to the room finally opened, we were greeted by lots of bright lights, people and loud music. The whole charade was extremely overwhelming and the three of us froze in the door opening. Foxglove went along, not noticing our discomfort, while the people in the room slowly began to turn their attention to us.

Haimon was the first to snap out of it and enter the room to go talk with the other vampires, he was used to this kind of stuff after all. Valerio followed minutes after and went over to the werewolves, but not before nudging my shoulder.

Finally after what seemed to be hours, but were in fact minutes, I stepped into the room as well. I instantly got swamped in a crowd full of people who all wanted to congratulate me. Everyone bowed or curtsied. Some people wanted to take pictures or autographs, others just wanted to shake my hand. 

After making a much unwanted round through the room as I couldn't get away from these people, I at least saw some familiar faces. The generals, every trainer, the pr-team, the supernatural delegations, Mr. Anders and Miss. Villin were people I recognized. They either stayed in the palace during the conquest or flew over while it was happening. The rest of the crowd seemed to exist out of people I didn't know but apparently were very rich and famous.

One person seemed to missing however. My father. Confused, I made my way through the crowd, ignoring everyone, in order to locate Foxglove.

"Have you seen my dad around?" I shouted to him over the classical music from the extremely rare, live orchestra, hiding the slight panic in my voice.

"I think he's up in his room getting ready for tonight's meeting. He has informed everyone he's going to reveal the conclusion during it!" He yelled back.

I felt a slight sense of relief, gave him a thumbs up and turned around. My father and his work came as a package deal these days. I stopped mid-turn when I actually thought about it and my eyes widened.

He would never do that.

Never in his wildest dreams would he have chosen to work on the investigation instead of coming here to greet me after the hell I'd just been through. He wasn't that kind of father. They would've had to stop him from jumping in the helicopter and bringing me back himself the second it was clear I had won.

This was out of character. Extremely out of character. Dread formed in my stomach as the feeling I got on the battlefield suddenly made perfect sense and I knew it didn't just need to get to him right now.

I had to run.

I sprinted out of there, pushing everyone out of my way, making them fall and catching the attention of some people I knew. I didn't care, I truly didn't. Tears were streaming down my face as I ran as fast as I possibly could through the hallways, across the courtyard and up the stairs, ignoring my body's exhausted pleas to stop.

I didn't dare use my senses to try and detect a sign of life. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I barged through his door, immediately ran over to his bed while my vision became blurry and my breathing stopped.

"Dad?" I managed to cry out.

A response never came.

There he laid, murdered in the exact same way as the king and queen. He was completely drained of blood, claw and fang marks were spread across his body, his limbs were ripped off, his heart was ripped out and he was decapitated.

I let out a scream so loud it ripped through everything, every wall, every molecule in the air. The ground trembled beneath me and the guards that had followed dropped dead onto the floor with blood dripping out of their ears and nose.

Dropping down on my knees, wailing in tears, I desperately held onto his hand and I lowered my head against it, hoping for a miracle. But I knew it wouldn't come.

I was too late.

I failed.

I lost him.

I lost my best friend.

I lost my father.

My stinging eyes fell on his desk as I raised my head. The casefile was lying on it. It was opened and obviously browsed through. But I knew he hadn't written the conclusion in there and his way of writing his thoughts down was too incomprehensible to any other person for them to conclude anything out of it. Whoever murdered him left it behind since it was rendered useless now that he was dead. He saved the conclusion in his head and it was gone.

I lowered myself against his nightstand, curled up my legs and wrapped my arms around them. All I could do was cry while my mind raced over all the possibilities about how it could have happened and who was behind it. Every inch of my body trembled because I just couldn't believe it. But whenever I glanced to the right, the horror of reality was right there.

Valerio, Haimon, Foxglove and a couple of other generals appeared in the door opening looking horrified, but I didn't comprehend it. Mr. Anders walked into the room and immediately called for a doctor, a forensics team, a coroner and a new detective. He was trained to handle situations like this.

He allowed no one else to enter while he lowered himself in front of me. When the right people arrived and it became obvious to him I couldn't move or speak, he lifted me up and placed me on my feet near the door while commanding the others to give me some space.

I was glued to the spot, forced to watch the team examine the room and my father. A lump the size of a comet had formed in my throat and my breathing hitched. I couldn't look away as they made pictures of his body and took tests. Tears kept on escaping like a waterfall and the only thing I could do was tear my own mind apart. I thought that my father was going to be by my side throughout all the shit that was to come now that I had won, but I was wrong. I had to face everything alone. No more movie marathons, no more bear hugs, no more pasta or trainings, no conclusion. He was ripped from my life. I had lost a part of myself and knew right then I had felt him die on the battlefield.

How was I supposed to carry on without him? Who was going to save me when I felt like drowning? Who was I going to turn to when life simply became too much and all I wanted to do was burn it down? 

He was my compass and I was lost without him. He was the only steady factor in my life, the only genuine warmth and at the end of the day I always came back to him and he was always there.

But now it was gone and it was my fault. I should've refused to participate in the conquest and should've been here instead. I should've went to him right away instead of the charade in the ballroom. I could've protected him. I could've saved him.

I failed Sauron and I failed him. Grabbing onto my head, I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't live with this. Every cell in my body ached and I didn't know what to do. The excruciating hurt was too much to bear and it had to go. It needed to stop. I squeezed my eyes shut and lowered myself against the wall. In that moment, I shut everything out. Every thought, every feeling, I didn't care about them anymore. The dam broke releasing the river and the water crashed through the gates of my mind. The last defenses containing the final shred of hope failed and the containment chamber burst open. Fury took over every place as my worst nightmare came to life and I-

I was unleashed.


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