Chapter 59: Chapter 59

Shia took a final sip of the aromatic cup of tea that Lady Edelfina had served. She had never been a tea drinker, but this tea tasted like heaven. It had actually helped quell the headache she had been suffering due to the amount of guiding stones in the Capitol. She reminded herself that she should ask Lady Nanris for the supplier’s contact before she leaves.

Out of all the people in Gaulane, Shia had been so surprised to get an invitation from Edelfina. It was no secret that they do not get along. The way that her beautiful emerald-green eyes flashed sharply at her and the number of times she would twirl her curls violently whenever Shia was around showed the deep animosity that ran between them.

She actually thought that Edelfina would be the first person to laugh at her fate. After all, she was present at the library when she sought Prince Danterion’s help to escape the king. However, this lady from a well known noble house sent out a letter asking for her presence in a time like this. Shia was a little happy to hear that the lady wanted to help her. She felt quite elated to think that even though they cannot stand each other, her love for Langrion must be strong enough to help her in the quest to free Langrey.

However, like what Shia had thought initially, her happiness was only just so - a little. Suspicion loomed greater in her as she thought about her motives for sending her a letter that day; why would Lady Edelfina, out of all people, help her? Shia did not know this golden-haired lady that much, but she can already tell by the look in her green, cunning eyes that she had survived many inter court battles and that she was skilled in twirling people, mostly men, at the palm of her hands; therefore, she wouldn’t act without any hidden motive in sight.

She stared at the cup of tea she had served her intently, knowing all of these things.

“Do you want another cup, Lady Shia?” Edelfina stated from across her. The lady herself had been drinking milk instead of the tea she has brewed. That was the first bad sign.

Edelfina had given her a good explanation for not taking tea, though. The way that she spoke earlier could only mean that she was suspecting pregnancy in her part. Although it may be a bit unconventional for a noble lady to have children out of wedlock, she actually wanted to congratulate her, but how could you congratulate someone who was trying so hard to poison you?

Shia wanted to laugh at her silly antics. How can this lady expect her to fall for such a stupid tactic? Did she think she was brainless enough not to suspect this plan of hers? True, if she didn’t have such a sensitive nose and an extensive knowledge of poisons, she would have already taken her final breath right inside these chambers. How many times had she already tasted honey made by bees with oleander pollens on them anyway? The blend was so perfect, she wouldn’t be able to trace anything if she didn’t know about this trick at all.

“Do give me some more tea. I’m actually enjoying this.” Shia exclaimed. There was no harm in humouring a pregnant lady. If this was the game she wanted to play, then she’ll play along, for the time being.

“I’m happy to hear that, then.” the lady said back, pouring her a fresh cup of brewed tea. Shia raised the newly filled cup to her mouth once more. This was really a waste of such good tea.

“Since you have been enjoying this tea so much, I must tell you the truth that it is slightly poisoned and that the third cup is the lethal amount.” Edelfina casually said as she sipped a drink in her own cup.

‘I know,’ Shia thought, but she said something different. “How come you are telling me about this now?” Edelfina’s revelation was taking the fun away from their little game, but Shia decided that she’ll go along with it.

If the lady was shocked, she showed no trace of it. This was so unlike her. The Edelfina she had come to know would have been fuming mad already, but she’s so surprisingly calm that it was Shia who felt a little taken aback.

“Because this is the only way I can help you,” she said calmly, “I do not wish you to be with Langey, and you said you do not wish to be with the king. The only way to escape this predicament is through death. However, I have no plan of murdering you against your will; you can decide henceforward what you’d like to do on your own. Should you take a third cup, I won’t blame you. If you don’t want to take it, that’s fine as well. You cannot say that I had been so cruel as to not tell you. I don’t want your blood to be in my hands.”

Shia blinked back and looked at the lady in front of her. She did not flinch as she informed Shia all of these things. She actually looked a little grave, as if a part of her was pained.

“I see. Thank you for telling me.”

Shia looked back at the cup before her. She took a final sip of the poisoned liquid and tipped the cup in her lips until everything was finished. Then, she proceeded to fill it again.

“Wait!” Edelfina pressed down on her hand as she was about to drink her filled cup again. “Don’t tell me -”

Shia ignored her words and drank down until her cup was empty for the third time. The lady before her turned as pale as a ghost. For a second, she thought that she looked genuinely affected by what she had just done – but that was only for a split second...

Lady Edelfina was as cunning as a fox that Shia was almost fooled by her sudden announcement of the poison.

However, ‘almost’ was indeed the right term. Shia was too quick on reading the thoughts that were coming into her mind.

“Lady Edelfina, I thank you for your generosity today. This is premium tea leaves; I think I shall crave more of this later on, so you must tell me who sold it to you...”

“W-what?” the lady hissed. The fading color of her lips was a satisfying view to look at for Shia. She proceeded to pour herself a fourth cup.

“Since I might be dying soon, can I let you in on two secrets? First, I overheard you talk to Langrey at the debutant ball. You were suspecting that I was cursed. You were right. It wasn’t just Langrion who has a cursed. Do you want to know what I can do?”

With a flourish of her hand, Shia made a branch of oleander grow out of the teapot.

Her host gasped.

“As you can probably guess, I know how to discover the materials people use for their poisons. The second is that I knew you lied about the amount of poison in this cup. Ordinary people wouldn’t have survived after the second cup, but you deliberately told me that the third cup was the lethal dose. Was it to ensure that I finish the second cup as quickly as I can? Or was it to convince me that you were only out to help me?”

The face of her host couldn’t have been any paler.

“I was almost swayed by your act right there. If I didn’t experiment on poisons as a kid, I would have already died within the first two sips overnight. It was too greedy of you to make me drink the succeeding cups by convincing me that the choice to live or die had belonged to me when you have already ensured my death from the very start!”

She took the fourth cup of the poisoned tea calmly into her mouth and emptied its contents.

“I will walk out of here without reporting you to the king because I think you might be of child; but I shall make sure to get back at you one day for this, Edelfina Nanris!”

Shia stood up quietly from her chair, but the despicable woman tugged at her wrist violently before she turned away.

“You witch! You can never harm me! You shall never be queen!”

“Watch me!” Shia said, yanking her arm back. She collected her skirt and walked out of the room, slamming the door as fiercely as she could behind her. She could hear the shouts and sounds of shattered glasses against the hard floor as she walked away further from that blasted place.

When she got at the end of hallway, however, Shia felt deathly strange. The world began to spin rapidly, and she felt her heart beat faster than ever. She had been right all along! The poison was three times the usual amount, and it was more than she could actually handle on her own...