Chapter 194

Elena’s POV

The palace was completely and successfully subdued the next morning, moving with the quiet efficiency of a body recovering from a massive trauma. Teams of guards and cleaners worked tirelessly to erase the physical scars of the attack. But the deeper scars, which were the fear, the shock, and the metallic scent of spilt blood… It would surely linger for a long time.

Deacon was already in the Council Chambers, coordinating the cleanup and addressing the international fallout. Rafael, after a long, restful sleep, was safely tucked away in the library with Zara, guarded by three of Deacon’s most trusted men.

My own injuries were superficial, but the bruises were profound. I changed out of my wedding dress into a simple, severe black suit, the perfect attire for the task ahead.

I couldn’t move forward until I looked back one last time.

“Are you sure about this, Princess?” Kaelen asked, standing beside me at the entrance to the underground cells. He was still bandaged, but impeccably dressed, his posture rigid with apprehension.

“I am,” I replied, placing a hand on the cold stone wall. “I need to see her, Kaelen. For closure. I won’t be able to truly rest until I know she is contained.”

“She is contained,” Kaelen assured me, his gaze sweeping the darkened corridor. “Triple–locked, wolfsbane dispersed in the air vents, and two guards watching the door. She is heavily sedated, but her venom is potent even when she’s unconscious. She blames you for everything.”

“I know,” I sighed. “That’s why I need to see her.”

Kaelen nodded curtly and led the way down the winding stone staircase. The Dungeon was rarely used for anything beyond holding low–level rogues before execution. It was deep, dark, and damp, smelling of earth and raw stone.

We stopped before a heavy, reinforced steel door marked with only a small peephole. Kaelen nodded to the two armed guards, who stepped aside. He unlocked the door with three separate keys, the grinding sound echoing loudly in the silence

He pushed the door open, revealing the small, cube–shaped cell. The only light came from a single, bare bulb overhead, casting harsh shadows on the walls.

In the centre of the room, lying on a thin cot, was Glenda.

She was awake.

She was chained in thick, black iron chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles, bolted directly into the stone floor. She was dressed in rough, grey linen, and the patch covering the silver wound on her shoulder was black with dried woltsbane paste

As the light from the hallway hit her face, she squinted, her eyes snapping to mine. She was no longer manic or high, the sedatives had worn off, leaving her with a cold, evident, calculating tury.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Glenda hissed, her voice hoarse from screaming and the dust of the dungeon. She strained against the chains, which rattled loudly. She couldn’t move more than a foot in any direction.

I stepped fully into the cell, ignoring the stench, and Kaelen closed the door behind me

“I told you I wouldn’t leave until you were contained,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. I crossed my arms, resting my weight on one hip. I didn’t look like a victim, I looked like a warden

“Contained?” Glenda spat, attempting to laugh, but it devolved into a painful cough. “You think you won? I tuned your wedding, Elena! I burned your garden! I made sure that every noble in this kingdom saw your king covered in blood protectingg you!”

“We survived,” I countered simply. “And Rafael is safe”

Chapter 194

+25 Bonus

The mention of the boy made her eyes narrow to slits. “I should have killed him first. That little brat. He was the perfect weap But that stupid prince of yours… he interfered. Always interfering”

“You poisoned him, Glenda,” I said, walking closer until I stood just beyond the reach of her chains. “You tried to murder a seven–year–old boy to frame me. That is why you are here.”

“I did it for love!” she shrieked, tears suddenly springing to her eyes, twisting her face into a tragic mask. “I did it for Bryson! He was supposed to be mine! You stole him with your pity! You stole my life!”

“I didn’t steal anything,” I said, shaking my head. “Bryson chose you. He chose to humiliate me. You were his choice, Glenda And you lost him because you are poisonous and greedy. You destroyed his pack, and you destroyed yourself.”

“No! He’s the monster!” she wailed, banging her chained fist against the cot. “He rejected me! He turned his back on me when I needed him! He’s the traitor, not me!”

I watched her descend into total self–pity and blame. She was incapable of accepting responsibility for any of her actions. All the manipulation, the theft, the murders. To her, she was the heroine of a tragedy, and everyone else, Bryson, Deacon, Rafael, and especially me, was the villain.

I felt a sudden, profound calm settle over me. The anger I had expected, the triumph I thought I might feel, was absent.

I didn’t hate her. I didn’t fear her.

Instead, I pitied her.

I looked at the beautiful, broken woman chained to the cold stone, a victim of her own blinding ambition, and realised that her suffering was entirely self–inflicted. Her chains were the result of her choices, not mine.

“I won’t debate your delusions anymore, Glenda,” I said, turning to the door. “You are being charged with High Treason, attempted assassination of a Royal Ward, and inciting rebellion against the Crown. The King’s Justice will be swift and final.”

“You can’t do this!” she screamed, lunging forward, choking on her rage as the chains held her fast. “I’ll haunt you! I’ll come back! You will never be safe!”

I paused at the door, but I didn’t turn back. I simply looked at the guard. “Let’s go, Kaelen.”

As the door shut behind us, Glenda’s hysterical screams were also contained inside. Looking at that closed door, I sigh with relief, knowing this was truly the end. She was no longer a threat, but a cautionary tale.

Something the new generation would learn from.

“Kaelen…” I voiced out after we walked a bit away from the dungeon.

“What is it, Princess?” Kaelen asked gently, halting for a second to give his full attention to me.

I turned to face him, breathing in the scent of fresh air.

“More than I thought,” I confirmed, rubbing the stiffness from my neck. “I saw her, Kaelen. I saw the rot inside her. And I realised that she had already lost everything, long before Deacon arrived”

The actual test of our new reign was not how quickly we killed our enemies, but how fairly we judged them. And Glenda’s judgment was imminent.

P

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Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.