- Oh, yeah! - amended Aileen. - I never imagined I'd live to see something like that before. I thought you hated him!
- Well, the story is quite long, but I swear I'll explain it as soon as I solve all the problems that have arisen. - taking a deep breath, I walked to the door. - I'll need both of you to be present at the meeting with Rose. Is she still in the castle?
- When will Rose leave us alone? - Aideen said. - That girl doesn't respect the fact that I'm the queen. Too bad she's pregnant with Alec, otherwise she'd have kicked her out by now.
I had a laugh.
- Don't worry! - You said by opening the door. - You'll get the chance. Ask for the boys' presence. They'll love what they hear.
With that, I left the compound. Before I left, I was able to observe my sisters' amazing faces. Rose couldn't wait for what was waiting for her. If she didn't get out of my sisters' lives for good, she'd get out for bad.
- Ready? - Alistair asked as soon as I passed him.
- Yes! - I answered firmly.
I followed the stairs to the dungeon. He was accompanied by Alistair and two guards. Bruce and Alec were without their quarters resting. That was a long day and it was still far from over. I asked Alistair to announce the visit without saying my name, so he went ahead and stopped at the last step before entering the hall that divided the cells. Where I stopped it was dark and little could be seen, but the hall was very well lit by torches.
- Hello, Ravenna! - said Alistair approaching the cell. - I have a visitor for you.
I heard her laughter that had always frightened me and shook me.
- Ah! Yes, at least one of my daughters appreciates what I've done. - she said in an arrogant voice. - Maybe he came to say he's gonna beg for my life.
- Ravenna, no one wishes to beg for their life. - Alistair fired a cold shot. - In case you don't know, Aileen married my cousin Bruce two nights ago. She became the Duchess of Duvengard. Whoever came to visit her wants to give you a coup de grâce and I agreed to it.
- I don't know what would surprise me, but let it come.
- You heard me, Your Highness. - said Alistair signaling me to come closer. - Enjoy it, because she'll be your judge.
Taking a deep breath, I finished going down the stairs and got closer. I slowly removed the hood revealing my face. Ravenna's expression changed from arrogant to terrified. She turned white as wax. I could, she was in front of a ghost.
- You're dead! - she whispered. - It can't be!
- Let me guess! - I said in a cold voice. - "Dear Mrs. MacBride, it is with regret that I inform you that the carriage in which your daughter was, had an accident on the way to Gretna Green. She went off the road falling into an abyss. There are no survivors. My condolences, Keilan Sinclair, commander of the northern troops."
She widened her eyes, breathing slowly.
- How do you know that?
- I'm the one who dictated the letter! - I fired. - The contents aren't lying at all. In fact, the carriage fell into the abyss, but as you can see, I survived the accident. Keilan found me on the road and took care of me. It was at my request that he wrote, sealed and sent the letter.
Ravenna was staring at me for a long time. She sat on a stool inside the cell, as her legs were drunk and she threatened to fall.
- You cheated on your sisters all that time.
- No. I fooled you. - I approached the cell.
- Why is that?
- Because you threatened the lives of my sisters, remember? - I asked coldly. - Do you remember what you did to Aideen?
- What I did was for her own good! For the good of our family!
- She was a girl! - ...I've stirred up. - What you did was selfish! I was just thinking of you when you tried to kidnap Aileen to marry the Duke of York.
Ravenna shrunk and swallowed dry.
- Yeah, I know everything you've been doing. Everything you've been up to. The mercenaries, the betrayal against Phillipe, my father. - I paused to sniff when tears came down on my face. - My whole life is a lie. He tried to turn me into you, but he couldn't. So you tried to use Aileen because she was always obedient. Aideen was a parachute, not much good for anything.
- That's bullshit! - she screamed.
- You sold us out! - ...I've stirred up. - You... sold... your own daughters. You're a monster! A monster!
Ravenna screamed and came to the railing. Grabbing her hair, I brought her even closer and pulled the dagger. She trembled when the tip felt touching her throat.
- My will is to kill her! - he said between his teeth. - Because of you, I live in a realm of terror, where I can't even sleep.
- Go ahead! - she challenged. - Kill me!
- Not yet! - said by letting her go. - I want to make a trade.
Ravenna looked at me with contempt.
- What exchange?
- Your penalty will be to be flogged for ten days before you hang. -
