Chapter 6: Sacrifices in the Gloom

Vaiolet had barely left her father’s private sanctuary when a dark figure appeared at the end of the hallway. Her heart skipped a beat. Cedric. Her brother stood there, arms crossed, with an expression that combined disdain with dangerous curiosity.

"What are you doing here, Vaiolet?" he asked coldly, walking toward her. His tone was soft, but the threat in his words was unmistakable.

Vaiolet felt the dagger hidden under her cloak, her pulse quickening as she realized she had no good explanation prepared. She knew being in the king's chambers—let alone in that secret room—was unjustifiable. She tried to keep her composure, meeting his gaze directly.

"I was simply looking for answers," she replied, keeping her voice steady despite the tension prickling her skin.

Cedric raised an eyebrow, his face barely lit by the flickering torchlight. His expression was a mix of skepticism and mockery.

"Answers... To what exactly?" he took a step closer, watching her with a piercing gaze, as if he were trying to unravel every thought in her mind. "What do you think you'll find here that you couldn't ask directly?"

Vaiolet swallowed, feeling the dagger burning against her side. Her mind searched for an escape, but Cedric had already cornered her. It was no coincidence that he had caught her there, in the most forbidden part of the castle. He knew something. Something deeper than the mere affairs of the kingdom.

"Isn't it strange that since our mother's death, certain things have started to change?" Vaiolet countered, trying to steer the conversation toward what she knew Cedric did not want to discuss. "People disappear, decisions are made without me... And you," she scrutinized him closely, "you have begun to take on more power, Cedric. What do you think that means?"

Cedric let out a dry laugh, but his eyes showed no humor.

"Power? What's happening, sister, is that I'm doing what needs to be done to protect the kingdom. You, on the other hand, are letting yourself be consumed by dangerous fantasies." His tone darkened as he moved until he was almost in front of her. "Mother is dead. Nothing will change that. And the sooner you accept it, the better it will be for you."

Vaiolet did not move. Cedric’s proximity didn’t intimidate her as much as his words did. There was something in his voice, in his attitude, that confirmed what she had already suspected: Cedric knew more than he was letting on. Her mother had written about him in her diary, about his ambition and sudden change, but until that moment, Vaiolet hadn’t fully wanted to believe it. Now, with her brother so close, wearing that mask of indifference and power, she knew he was more involved than she had imagined.

"Protect the kingdom?" Vaiolet raised her voice, feeling the anger boiling inside her. "Is that what you tell yourself to justify whatever it is you're doing with Father? Mother suspected something… and now I'm certain she didn’t die of natural causes. Whatever’s happening here, you're at the center of it."

Cedric narrowed his eyes, and the tension in the air became suffocating. Vaiolet noticed how his hands clenched into fists, as if he were holding himself back.

"I warn you, Vaiolet," his voice dropped to a lower, more threatening tone. "Your paranoia will lead to your downfall. The people are already beginning to whisper. You keep poking around in places that don’t concern you, and soon they’ll start to believe that you were involved in our mother’s death. Is that what you want? To be seen as a traitor?"

Vaiolet’s heart pounded. Cedric’s words hit her hard, not because she believed them, but because she knew he could turn them into reality. If he and the king were truly behind the queen’s death, they would also have the power to manipulate the court, the people, and make everyone believe she was responsible. It was a power game they controlled, and Vaiolet was trapped in it.

"Why are you threatening me, Cedric?" she asked, trying to keep calm. "If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid of what I might discover?"

Cedric stared at her in silence for several long seconds, his dark eyes shining with a mix of restrained anger and something Vaiolet couldn’t decipher. Finally, he let out a sigh and took a step back.

"I’ll tell you one more time, Vaiolet," his voice was cold, but now carried a hint of weariness. "Stop asking questions. Stop looking for what you don’t want to find. You’re playing with fire, and if you continue down this path, you’ll get burned. And when that happens, I won’t be there to save you."

Cedric turned and began to walk away, but Vaiolet couldn’t help but notice how he tensed his shoulders, as if he, too, felt the weight of what he had just said. Her brother wasn’t just threatening her; deep down, perhaps he was also warning her. But for Vaiolet, those warnings only confirmed one thing: he was involved. And if she wanted to survive all of this, she had to find the truth before Cedric or their father crushed her.

Vaiolet slipped through the dark corridors of the castle, her heart pounding so hard she could barely think clearly. Cedric had discovered her, but something in his words resonated more than the threats: a veiled warning, as if he knew the danger was much greater than even she had imagined. With the dagger still hidden under her cloak, Vaiolet felt that each step took her further away from the life she had known. The truth was close, but finding it would not only put her life in danger, it would forever separate her from her family.

As she hurried through the empty corridors, a hand shot out from the shadows and grabbed her arm. Vaiolet stopped abruptly, stifling a scream, her instinct immediately reaching for the dagger she had hidden. But then, the figure leaned in toward her, whispering urgently.

"Princess Vaiolet, please, don’t scream. It’s me, Dorian."

Vaiolet recognized the face of the servant who had been in her mother’s service for years. Dorian was a discreet man, always in the shadows, but his loyalty to Queen Amaranta was unwavering. In that moment, Vaiolet knew she could trust him.

"Dorian, what are you doing here?" she asked in a whisper, glancing around to ensure no one was near. "It’s not safe..."

His eyes were filled with concern and sorrow as he leaned in closer, his words barely audible.

"Princess, I must speak with you. I don’t have much time." His face was tense, as if the weight of what he was about to say was almost unbearable. "Your mother... Queen Amaranta didn’t die naturally. Her death was too convenient, too timely."

Violet felt the blood freeze in her veins. Although she had suspected it, hearing these words from someone so close to her mother made her fears all the more real.

"How do you know?" she asked, clutching her cloak and feeling the dagger hidden beneath the fabric.

Dorian glanced around before continuing, his eyes full of fear and urgency.

"The queen was involved in something very old, something few in this kingdom understand. She practiced ancient magic." The words hung in the air, and Violet blinked, stunned. "She did it to protect you, Princess."

Her legs wavered for a moment. Magic? Her mother, the wise and just queen, practiced ancient magical rites. It was hard to believe, but deep down, Violet knew there were truths hidden from her all along.

"Why didn’t she tell me?" she asked, her voice breaking with shock and confusion. "What kind of magic?"

With a sorrowful gaze, Dorian explained, "Your mother was very cautious. She knew there were forces within the palace that threatened not just her throne, but you. Ever since you were a child, the queen used these rituals to protect you, to keep you safe from whatever lurked in the shadows. She always feared the danger was closer than anyone suspected... and she was right."

Violet covered her mouth, trying to process everything. Her mother had been protecting her all along, using secret arts, and no one had said a word. Suddenly, the words in her mother’s diary took on new meaning. Mentions of rituals, ancient objects, symbols she hadn’t understood... it was all about the magic.

"So, she was killed because she practiced magic?" she asked, urgency in her voice. "Who did it?"

Dorian shook his head. "I’m not sure who struck the final blow, but I do know this: your mother was close to discovering something, something dark that involved your father and Cedric. She was investigating the power they were starting to gather, but she died before she could stop them. It all happened too fast to be a coincidence. And now..." he lowered his voice even further, "...I believe you are in danger, Princess. The same threat that took your mother could now be coming for you."

A wave of fear washed over her. She had known her situation was dangerous, but hearing these words plunged her deeper into the reality of her vulnerability. She had wanted to believe that if she found answers, everything would make sense. But now she saw that the danger was far greater than she had imagined.

"What should I do?" she whispered, unsure where to turn now that she knew the truth.

With a firm look, Dorian advised, "You must keep investigating, but with extreme caution. Trust no one inside the palace, especially not your father or Cedric. There are still those loyal to the queen and to you, but they are few, and they are being watched. The kingdom is full of eyes and ears, and if you keep digging too openly, you will be seen as a threat."

Violet pressed her lips together, feeling the weight of the dagger under her cloak as a constant reminder of what she had uncovered. Her mother’s death wasn’t an accident, and now, more than ever, she knew she had to expose those behind it. But she couldn’t act rashly. She had to be cunning, move carefully in the shadows, just like her mother had.

"Thank you, Dorian," she finally said, nodding. "You can’t imagine how much what you’ve told me means."

He bowed slightly, but his expression remained grave. "Take care, Princess. The kingdom needs you now more than ever, but first, you must protect yourself. If your mother could use magic to keep you safe, trust that some of that power still protects you. But you will also have to find your own way to survive."

With those words, Dorian slipped back into the darkness, leaving her alone in the empty corridor. Violet stood there, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. She knew she couldn’t trust anyone. She was alone, but with a clearer purpose than ever: uncover the truth behind her mother’s death, and survive long enough to face those who had taken everything from her.