Chapter 46
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“I said more wine!” Amira screamed at the maid who was shaking in fear.
“My lady, Alpha Max warned us-”
“Fuck him!” she snapped, slamming her goblet onto the table.
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The maid flinched but didn’t move fast enough. Pathetic. Amira snatched the empty goblet and threw it across the room, watching with mild satisfaction as it shattered against the stone floor.
She was angry.
No–she was furious.
Nothing had gone how she planned.
She should have been inside that castle by now. She should have had Alaric’s trust, playing the sweet, innocent sister, whispering poison into his ear, ensuring Liana was cast aside like the weak little thing she was.
Instead?
She was locked out like a commoner, a nobody in the grand game she was supposed to be winning.
And worst of all?
Liana was winning.
Her stupid sister had managed to worm her way into the king’s good graces, had survived the accusations, had somehow managed to outplay her again.
It made her sick.
Amira let out a slow, measured breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. She needed to think.
She needed a way in.
But Alaric’s guards weren’t fools. They wouldn’t let her just waltz in and charm her way to the top like she usually did.
There had to be another way.
A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
She turned toward the entrance, her lips curling. “What?”
A second later, one of her maids shuffled in, carrying a neatly folded letter, “A message arrived, my lady.”
Amira arched a brow. “From who?”
The maid hesitated. “Alpha Max.”
Amira’s mood soured further.
“Nosy bastard,” she muttered under her breath, snatching the letter from the maid’s hands.
She tore it open, scanning the words quickly.
It was the usual–empty concern, his ridiculous attempts to act like he still had some claim over her.
Amira,
How are things progressing? I assume you’ve gained favor by now. I’ve heard rumors that your sister is proving to be more stronger than expected. But I remembered her as being so weak, who is she winning against you?
Let me know if you need anything
Maxwell
8:30 PM &
Chapter 46
Amira rolled her eyes. Of course he was keeping tabs.
Always watching. Always waiting for her to hand him something useful.
She crushed the letter in her fist and tossed it onto the table. “Nosy, pathetic little man.”
Max had served his purpose long ago. He thought himself clever, still trying to manipulate her like he used to.
But she was the one pulling the strings now.
Still, best to keep him satisfied.
She turned to the maid. “Write back to him.”
The maid nodded quickly. “What shall I say, my lady?”
“Tell him everything is progressing as planned.” Amira flicked her wrist. “That there’s no need for concern.”
The maid nodded and hurried off, leaving Amira alone again.
She sat back, tapping her fingers against the table.
This wasn’t enough.
She needed something more.
Something bigger.
And she knew just the person to help her.
She turned toward the other maid standing silently by the door. “Go fetch someone for me.”
The maid bowed slightly. “Who shall I bring, my lady?”
A slow, wicked smirk spread across Amira’s lips.
“Call in Gareth.”
The maid paled slightly but nodded, scurrying out of the room.
Ainira leaned back, eyes glinting.
If she couldn’t charm her way into the castle-
She’d force her way in.
She poured herself another drink, tapping her nails against the rim of the goblet as she waited. The minutes dragged, her irritation growing, but just as she was about to snap for another servant, the door creaked open.
A tall, wiry man stepped inside, his sharp features half–hidden beneath the hood of his cloak. Gareth.
Amira smirked.
“You took your time,” she said smoothly, lifting her goblet to her lips.
Gareth didn’t bow. Didn’t cower like the others did.
He merely tilted his head, his dark eyes scanning the room before landing on her, “You called for me, my lady?”
She set her goblet down with a loud clink, rising to her feet.
“You gave me honey syrup
Gareth blinked. “I did what?”
She threw a dagger at his feet, just close enough to make her point. “That’s what the King tasted when he tested it in front of everyone” she kissed. “I asked for something that would take care of that little inconvenience, not a kitchen ingredient”
8:30 PM
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Chapter 46
Gareth didn’t even flinch at the blade now resting near his boots. He merely sighed, rubbing his jaw. “And you think I gave you syrup instead of poison?”
“That’s what it looked like,” Amira snapped. “So explain to me why the great Gareth, master of poisons, handed me something that did nothing but give me a rash and make me look like an idiot in front of the entire court.”
Gareth let out a slow breath before stepping closer, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. “I don’t deal in mistakes. I gave you what you asked
for.”
Amira’s lips curled into a sneer. “Then why did it look like syrup?”
“Because it was meant to.”
She froze.
He studied her, his expression unreadable. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
She crossed her arms. “I took the poison the night before and applied a small amount to my skin. Enough to create irritation. The goal was to have proof of being poisoned and blame it on Liana. Simple.”
Gareth let out a low chuckle.
Gareth
Amira’s eyes darkened. “You find something amusing?”
“Yes.” He took another slow step forward, his voice smooth but laced with something sharper. “You didn’t listen, did you?”
She stiffened.
Gareth tilted his head. “The poison I gave you doesn’t just cause irritation. It lingers in the bloodstream, building up over time. That rash you so proudly displayed? That was pain. A side effect. Not the intended result.”
Amira’s stomach twisted.
“What are you saying?” she demanded.
Gareth sighed, crossing his arms. “That poison was never meant to show immediate effects. It only did because you rubbed it and not drink it. It’s designed to act slowly, unnoticed. A few drops in a drink or on the skin here and there wouldn’t do much at first. But continued exposure?” He smiled slightly. “The body starts breaking down. Organ failure. Weakness. And then-”
He snapped his fingers.
“Gone.”
Amira’s eyes widened.
Her breathing turned shallow.
She had-
She had poisoned herself.
Gareth watched the realization dawn on her face with mild amusement. “I imagine you’re already feeling the effects?”
Amira’s pulse pounded. Now that he said it…
She had been feeling off.
Small pains. Strange fatigue. Nothing she had thought twice about.
She gritted her teeth.
Gareth shrugged. “I assume you didn’t take enough to be fatal. But if you continue using it like an idiot, well…” He let the words hang in
the air.
Amira fought to keep her expression neutral,
She had miscalculated.
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8:30 PM
Chapter 46
Again.
She had walked into her own trap.
Gareth smirked. “You should be more carefu
1 when playing with things you don’t understand, my lady.”
Amira’s hands curled into fists.
This wasn’t over.
She needed a new plan.
And this time-
She wouldn’t make another mistake.
