CHAPTER 34: I CAN SAVE HER

The whole palace had descended into chaos. Every physician from the realm had been summoned to the palace to save Queen Sephora.

Queen Sephora screamed in pain, her body twisting under the soft covers. Her skin turned red, and raised marks appeared, like something burning under her skin. Her breathing was fast and weak.

In the royal waiting hall, King Aden walked back and forth like a trapped animal. His fists were tight, and his eyes were full of anger.

Prince Adam stood next to him, quiet, but the tight line of his jaw showed he was upset. Queen Sephora’s cries rang out from her room, spreading fear through the palace.

"Who the hell gave her that tea?" King Aden roared, his voice cracking through the stillness.

Just then, the doors opened, and the young noble ladies walked in fear etched into every inch of their trembling bodies.

Lumina and Stella entered last, their steps slower, more composed, though uncertainty hung around them like a mist.

"I asked a question!" King Aden’s voice boomed again, and the ladies collapsed to their knees.

"We are sorry, Your Highness!" Rhynera cried, her voice shaking. "I don’t know what went wrong..."

"Speak!" he barked.

"I... I brought the tea from the Celestial Realm. It’s the finest blend. I made it myself before class. I don’t know what happened..."

"You brought it?" King Aden’s voice dropped to a deadly calm. "Are you saying you poisoned the queen?"

"No!" Rhynera gasped, shaking her head. "I would never!"

Before King Aden could respond, the chamber doors opened again and three royal physicians stepped out, their faces pale with dread. They bowed deeply.

"Well?" King Aden snapped. "Speak!"

"Your Highness," the oldest physician began, his voice low and filled with fear, "we still cannot determine the type of poison. It’s... spreading rapidly. If we cannot identify it soon, I fear."

King Aden’s voice exploded with rage. "Do whatever it takes to save her or I swear on my crown, your heads will feed the vultures!"

All three physicians fell to their knees in terror. One dared to speak. "If we could identify who poisoned the tea, they may know the antidote..."

All eyes turned to Rhynera. Her face drained of color. "I... I don’t know what poison it was," she whispered. "I didn’t put anything in it."

Prince Adam surged forward and grabbed her by the collar, lifting her from the ground. "Are you saying the King is lying?! You gave her that tea!"

"I... I made it! But I didn’t carry it! The maids brought it inside. It could have been tampered with on the way!" She tried to convince Adam.

"Bring the maids!" King Aden thundered again.

Before anyone could move, the doors slammed open again and Ashen strode in, dark brows furrowed, eyes locked on one face. "Lumina!" His voice broke through the anxiety.

He rushed to her side, voice dropping as he cupped her face. "Are you alright? What happened to your cheek?" Lumina gave a soft, bewildered smile. "I am fine." This was the first time she had spoken and had just stood lost in her world while the King’s voice was ringing through the hall:

"You should be worried about your mother," Aurelia snapped from across the room, as she also walked inside her face half covered because of the wound.

She had rushed down here aware of her mother’s health even though her face was yet to heal.

"Not the sister of the one who brought poison into the palace," Aurelia added glaring at Lumina.

"Princess Aurelia... I see you are doing well now." Lumina stated and Aurelia almost lost her little anger which was kept in check.

"You! My mother has been poisoned and here you are trying to piss me off!" Aurelia’s voice boomed but her statement caught Ashen’s attention.

Ashen turned toward King Aden, confusion dawning. "Poison?"

Prince Adam let Rhynera fall to the floor, watching his brother closely. Ashen turned slowly to Ero, whose eyes dropped in guilt.

"You only told me Lumina was in trouble," Ashen murmured.

"I... I didn’t know this would happen," Ero replied. Ashen’s arm tightened protectively around Lumina, still not ready to let her go now.

"Then I will take her back to our chambers," he said softly.

"Stop!" King Aden shouted. "You are not taking her anywhere. She’s still one of the suspects."

Ashen glanced between Lumina and the King. "What exactly happened?"

Lumina raised her head. "I couldn’t see what occurred. But I heard Rhynera say she brought the tea from the Celestial Realm and gave it to the queen." Lumina explained in one breath.

King Aden was about to reply when a breathless servant burst into the hall. She collapsed to her knees. "Your Highness!" she cried. "The Queen... she’s losing her breath... She has only moments left!"

King Aden bolted toward the chamber while Prince Adam and Aurelia followed closely but stopped when kingAden shut the door to the queen’s chamber. Panic and disbelief swirled among the noble ladies like smokehearing.

Just then, the guards entered dragging the three servants who had delivered the tea. The girls dropped to the floor sobbing.

"What was in the tea?!" Adam demanded, grabbing one of them by the throat. His palm burned with rising heat as his fire flared.

"My Lord, please!" the girl cried. "We don’t know! We only delivered it...We don’t know what happened!"

In the corner, Lumina stepped closer to Ashen and whispered, "I can save the Queen."

He turned to her, stunned. "What? This has nothing to do with you."

She shook her head firmly. "I know healing, Ashen. I studied Celestial herbs and poisons before I lost my sight. I promise... I can help."

Ashen hesitated, searching her face for certainty. "Trust me on this," she whispered again. Then he nodded and took her hand.

They entered the Queen’s chamber to find King Aden at the bedside, his face drawn in anguish.

His wife’s breathing was faint, her body convulsing, her skin blotched with crimson.

"Who dares..." King Aden began but stopped when he saw Ashen and Lumina.

Ashen then stood before his father. "She says she knows how to help."

King Aden stared down at the blind girl, rage and desperation twisting his features.

Lumina bowed deeply. "Your Highness... I learned the art of detoxification in the Celestial Realm. I know ancient healing methods passed down by someone important to me. Please... Let me try. If I fail, you may take my life."

King Aden stared at her for a heartbeat, then stepped back. "Do it. But if she dies... so do you." With that, he walks out like he wants to be able to watch whatever Lumina wants to do.