Ileus: The Dark Prince

After hiding the body under the pile of vegetables, Siora calmed her heartbeat. Her chest was rising up and down heavily. There was so much fury that she could feel her blood pounding in her ears. If she hadn't killed the man, she would have ended up using her magic. She was practically going insane for not being able to use her magic. She continued to stand in her room, staring at him with fury. 

Knowing that werewolves had a keen sense of smell, Siora had to get rid of the body before it started rotting or before the werewolves smelled the blood. She looked at the trail of blood and took a deep breath. It had to be cleaned. She took her wet clothes off and cleaned the floor with them. Then she took out a clean and dry piece of tunic and breeches from her satchel and walked towards the bathing chambers for the workers. 

Even though it was pouring and the water was very cold, her body was very heated. Siora went to the bathing chamber, which was a small space and opened the shower overhead. The water was freezing, but she needed it on her body. It helped her cool off her blood a little. She closed her eyes and pictured how she would kill Iona the next evening. She just had to stay extremely cautious. She chuckled at the thought that while she would kill Iona, Anastasia wouldn't be able to do a thing because she had vowed to the Lore that she would keep her alive. What a stupid woman! As for the rest, she wasn't bothered. She was too strong for all of them and she had thought of her plan very carefully. She would kill her and walk out, unscathed… all because of a vow, she had gained from the most powerful woman for saving her son's life. And she would use it to her advantage. 

"I am coming, Iona… to get my throne back… you are nothing. And Rolfe, you are a fly. Tomorrow you will join your ancestors!" 

When she had cooled a little, she stepped out of the bath. However, the moment she was out in her dry clothes, her blood heated up again. A dull headache rose in her temple. "Just a day more, Siora… just a day more…" She took a deep breath and then went straight to where Hank's room was. 

It was late in the night. A dim torch was burning in front of his room. She knocked on his door softly. The man came out in one knock, draped in nothing but a cloth around his waist. He stared at her for a long moment. "I asked you not to meet me. Why are you here?" he growled in a low, dangerous voice. 

"I have killed your worker. His body is lying in my room. Remove it," she said very coldly. 

Shock flickered through his eyes as his shoulders became tight. He closed the door behind him. "How dare you?" he said in a low angry whisper. 

She shrugged. "I did it. So deal with it. Remove the body as soon as possible because I want to sleep." 

Hank was not furious but a trickle of fear seeped in his skin when he looked at her cold demeanor. The woman had no compassion. He whizzed past her, tying a knot in his cloth at the waist and dashed to her room. When they entered the room, he muttered curses under his breath, as he retrieved the body from under the heap of vegetables. He hauled it over his shoulders and walked out in the courtyard under the heavy deluge. Least bothered about it, Siora shut the door close. 

She went to the hay that was lying in the corner and sprawled over it. It was difficult to sleep, not because she wasn't sleepy, but because her magic needed an outlet. She clenched her fists and tossed around. She would sleep for a few minutes and then wake up. She would stand in the cold rain and then come inside totally wet. By the time it was morning, Siora was dying to go to the mansion and kill Iona. 

In the morning when she went to work with others to distract herself, she came to know that the in-charge was replaced by another man, who wasn't even looking at her or giving her instructions. She pulled her hood over her head, concealing her horns and then started helping people. She revisited her plan at least a hundred times until afternoon. Unease grew in her belly and joined her pounding blood. The magic flowed like a toxic storm within her. And now she wanted to destroy the whole Silver Vales. 

It was afternoon, when Hank gave them orders to go to the mansion, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She rushed to her room, picked up her satchel and then went to the place where people were hauling sacks and pails and barrels on the carriages. She waited for the wagons to be stashed with all the load. She sat in the last of the five carriages that started rolling towards Kaizan's mansion. According to Hank, they were expecting around fifty guests.

When they reached, the servants directed them to the makeshift kitchen where all the workers started to do things as planned. Siora helped them haul a few sacks in the kitchen and then as soon as she found time, she slipped. The banquet hall was empty for now. She looked at the long narrow table that was still bare. Soon they would start arranging it. The place where Iona was going to sit was right in front of her. She closed her hands in tight fists as excitement rushed through her. Only a few more hours. Once she would kill Iona, she would rush to the borders where Aed Ruad will be waiting. She had asked him to take her to Galahar straightaway. She will not wait even a second longer to claim her stake. 

Siora looked at the place where she had to hide. Since there was complete silence, Siora took her time to walk to her hiding place and then closed the drapes. She created an invisibility spell around her, and then took out a bottle of oil from it. She applied the oil over her skin and sprinkled some on her clothes. That would take care of her smell. And now all she had to do was stand there and wait for the guests to arrive. In a throng of fifty guests, the chaos would be great and she would be able to exit so easily. A smile tugged her lips up. An hour went by and then two and three. She began to feel hungry. She dug out a cheese bread from the satchel and ate it and as soon as she finished eating, she heard the door open. 

Few servants entered the place in order to arrange it for the evening. In the next one hour, Siora stood there, barely breathing, pressed to the wall. She heard Paige instructing all the servants to do things properly. 

Sweat trickled down her forehead when she heard someone coming near her.

Paige tugged the drapes she was standing behind. "These drapes—"