Chapter 37: For Lian

All the corridors seemed longer than they had ever been.

Della walked through them slowly, each step quieter than the last. The castle bustled around her as servants hurried past carrying baskets of linen, trays of food and buckets of water, yet no one truly noticed her. Or perhaps they did. Perhaps she simply no longer cared.

Her fingers unconsciously drifted to the bruises blooming around her neck. They still ached beneath her collar, but she kept walking silently.

Hopelessly.

Mara was sorting folded garments inside the workroom when she noticed someone lingering in the doorway, "Della?"

Della smiled at her, a small smile perched on her lips, "I just came to say thank you."

"For what?" Mara frowned.

"For..." Della kept the smile up, no matter how hard she wanted to suppress it and let her true emotions shatter her, "...Everything."

Confusion settled over Mara’s face, "You’ve lost me."

"You stepped between Garett and me."

Mara blinked, "That wasn’t intentio—"

"You spoke for me."

"Della..."

"And I never thanked you."

Mara slowly set the folded cloth down, then she sighed, "You don’t need to thank me. I just couldn’t bear to see things go south when I knew you didn’t enter the Workrooms that afternoon,"

"I do need to thank you,"

There was something strange about the way Della was speaking, and it made an uneasy feeling crawl beneath Mara’s skin, "Della..."

The younger woman only smiled again, "I hope...you’re happy."

Before Mara could ask what she meant, Della turned and quietly left. Mara remained standing there, still staring at the open door, "...What was that?"

.

.

The Healing Wing smelled of herbs and boiling medicine. Annelise had just finished attending to another patient and was currently grinding dried leaves into powder when she looked up.

"Della!" She smiled brightly, "Your shift has ended, hasn’t it? What are you doing here?"

Della approached slowly, "I wanted to thank you."

"For testing you?" Annelise laughed.

"For believing me enough to." She said softly.

The mortar stopped moving, and Annelise paused for a moment, "...You’re welcome."

"I can see you’re still busy,"

"Yeah, and you’ll be joining me tomorrow like we agreed,"

Annelise frowned when Della’s face remained... null and oddly calm, "Della?"

"I don’t think..." Della whispered, "...I’ll be here tomorrow."

The smile disappeared from Annelise’s face, "What?"

"It’s nothing." Della shook her head quickly.

"Wait," Annelise stepped forward when she noticed the bruises around Della’s neck, "Are you ok? What happened to you?"

Della quickly hid her hand behind her before Anneliese also noticed that, "You know..." She let out a bitter laugh, "Life of a rotblood,"

Della’s toes curled inside her shoes, and she fought the urge to cry.

"I’m just joking," She quickly let out to clear the air, but Annelise did not look like she was convinced at all.

"Let me make you something for the pain," Annelise said, but Della shook her head.

"There’s no need. Use it on someone who needs it more than me,"

"Della, you’re scaring me," Anneliese admitted.

"Don’t you worry, everything is fine," Della said, before stepping forward unexpectedly and embracing the Veinseer’s daughter.

Annelise froze.

It only lasted a few seconds, then Della stepped back, "Thank you."

Before another question could be asked, she was gone.

Annelise stared after her for a moment. She had felt how badly Della’s body had been shaking during that hug, "...Something’s wrong." She muttered under her breath.

.

.

Della found herself outside Cassian’s chambers before she even realised she’d walked there. The heavy wooden door stood shut and she stared at it for a long time.

Her hand finally lifted to knock, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Couldn’t bring herself to face Alpha Cassian.

And so, she lowered her hand to her side and whispered, "...I’m sorry."

Then she turned around and walked away.

The door opened only a heartbeat later, and Cassian stepped into the corridor. His silver eyes immediately found the retreating figure disappearing around the corner, and his brows furrowed, "...Little servant?"

She didn’t answer.

She never even looked back.

Something about the way she’d walked, the way her shoulders were so sagged compared to how it was when she had left his chambers earlier made a strange unease settle inside his chest.

Without knowing why, he started following.

.

.

Outside the interrogation chamber, Rowan straightened the moment he saw her approaching, "Mrs Astridge."

"I need to see Alpha Malachi." She said as she stopped before him.

"He’s occupied."

"...Please."

Rowan shook his head. He was unfaltering, "No one is allowed inside."

"But I have to confess."

"...Confess?" He asked with a confused frown.

"I did it." The words left her mouth quietly, and she lowered her eyes," I lied. I’ve lied this whole time."

"What are you talking about?"

The door behind him opened with a loud groan, and both of them looked up. Malachi stood there, and his icy blue eyes found her first.

For one endless second, they simply looked at one another and Della felt her heart shatter.

It was actually happening.

"...Alpha." She forced her voice to stay strong. She couldn’t break down here.

Without waiting for permission, she stepped past Rowan and even past Malachi.

Into the interrogation chamber.

Beatrice looked up immediately the moment Della watched in, and her eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Della?" She asked softly, "What are you doing here? Why do you look so pale?"

Della stopped in the very centre of the room, pretending she didn’t hear the annoying snake talking to her. Then, she slowly dropped onto both knees.

"What are you doing?" Malachi’s expression never changed.

She bowed her head, her body beginning to visibly tremble, "I’ve come..." Her throat tightened, "...to tell the truth."

Silence.

Even Beatrice had forgotten to breathe.

Della closed her eyes, and a single tear slid down her cheek before disappearing beneath her chin, "...Lady Beatrice is innocent."

The room became deathly still.

Don’t say it.

Don’t say it please...!

"I lied." Her voice trembled now, "It was me. I tore the ceremonial banner. I attacked my own sister," She swallowed painfully, releasing a shaky breath as she forced the last words out despite feeling her entire world collapsing around her, "I am responsible for everything,"