The moon was high over the castle, but the air felt heavy and strange. I stood by the window of my room, watching the mist crawl across the garden like a silent snake. My "book knowledge" was screaming at me. I remembered this part of the story. In the original book, this was the night Elara used the "Demon's Breath" poison to make Alaric go mad.
But I wasn't the old Seraphina anymore. I was a girl who had read the ending, and I wasn't going to let it happen.
"Kael," I whispered into the shadows of my room.
The captain of the guard stepped forward. He now trusted me completely after the Iron Pass. "Yes, My Lady?"
"Lady Elara has poisoned the garden fountains," I said, my voice calm. "She wants the King to breathe in the mist so he loses his mind. I want you to empty the fountains now. Replace the poison water with clean spring water mixed with crushed white roses."
Kael's eyes widened. "She would dare to poison the King?"
"She would dare much more," I replied. "But we are going to give her a show. Don't stop her. Let her think her plan is working."
An hour later, I walked into the garden. I saw Alaric standing by the stone archway. He looked tired. The stress of the kingdom was wearing him down.
I also saw Lady Elara hiding behind a large rose bush, her eyes sparkling with a nasty light. She was waiting for the "poison" to work. She was waiting for Alaric to turn into a monster and attack me.
"Alaric," I called out softly.
He turned to me, his golden eyes softening. "Seraphina. Why are you out so late? The air is damp."
I stepped into the mist. It smelled sweet, like roses, because Kael had already cleaned the fountains. But I had to act. I needed to trap Elara in her own lie.
I stumbled and fell to my knees. "Alaric... the air... it feels strange!"
Alaric rushed to my side. He pulled me into his arms, his heat radiating through my silk dress. "What is it? Are you hurt?"
Suddenly, the High Priest and a group of guards marched into the garden. Lady Elara stepped out from the bushes, looking like she was crying.
"Stop!" Elara shouted. "Your Majesty, get away from her! I had a vision from the gods! Seraphina is a witch! She has put a spell on the garden to make you crazy! Look at her—she is acting strange because her own dark magic is failing!"
The High Priest looked at me with a mean face. "Lady Seraphina, you are accused of using the 'Demon's Breath' poison to trap the King. The gods have shown us the truth through Lady Elara."
Alaric stood up. His eyes weren't orange with madness; they were sharp and cold with anger. He looked at Elara, then at the High Priest.
"A vision?" Alaric asked, his voice a low growl. "You say this garden is filled with poison?"
"Yes!" Elara cried, pointing at the mist. "It is the Demon's Breath! If you breathe it, you will go mad! Seraphina put it there!"
Alaric didn't say anything. Instead, he walked to the fountain. He dipped a silver cup into the water and took a deep breath of the mist. Then, to everyone's shock, he drank the water.
"No!" Elara screamed. "You will die! You will turn into a beast!"
Alaric stood perfectly still for a moment. Then, he looked at Elara and smiled. It was a scary, predatory smile.
"I feel... wonderful," Alaric said. "The water tastes like roses. My mind is clear. In fact, I have never felt more human."
He walked over to Elara and held out the cup. "If this is the poison you saw in your 'vision,' then surely you won't mind drinking it too, Lady Elara?"
Elara backed away, her face turning white. "I... I cannot... it is only poison for Kings!"
"Enough!" Alaric roared. The ground seemed to shake. "Kael! Bring the bottle we found in Lady Elara's room an hour ago."
Kael stepped forward, holding the small, black bottle of 'Demon's Breath' that his men had found while Elara was busy in the garden. He handed it to the High Priest.
"This is the real poison," Alaric said. "My wife didn't put it in the garden. She found it and saved me from it. Your 'Blessed Lady' is the one who wanted to turn me into a monster."
The High Priest smelled the bottle and gasped. The smell was terrible. He looked at Elara with horror. "You lied to the Church? You tried to poison the King and blame the Queen?"
"No! It's a mistake!" Elara screamed, but the guards were already grabbing her arms.
"Your prestige is gone, Elara," I said, standing up and brushing the dirt off my dress. I walked over to her and whispered in her ear, "You thought you knew the story. But I am the one who writes the ending."
Alaric walked over to me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. He looked at the High Priest. "Take her to the dungeon. She will stay there until I decide her punishment. And tell the people... the Queen has saved the King once again."
As they dragged Elara away, screaming and crying, the garden became quiet again. Alaric looked down at me, his eyes glowing with a sweet, obsessive love.
"You knew," he whispered. "You knew she was there. You knew about the bottle."
"I told you, Alaric," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I will never let anyone hurt you. Not even a 'Blessed Lady'."
Alaric picked me up in his arms, his heart beating fast against mine. "You are not a villainess, Seraphina. You are my guardian angel. And I am never letting you go."
The plan had failed. The villain was in the dungeon, and the "Villainess" was now the hero of the kingdom.