The Traitor of Inlustris

XXXV

Sacrifice was a needed deed in order to succeed. Most times, the price would be too much to pay, and many failed to see the potential in the horizons. Lots focused way too much on the now and not on the great future.

The arduous work may hurt greatly, but it was worth it.

Bathing proved to be a dirty situation, but it wasn't long until I was stripped from all of the blood. It went down the drain in a pool of pink, almost leaving no trace of it as the tub shone white once more. I shook my head, running my hand through my wet hair.

The day had been one for the history books.

Sitting down by my bed, I tried to dry my hair with my towel. A futile attempt as it stayed looking like a dirty mop on my head. I sighed and let it be. There were more important things to deal with than hair.

After much contemplation, I realized I should try to communicate with my fiancée. We haven't been able to communicate in a few days, and perhaps she was concerned about my whereabouts. The thought brought some hope into my being. If she was, then maybe she still had intentions of marrying me, which would make me king.

While King Rasmus' offer was great, it was better to have options. I couldn't solely rely on him for my future. Queen Antonella also held a power that could take me to the top. I needed to have my doors wide open just in case, even if King Rasmus was convinced that Queen Antonella had tossed me to the side. I couldn't lose hope.

I simply needed to be careful so no one would know about my involvement with King Rasmus. That proved to be easier if I weren't staying at the palace, courtesy of King Rasmus himself.

I didn't know how to contact my fiancée. She would immediately realize where I was. Fortunately, she might not make connections, so if I were to speak with her, then it wouldn't be so terrible. I could get away with it if I played my cards right.

With that in mind, I took out my brume projector from my bag. I spied the dagger beside it and found it hard to swallow. I shook my head and walked away from it. I desperately needed to hear Antonella's voice.

I sat down at the elaborate desk, finding a good place to prop my brume projector. I pressed the automatic button and watched the hologram begin to appear. Pressing the signal to the Potentia Flamber royal wave, I waited to see Antonella appear before me.

When Philip showed instead, I coughed, feeling my face redden.

"Oh, my Prince!" he exclaimed. "I was beginning to worry. We haven't received any new updates from your rider. He is usually punctual."

My welcoming smile faltered. I recalled the rider, and wanted to puke all of my stomach's content into the toilet bowl.

"Ah, not to worry, sir. I recall him muttering about how technology was fragile. Perhaps he broke something and cannot get to you." I smiled again, calmer than before, trying to convince him that there was truly nothing to worry about.

"Well, that's too bad," he frowned. "We can send a messenger with any part he might need in order to fix whatever he broke."

"There is no need. There are other important things to look after. I can call you like this if need be." I smiled again as he sighed.

"Thank you, Prince Mahli. It has been a hectic time. I appreciate your patience through all of this."

I chuckled. "Not to worry, Philip. May I ask where Queen Antonella is? I wish to speak with her."

It was the man's turn to chuckle as he looked away. His hologram shook as he settled into a seat. He seemed to be in his headquarters, possibly working to get the kingdom out of war. The man deserved an award for his hard work.

"She is unavailable at this time, Your Highness. With the war coming now, she has been knee-deep plotting for the best battle strategy. As you can imagine, I cannot disrupt her."

I winced. "Not even for one minute?"

"My apologies, my Prince, but she requested to not be bothered. I'm afraid I can't."

I hunched forward in defeat, sighing. It was foolish of me to believe she would make time for me when she was the only one running the kingdom. She had war on her hands on top of everything. She couldn't deal with so much. Guilt crept up my chest knowing I left her in that position when I could have taken control over it. She wasn't meant to take care of a war.

"Ah, it's alright. It was worth a shot. Let her know I called, will you?"

"Of course," he said. "Best wishes for the rest of your trip."

I nodded, and he turned off the brume connection. I stared at the projector in front of me for a few seconds before a knock interrupted my empty gaze.

"Prince Mahli!" King Rasmus called out from outside. "Hurry up and open the door. Exciting news is underway."

I ran a hand through my hair and walked up to the door, heart pounding. It was unlike King Rasmus to personally deliver any news, he preferred to send someone out to do it.

I opened the door to his smirk. "The media has now reported that our dear Queen Antonella almost destroyed the Inlustris. We might not even have to fight. Her people will do the dirty work for us. Before you know it, her reign will cease to exist, and so will she."