Chapter 29: Fate?

Chapter 29

Did he say 3 days? I couldn't help but panic slightly. My hands moved up to my throat unconsciously. What the heck was that thing? it was my first time encountering anything so strange, and funny enough I had never seen nor heard of it before I had woken up to a repeat of my life.

What exactly was that thing?

"a shadow," Zac said out of the blue

"Huh?" I questioned confused.

"The thing that had attacked you, was a shadow, I can see you questioning it with the look on your face," he said as though reading my mind, but clearly it was my expression.

"What is it?"

"Something that was never meant to be able to enter this palace but did and almost killed you." He said as he clenched his fists in slight frustration, but his expression unchanged.

Would Anita…? No, she couldn't have. She didn't own such a thing because if she did, I would have died way in my dream.

Death…

DEATH!

"Zac?" I called out in a slight panic.

"What is it?" he responded.

"I-is his majesty the king, okay?" I questioned hesitantly as he seemed taken aback by my question.

Seeing as everything happening is differing from the dream I had, his majesty the king's health was of utmost importance just until Zachary had acquired the throne. I had remembered reading of the king's death in the newspaper previously but seeing as I was blinded by my love for Anthony, anything that happened in the kingdom did not faze me in any way. But it was different this time, because shortly after the king's death, the empress tries to hand the throne to Anthony, but seeing as Zachary found evidence against Anthony in cahoots with his majesty's death, that's when things take a turn.

To turn events around I am accused of trying to kill Anthony and somehow, linked to his majesty's death and though that wasn't my charge, it was what the public had believed, making Zachary's evidence useless, but in turn, allowing him to take the throne because Anthony had fallen slightly out of favour. what hadn't caught my attention at the time was Anthony's frequent visits to the empress's palace. I didn't know why he frequented her palace specifically because if anything, all affairs are taken care of in the main palace, but my naïve self didn't question it and simply played in the hands of my sister like a puppet.

Is this deaths way of knocking at my door to remind me it's close?

Zachary still taken aback by my question gazed at me almost as though analyzing me. It wouldn't be wrong of him to be suspicious of me after such a question, but all he seemed to see it as was a question of curiosity. "There is nothing for you to concern yourself about his majesty's death," he said dismissing my question coldly. I had a feeling this was going to happen, but I couldn't help but feel a slight pang in my chest for being dismissed.

"I just-" he cut me off.

"Look, Winter, I don't think I told you this but, involving yourself in any way with the palace's affairs, specifically that of the emperor and the empress, is asking for death. I don't know your exact reasons for wanting to change your fate but becoming entangled with the royal family other than me is going to do nothing but twist your precious fate, giving you a result, you would wish you had avoided," he stated with stern.

"Then why'd you agree to my ridiculous request of marriage if you knew it was dangerous bringing me into the palace?" I questioned slightly hurt. Though I had to remind myself that this was for convenience, I had a slight hope that we had trusted each other enough.

A sharp silence fell over the room, with Zachary having no intentions to answer my question.

But who am I to speak of trust when I can't even tell him the reason for all of this? I was being hypocritical if I felt hurt in this situation, but I couldn't do anything about it.

I sighed giving in. there was no use trying to say anything in this situation. I couldn't simply say, the king's death is going to sped up because of Anthony. And though there wasn't any confirmation of this in my dream, even if Anthony isn't that one who killed his majesty the king, he must have had a hand in it. That would be making a bold claim and Zachary would only continue to doubt me if I couldn't back up my statement. But… what else could I do?

"Has the duke of Dominique continued to frequent her highness the empress's palace?" I brought it up.

"What do you mean?" a wave of slight anger reflected in his eyes. "Why are you bringing the duke up in this situation?" he questioned.

"No, it's just-"

"Winter, I don't know what you're trying to get at or do, but the duke of Dominique should not be in those plans," he said.

"But-" he cut me off again.

"That's enough, I think you're a little tired. Why don't you rest?" he suggested. "I'll excuse myself; I have something that I need to do," he said expressionlessly as he made his way out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

I groaned flopping back down with a soft thud. This isn't what I was trying to do. Why was he so angry? Was it that suspicious asking about Anthony frequenting the palace? I couldn't lie in wait like this, knowing how things were going to most likely play out. I had to do something.