Chapter Eighteen

"You must be cold" Cassian said and draped a blanket on Zemira who giggled. Nola's heart sank as she saw them kiss. Why was she so sad? To Cassian, she was dead and now he was happily married with a child on the way. But why did it not change the fact that she wanted Zemira's smiling face to change to one of horror and pain. She wanted to kill Zemira and make Cassian only think about her.

"What about you? You hate fires and you gave given me the only blanket?" Zemira asked and Cassian smiled, "If it bothers you so much, I shall close the windows" he said as he walked to the window.

Nola held a part of the roof and dragged herself up to the roof. Cassian closed the windows and then the draperies, then he sat next to Zemira on the floor and covered himself with the blanket.

"Why did you even want to sit on the floor?" Cassian laughed and Zemira looked at him, "Have you never sat on the floor in your room, for fun?" she asked and Cassian smiled, "My childhood was not exactly what I would describe fun. My parents were always busy but whenever they were present, it was the best moments of my childhood" "So when they were with you, you never sat on the floor with them?" she asked and he shook his head.

"What about with your siblings?" she asked and he forced a smile, "When we were younger, Isander would make a little tent out of so much sheets, I would get the pillows and Zelia would steal snacks from the kitchen" he laughed heartily as he remembered when the cooks would be yelling at Zelia as she ran away with the snacks. Gertrude would always try to catch her but there was a little door to their room from one of the doors along the cloister.

"But everything changed after Isander was taken away. My parents searched for him but did not see him and when they had found out about the laboratory, it was already destroyed. There was no single survivor. My parents returned home with a heavy and guilty heart, and then one night, there was a fire" Cassian said and shuddered as he remembered that fiery night his whole life went south.

Zemira held his hand, "I am sorry" she said and he shook his head, "Do not be, you did not even know who I was. Do not feel guilty or sad" he said as his thumb moved back and forth on her hand.

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, "After everything concerning the kingdom of Oculus is over, let us go on a vacation trip" she said and he looked at her, "I would go anywhere as long as it is with you" he kissed her forehead and she snuggled closer to him.

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Nola looked at the four women clothed in black cloaks. Their work was easy; poison Cassian and his household. The poison would put a virus in their bodies, but it would not kill that so soon. It would kill them slowly, rendering Cassian weak and useless on the battlefield.

That was the punishment Isander had given Nola, to make her become Cassian's first killer and then he being the final killer.

"Everyone is asleep now, so we move quietly and meet here when we are done. Any slight disturbance caused by any of you, I shall leave you behind" Nola said and the women nodded and dragged their hood down to their faces and raised up their mask to their nose, then they jumped down the roof, stealthily.

Everywhere was silent, save for the crickets, the hooting of owls and the cracking of the fire. As the women moved around the house, their shoes made no sound because they had removed the soles of their shoes.

The women dispersed at the stairs and started their work. The four women ran to the servants' quarters while Nola made her way up the stairs.

She saw a few guards on the way and she silently knocked them out. She was close to Cassian's room when she saw Gertrude walking down the hall with her oil lamp. There was no place for Nola to hide, so she took out her dagger and Gertrude calmed her nerves and walked past her like she had not seen a thing.

I do not remember Gertrude being blind, Nola said and it suddenly clicked. Wait! Nola turned but Gertrude was out of sight. There was no time to run after her. Nola tsked and ran to Cassian's room.

Her heart melted at the sight of her former room. The room where she and Cassian had made so much memories. She felt tears welling up in her eyes when she looked at the vanity. Cassian had helped her severally to apply makeup on her. She looked at the door to the bathroom and remembered the sex and the times they played in the bath. She touched the walls where Cassian had held her and had sex with her.

She looked up and saw her painting above the bed and she smiled. That old hag was right, he can never forget me, she thought as she walked to the bed. The bed where she had lost her virginity and where she had became pregnant. She rubbed her belly soothingly.

When she got to the bed, angry tears spilled down her face. On the bed, Cassian and Zemira laid, with their arms around each other. He had forgotten her so quickly, Nola took out her dagger. She was going to finish what she had started on the night of the meeting.

"Remember, I can see everything that you are doing" she remembered what Isander had said as he had put his hand on her shoulder, "Follow my orders and do not lay a finger on his wife" he walked away.

Nola brushed her tears away and kept her dagger back, then she brought out the vial of poison and opened it, letting out a pungent smell, which could only be smelt when very close to a person. Nola held her nose and looked at Cassian's face. The face she had always loved. She held the vial up to his mouth and was about to pour it into his mouth when she saw something.

Her ring. In a chain. Around Cassian's neck. The old woman was wrong. Cassian had never kept the ring he had given Nola locked away in his drawer. He had kept it close to his heart, right where she belonged.

She held her hand over her mouth and gasped. She could not do it. Isander could give her any other punishment, but not killing Cassian. She was about to take her hand away, but Cassian grabbed her hand and opened his eyes. Awwn, his lovely grey eyes.

Focus on the issue at hand, Nola! she chided herself and slapped Cassian's hand away, the poison spilling on the sheets and floor. She jumped back and Cassian jerked up.

He moved swiftly to her and kicked Nola, sending her flying out of the room. Nola tsked and quickly got up, she was about to run, but something pierced her arm. She winced and held her heavy blood-stained arm and ran sluggishly.

"Cassian?" Zemira got up and Cassian looked at her, "Stay here" he said and grabbed his sword then he ran out.

Nola grunted and looked at her arm. There were guards running around looking for her. "Check there!" she heard a voice and shoes running towards her direction. She brought out her head from one of the pillars and saw two soldiers headed her way. She tsked and searched for a way to escape.

If she was fast enough, she could run to the last pillar, jump into the room which had lights on, hopefully, the person was asleep so she could sneak away without getting caught.

One of the soldiers pointed to the blood trail leading to where Nola was. They took out their swords and walked slowly to where Nola stood.

Nola took a deep breath and turned to check where the soldiers were. Their eyes jammed, "Over there!" one of them yelled and Nola ran as fast as she could, they pursued her.

When she got to the last pillar, she jumped and grabbed the edge of the roof. The pain in her arm shot throughout her whole body and she grunted in pain.

The soldiers had already gotten an archer and he started shooting arrows at her. She ignored the pain in her arm and dragged herself up, then she entered into the room.

"She went into Lady Zelia's room, what should we do?" the archer questioned and one of the soldiers slapped the back of his head, "We must get her before she harms Lady Zelia" he said and the archer bowed slightly, "I apologize for my foolery" he said and the other one hissed, "Let us go!" he said and they ran.

Nola dropped her arm and she felt blood gush out of her wound more. "My Lady, are you alri---" Nola held up her dagger to the person who had just spoken. It was one of the women she had came with.

"Where are the others?" Nola asked as she dropped her dagger "We heard all the soldiers running to where you were, so they all fled. I chose to remain behind and wait for you, so I put on this room lights" the woman said "Where is the person who owns this room?" Nola asked, "When I came in, I heard moans coming from the bathroom" the woman said.

Nola looked around and then saw a painting of Zelia above the bed, "Of course" she muttered as she rolled her eyes. "My Lady, let us get out of here!" the woman said and Nola nodded.

Suddenly, the door burst open and the soldiers and the archer ran in, "Halt! Do not move!" one shouted. The woman looked at Nola, "My Lady, go, I shall hold them back!" she shouted and Nola nodded and ran to the window then she jumped down.

The archer was about to run to the window, but the woman flung her sword at him. He somersaulted back and the soldiers stepped in front of him, "Go after the other woman!" one said and they rushed towards the woman.

She threw her dagger at one of them but he deflected it with his sword. She ran towards one of them and climbed him then she kicked the other one. She was about to his neck, but he held her arms and smashed her on the floor.

She spat out blood and was about to stand up, but the soldiers held up their swords to her neck and she tsked. At least, Nola was safe.

Nola ran through the woods as arrows shot at her. She hid behind a tree and then she heard footsteps coming towards her. She took out her dagger and waited.

When she saw the bow and arrow, she came out and slashed aimlessly. She heard a scream and she knew she had struck flesh then she ran away.

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"Who were they? Did anyone see any of their faces?" Cassian yelled at the servants and soldiers and they shook their head. "My Lord" a soldier called out and Cassian looked at him, "We caught one!" he said and another soldier came in dragging a dark-skinned woman.

"We caught her in Lady Zelia's room" he said, "Is my sister alright?" Cassian asked and he nodded, "She was in the bathroom with Lady Peony, so she was not harmed".

Cassian looked at the dark woman in chains and pulled down her mask. She had light eyes, fairly pointed nose and cherry-coloured lips. Cassian gasped. He remembered her. She was one of his soldiers who had died, so how was she standing in front of him with so much hatred in her eyes.

"Caviare!" a female servant shouted as she ran to Cassian and fell at his feet, "Please spare her, My Lord". "You know me?" Caviare asked the servant girl on the floor and she stood up, "I am Kamaria, your younger sister, do you not remember me?" Kamaria asked.

Caviare looked at the young girl who looked like she was about seventeen. She saw some resemblance; the same shape of light eyes and the same nose.

"You look like me, but I do not know you" Caviare said and Kamaria broke into tears, "My Lord, please spare her" she begged and Cassian looked at Caviare, "Take her to the dungeon!" he said and Kamaria shook her head, "My Lord, no. My Lord, please" she begged as Cassian walked out.

"Are you alright?" Zemira asked as Cassian entered their room. "The women were sent by Isander. We only caught one and turns out she is one of my dead soldiers" "Dead?" Zemira asked and Cassian nodded, "Isander must have done something" "Does that mean..." Zemira gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.

Cassian knew what she was going to ask and he was uncertain but there was a possibility that Nola might be alive.

"I am going to see the king, and for that, I must have my bath" he said and stretched out his hand, "Care to join me?" he smirked and she smiled and held his hand, "Don't mind if I do".

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Isander angrily threw the glass at the wall close to Nola's head, some pieces hitting the side of her face in the process.

He got up and grabbed her hair roughly, "The plan went south because of you and your inability to control your emotions" he pulled her and she tried not to show pain on her face.

He held her neck and raised her up, "Do you, have any idea about the harm you have caused me?" he asked as she squirmed around, her hands trying to remove his hand from her throat. "How can you still love him? He killed you and abandoned your half-dead body on the field. I picked you up and made you who you are today" he flung her to the wall.

He ran his hand down his hair and walked to her then he held her face, "Was it because of your wedding ring? Because he still had it? Well let me tell you something, that bed he and his wife were sleeping on, is the same bed you consummated your marriage on".

Nola was not affected by that fact. Cassian had kept her wedding ring close to his heart, she was close to his heart. All what Isander was saying did not matter to her.

Isander read her mind and kicked her, "You still love him! Why?" he stopped kicking her and stretched out his hand to his sword by his throne and it flew to him. He removed it from it's sheath and drove it into her chest.

She spat out blood as her eyes widened in surprise. She was his secret weapon, so why had he...she collapsed on the ground and heard Isander whispering, "Have a little nap as you wait for your dear Cassian to save you!" he got up and walked away.

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Cassian barged into Sorin's room and the butler, Aslan looked at him, "Insolence! How dare you barge into the prince's room?!" he yelled and Soteria raised his head from Sorin's bed, "Give us privacy, Aslan" he said and Aslan looked at him, "But your majesty!" "Privacy!" Soteria repeated and Aslan bowed and left the room.

Soteria got up, "Let us go somewhere else. Sorin may be in a vegetative state, but he may be hearing us" he said and left the room, with Cassian following him.

When they had reached the armory, Cassian asked, "Where is the queen?" "I sent her to stay with her parents. Sorin's condition was taking a toll on her mental health" Soteria said as he leaned on a table full with swords.

"So what did you find out?" Soteria asked and Cassian looked around then be lowered his voice, "I think Isander is doing something with dead bodies" "What?" "Last night, he sent some women to my manor, my soldiers caught one and I found out that she was one of my soldiers who had died in the last war we had with Isander".

"But Isander does not have the powers to raise someone from the dead" Soteria pointed out. "I know but, perhaps it had something to do with Dune" "The laboratory?" Soteria asked and Cassian nodded. "That laboratory has been dead for years now" "Perhaps not" Cassian said.

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Nola opened her eyes and saw Cato staring at her, "Hello Nola, did you have a nice nap?" he grinned and she sat up, "Where am I?" she asked. "Where else would you be? You are in your room" he said and she held her head, "My head hurts, what happened? I can not seem to remember how I got to my room" she said and Isander walked into the room.

"You fainted due to loss of blood. I carried you here and Cato tended to your wounds" he said and Cato bowed and left the room. "Loss of blood?" Nola asked and Isander held her arm and turned it and she saw her bandaged arm.

"Do you remember how you received this wound?" Isander asked and Nola looked at him, "I was training and then someone cut my arm" she said and he smiled and held her face lovingly, "I had feared you had forgotten due to the way your head hit the ground. I am so happy you are alright" he hugged her.

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Cassian's and Soteria's horses neighed and stopped at a big, old and abandoned building. They alighted off the horses and took out their swords, then they walked in.

There were ceiling remains on the floor and broken walls. There were many broken and empty tables. Few had retort stands and test tubes, with pipes dropping from the roof.

Cassian and Soteria looked at each other, "I will go that way, you go that way!" Cassian said as he pointed to different directions. Soteria nodded and went his own way while Cassian moved upstairs.

He came to a narrow hall that had the heading, "Dormitory" and he walked in. There were doors on either sides of the narrow hall. He opened one and saw four bunk beds in the large room. He opened the others and found nothing. No sign of someone living there.

He continued walking and came across a room. There were large tubes and large machines in a circle and there was a large orb with wires coming out of it. The tubes were broken especially one which had a very large hole. This must be where the experiments were conducted, Cassian thought as he looked around.

There were EEGs on tables, the chairs were broken and there were syringes scattered on the floor.

"Cassian!" Soteria called out and Cassian ran to where Soteria was. He immediately covered his nose as he entered because of the stench. It was a very eerie room. There was a broken table which had some books on it and there was a casket close to the wall. In the middle of the room, there were two beds which had belts and wires hanging from an orb on the ceiling. There were also wires connecting the orb to two huge spring-like machines by the wall. There was another table that had test tubes and microscopes.

Cassian walked to the bed and Soteria looked at him, "There is no dust on the bed" he said and Cassian touched the bed. Soteria was right, there was no dust. Someone had been here.

Soteria walked to the table which had books on it and grabbed one then he showed Cassian. It was book on how to use the machines and bring someone back from the dead. Cassian's eyes widened in surprise. Someone was bringing back dead people using the machines. And Cassian suspected Isander since he had sent his supposedly dead soldier to kill him. That meant that there was a high chance Nola was still alive.