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"This is atrocious." The words leave my mouth the moment Derek and I are alone at a circular table laid out in the garden's dark splendor. We're given time to 'get to know each other' before our engagement a week later.

I'd have expected a lot of things to happen when I woke up today morning after my almost drowning yesterday night but none of them included being introduced to a supposed new suitor and asked to get ready to spend a dinner with him tonight.

And that supposed new suitor being Derek.

I also didn't expect to discover Zander 'found' this suitor for me because he thinks Derek would be a good match.

So much for professing blasphemy about liking me. It didn't even make sense. I know he's upto something but he wouldn't tell me. Not that I tell him everything. I haven't still told him about the love spell.....

"Tell me about it," Derek's voice snaps me back to the present, "I'm being used as a sacrificial goat here."

I raise a brow at that, "How so?"

"Until yesterday night when Zander said 'I found a suitor for Marilla', I didn't even knew I was getting married. Like duh, I need time to prep myself for such decisions." He raises his arms in the air exageratedly.

I almost laugh at the agony lacing his tone, "Sucks to be you."

"Really," He agrees with a nod, "Sucks to be that brute's best friend. I always find myself in precarious I didn't even sign up for."

"Ouch. You wound me by speaking outright you don't want to marry me." I place a hand to my heart in mock-hurt, "I thought you said you liked me when we first met."

Derek gives me a coy look at that, "Well, I do like you. But you see I like someone else more."

My interest peeks at that. Placing my elbows on the table, I rest my chin on my open palms, "Who might the lucky girl be?"

"She doesn't even like me." He gives me a bland look in return, "But I think she's my mate. I even got the scent once. But she says folks other than lycans or werewolves don't have second chance mates and she already had hers."

I process his words for a moment focusing on 'folks other than lycans' and 'second chance mate' before a wide smile pulls at my lips in understanding, "It's Avyanna, isn't it?"

Derek scratches the back of his neck, "Well...."

"Other folks usually don't have second chance mates but there are some rare cases where they do. Ursula did. So I suppose maybe Avyanna might too. She probably doesn't recognize the bond because it'd be a weaker than the first one. You should try to confirm." I lean back in my seat passing him a wicked smile, "Maybe kiss and check whether you both feel the sparks?"

Derek considers my words with full attention before sighing and resting his head on the table dejectedly, "But for that, we have to actually get her out of Layla's clutches, don't we?"

My smile drops instantly replaced by a feeling of guilt, "I'm sorry. Avyanna got captured because of me-"

"It's not your fault. I used to blame you for Laira's death when I came to know you were the siren queen but now I don't. You've been framed. It's all Layla and Charlotte's doing." He sighs passing me somewhat of an assuring smile.

My heart sinks at the words, confusion coating my features, "I'd been framed?" I ask and Derek's eyes widen as if he'd accidentally let that slip.

"That....." He stands up from his chair looking ready to flee any moment, "Zander sorta thinks you were. That Layla and Charlotte already knew the entrance to Helvon. He didn't want to tell you until he was completely sure......I should go. Nature's call."

I get up myself to stop him before he could run but I don't even make it two steps and he darts into the castle as if being chased by a hell hound.

I stare at his retreating figure with eyes wide and heart beating louder.

'Layla and Charlotte already knew the entrance to Helvon.'

Does that mean....

They'd both been working together.....

They'd known how to enter Helvon through Layla pretending to be Laira. Charlotte never wanted the gateway from me.....she'd just tricked me in my desperacy to find Layla.

They'd both tricked me and put the blame on me so no one could doubt on them.

All those years I'd felt guilty about it. All those years I couldn't meet Zander's eye because I knew I was the one because of whom his mother wasn't with him anymore. All those years I'd endured the sneers and accusations from the demon folks for the loss of their queen. . . .

A startled laughter escapes my lips as I register how I'd accepted all that for nothing.

Layla really hates me, doesn't she?

***

My footsteps thunder through the castle floors as I storm past the hall towards the stairways.

I climb up to the top and then turn to the right wing where my room is situated.

On my way though, I spot Zander coming out from one of the guest rooms. He shuts his door and when he turns towards the stairways, he spots me there.

For a moment, we just standing staring at each other-grey eyes on blue ones. He takes a step forward stretching out a hand towards me,

"Marilla, Derek told me-" He begins but I cut him off.

"Don't worry, I don't blame you for hiding things. I've done the same so it's only fair. But if you wish for some information in return for yours, then here's one," I take a step closer then another until I'm standing right in front of him, "Layla used a love spell to make you fall for her when she was disguised as Laira. Although now since Charlotte is dead, the spell is broken."

I'd hid it so long, so long because I wanted to give Layla atleast some chance to reconcile if she really loved Zander so much. But after what I came to know today.....I couldn't care less about it.

Zander's jaw goes slack at the words, his eyes flash to mine as if wanting to tell something but I don't wait for him to speak.

Instead inching back and staring straight at him, "Now we're even, Your Highness."

Then I walk past him towards my room.

I half expect him to follow but he doesn't and I couldn't be more thankful.

Because right now, I had only one thing in mind.

**

When I get to my room, I shut the door behind me and lock it before making my way to the closet.

When I woke up today morning and was headed to get dressed, I found a note and a pouch of lavender coloured powder tucked in a corner of my closet that I hadn't noticed prior.

A note from Dilin written in a very elegant cursive handwriting that read,

▪︎◇▪︎

To my darling fiancé-to-be,

If in any way I dissapear before finding out about what you seek to know, then slip this into Layla's drink and ask her. Ask her everything you wish to ask. I suppose she knows something if not everything.

It's a truth herb in its purest form powered to dissolve in liquid. I'm certain only you can put it into your sister's drink without her knowledge and actually make her drink it. Because even if you won't think she does, believe me when I say Elder Miss Shellock trusts you the most. You and not even that lover boy.

Yours charmingly,

Dilin.

▪︎◇▪︎

The letter left a sour taste in my heart. I still couldn't believe he was no more....

Shutting my eyes, I shrugged away the feeling of loss and focused on the task in hand.

Even after he's gone, he's been a good friend. He'd left a gift in the form of this powder. And judging by his researcher self, I wouldn't judge the authenticity of it.

Tucking the sachet in my elaborate ball-skirt's pocket, I saunter out of my room towards the vine cellar I'd stumbled upon at with Dilin few days ago.

I wonder whether he knew I'd need to find it someday. . .

Shaking my head, I focus on retrieving a wine bottle and two champagme glasses from the shelf.

Placing them on the marbled bar counter, I pour the wine in both the glasses then pull out the sachet from my pocket and empty the lavender powder into both in equal quantities.

I couldn't guess which one Layla would take and I couldn't risk her taking the one without the truth herb.

And it wasn't like I had anything to hide from her. If she was going to give me truth, I'd offer the same back.

It'd only be fair.

And so with that thought in mind, I make it to the sitting room in the ground floor where Layla is usually at.

Sure enough, when I push open the wood and silver lidded double doors and enter the sitting parlor with its beige coloured walls and maroon interior, Layla is sitting behind a wall of curtains on one of the crimson velvet sofas.

She ushers the creme shiffon curtain aside to look past it and quips her to the side when she notices me.

I shut the door behind me and approach her, all the while her silver eyed gaze is trained on me in question,

"Shall we play a game, Ly Ly?"