Chapter 24: Chapter 24

I walked along a huge corridor with many doors, but they were all closed. The corridor was so long that you couldn't see where it ended. I saw that one of the doors opened, and Sasha came out of the room. Her voice was quiet.

"Nika, please remember. You are in great danger. If you don't remember, it will happen again."

"I don't understand what you said."

"Red Moon is coming soon, hurry up."

"Red Moon? How do you know about her?"

"She needs you."

"For what?"

"You have to live for me, you promised."

I opened my eyes. My whole body was covered in sweat, and my heart was beating loudly against my chest. Was it a dream? Sasha, she spoke to me, asked me to remember something, and then the fog, like last time. As if something is preventing me from passing through this veil. I got out of bed and went to wash up. Cold water helped a little to come to his senses. I couldn't fall asleep anymore, so I just sat on the bed. After a while, Nina came.

"My lady, are you awake already?"

"Good morning, Nina."

"Well, what are you ready to show this impudent princess who is the most beautiful lady in the empire?"

"It's you, my lady." I laughed.

Preparations for the banquet took even longer than for the debutante ball. Bath with oils and fragrant flower petals. Massage, face and body masks. They styled my hair in beautiful curls, and I wore a tiara that the duke had given me with gold embroidery on Sarah's pale blue dress. I looked amazing.

"My lady, you are so beautiful." Nina and the other maids looked at me admiringly.

"All thanks to you." I smiled.

***

The banquet was held in the imperial garden. It was decorated in all its grandeur with expensive accessories, an enormous balloon, and an orchestra. We went to the emperor and empress. Mikael and Louise were sitting next to them. Keane stood behind Mikael's throne.

"Greetings to the sun and moon of the Veilos Empire." The duke's voice was icy. We bowed and were about to leave, but the emperor rose from his throne.

"Derek, you're not staying with us."

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. But my beloved daughter only recently came to her senses after an illness. I don't want to leave her alone if someone decides to put sleeping pills in her cup again." After hearing his words, I fell into a stupor; I did not think that the duke could say such a thing. All the aristocrats instantly fell silent.

"How dare you?" The Empress hissed.

"My loyalty to the Emperor's family remains the same." The Duke looked at the Empress. "Ariana miraculously survived, but I didn't think that the princess was so similar to you and would do the same as you once did with Mikael's mother."

"Derek, please, you are my friend." The Emperor sighed.

"I am your friend, but I am also a father."

The Empress jumped up and quickly left. The Duke amazed me today. He addressed such words to the emperor without fear. We bowed and moved away from the imperial family.

"Father, why did you say such words to the emperor?" I looked at the duke in surprise. "You are not afraid of him?"

"He needs the support of our family. He knows what will happen if I turn my back on him."

"But the empress."

"The power of her family is empty compared to ours. It is more important for the emperor to maintain good relations with me than with this snake." The Duke frowned.

"Thank you, father." I smiled at him.

"You don't have to thank me for this." The Duke cleared his throat.

I looked all over the banquet area, but Aiden was nowhere to be found. The mood immediately dropped. But I found a man whom I did not expect to see here. "Is that Victor? What is he doing here?"

"Well, where are you looking so closely?" I instantly smiled when I heard Aiden's voice.

"I was looking for you."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"My respects, Your Grace." The mage bowed to the duke.

"Good evening, Aiden."

"Princess, will you give me a dance?" Aiden held out his hand to me.

"With pleasure."

Aiden and I walked over to the dancing couples.

"You are beautiful today."

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

"Were you okay while I was away?"

"Yes."

"I searched for everything that could be related to the book and blood magic, but found nothing."

"So that's why you didn't come. That female mage didn't show up?"

"No."

"I saw Victor."

"Where?" Aiden looked at me in surprise.

"Here at the banquet."

"So she might be here too. Don't leave me anywhere."

"I didn't mean to."

"Clever girl." He smiled at me.

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We finished the dance. Aiden put his arm around my waist and carefully examined the garden. I noticed Sarah, and she smiled at me.

"My friend is there."

"Well, let's go."

Aiden did not leave my side all the time, and carefully hugged my waist. We approached her.

"Good evening, Riya. I'm so glad to see you. I heard you were sick. Are you okay now?" The girl looked at me worriedly.

"Sarah, I'm glad to see you too." I stepped away from the magician and hugged Sarah.

"Is this the friend you visited in town?"

"Yes, it's her. Sarah makes amazing dresses."

"You're embarrassing me." Sarah smiled awkwardly.

"Stay next to your friend. I'll take another look." The magician looked into the dark side of the garden.

"Just don't be late, please." I took his hand.

"Certainly." Aiden kissed me on the cheek and left with a smile.

"You are a very nice couple." Sarah smiled.

"Thank you very much."

"Riya, good evening." Keane walked over to us.

"Keane."

"You are very beautiful today."

"Thanks. It's all thanks to Sarah's dress and the efforts of the maids."

"Keane Galahart." The boy bowed to Sarah.

"Sarah Bird." The girl curtsied.

The three of us stood and talked quietly. I thought that Keane and I would be very embarrassed after yesterday's conversation, but it happened, and I was glad about it. Soon Mikael also came up to us.

"Won't you take a walk with me?" He gave me a hand.

"Certainly."

The Prince and I took a leisurely stroll through the garden. At first, he silently looked at his feet, and then said.

"Did that fool tell you everything?"

"Are you talking about Keane?"

"Who else?"

"Yes."

"I would even be glad if you chose Kain, and not this arrogant idiot." Mikael chuckled. "But like you said, you can't command your heart. Are you sure you'll be happy with him and won't change your mind?"

"No. We may not be as good as we want, but that's okay. It happens in life." I smiled at him.

"I still can't believe you turned us both down. It's funny and sad at the same time."

"Why?"

"I do not know. It's just how I feel."

We went into the dark part of the garden and looked back. The fence of the bushes closed and did not let us out.

"What the heck? Aiden, it's not funny." Mikael looked around. "Come out."

"Why are you so rude, dear?" Bella walked towards us quietly.

"Who are you anyway?"

"I forgot the one I so badly wanted to marry. I didn't think you were so cruel." She smiled.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" The prince drew his sword from its sheath.

"Do you want me to help you? I'll get back what you've lost." What was this girl talking about? Was this the main character in the novel?

"Don't come any closer or you'll regret it."

"Okay, if you don't want to, then I will help you by force. I want to see your screaming faces."

Bella whispered something, and a burning pain immediately pierced my head. I screamed and fell to my knees, clutching my head. The voices in my head tore at her, and I saw the memories. My beautiful and kind mother, whom I loved so much. The young woman next to her, who looked so much like Nina. The smile of little Alex, standing in a huge field of lavender. Mom's funeral, how I cried for her for a long time.

Meeting my father's new wife and Alex's shocked face. The Palace. Mikael's indifferent face. The insane cry of my father as I was being led to the scaffold, Nina's desperate cry. The cold edge of the guillotine on my neck, and the unrequited love for the man who sentenced me to death for a crime I did not commit. My whole body was shaking. Hot tears were flowing down my cheeks. I looked at Mikael with horror. He was very pale. The prince tried to touch me, but I crawled away from him.

"Look, dear, how much she is afraid of you. This was to be expected. You were the one who killed her last time." Bella looked at Mikael with an insane smile on her lips. "Because of your stupidity, I had to wait until our dear Ariana was reborn and dragged her back."

"It is not true. I couldn't love someone like you." The prince screamed.

"How sad. But I never loved you either. You're just a stupid boy. I wanted a dagger from the treasury, not a stupid brat like you."

"You came to me before the execution and said that I would die for a reason. You need my life for a grand purpose." I looked at her. This was what Sasha asked me to remember.

"If that idiot hadn't killed you ahead of time, you wouldn't have suffered twice." Bella leaned over and grabbed my chin. "It was so funny for me to watch you pretend to be strong and brave. After all, you're still going to die."

"You're crazy."

"Everything should have gone the same as last time, but you kept your memories of life in another world. My sweet Ariana or do you like Veronika better?"

"Get your hands off me." I pushed Bella away.

"Your new lover messed up a few things last time, but now everything will work out." She ripped Aiden's pendant off me. "Now sleep."

Bella whispered something again. I felt a terrible weakness and sleepiness. Eventually, I stopped thinking.

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