Chapter Fifteen

 

 

 

Laura

 

Sunlight breaks through my opened window and a cool morning breeze stirs me to wake from my fitful, nightmarish sleep. After seeing Taeler and Shane’s little sister Lainey safely out of the palace, I untied the unconscious guards so no one would be suspicious, then returned to my room and attempted to rest. Instead, I was only able to toss and turn my way through the horrible night, plagued by worry and fear that today’s plan will not succeed. If we fail today, Shane will die in a matter of hours. I’m not prepared for that.

No, he won’t. I remember my plan, and close my eyes, wondering if this is the last day that I’ll be alive. If Alicia’s plan fails, my death will give Shane enough time to escape, as it will send my father and Ryan into a frenzy. Shane will be able to return to his sister and Taeler safely. That’s all that matters to me anymore.

I’ve spent my entire life taking other people’s lives, people like Shane that likely didn’t deserve to die. I’ll never be able to make up for that, never be able to give back the lives I’ve destroyed. But if I can die saving one, then maybe I can find peace knowing that, in my last moments, I wasn’t a monster. I have to do for Shane what I didn’t for the hundreds of other lives I’ve taken. I have to trade mine for his.

I let this knowledge sink in as I get up and get dressed for the day, putting on a short-sleeved black V-neck T-shirt, a pair of leggings and my favorite pair of fabric sandals. I don’t particularly want to die today. I still want to grow up and be empress, have a family, grow Karkonia’s empire. But if Alicia fails, I have to do whatever it costs to save Shane.

If I’m going to go through with this, I’ll have to tell Eight goodbye and that I love him. For much of my life, I have pretended to be a cold and cruel individual and I have to let my brother know that I truly cared for him before I leave this earth.

I walk down the hallway to his room and knock on the door lightly, waiting patiently until he opens the door for me, rubbing his sleepy eyes and yawning as he greets me.

“What are you doing up so early?”

“It’s Shane’s execution day. I couldn’t sleep,” I say.

“Well, uh, you know…things…are gonna work out,” Eight says wearily, eyeing a nearby guard that is walking down our darkened hallway. Ever since Shane was thrown in the dungeon, my father has instructed guards to patrol the hallways at all hours, just in case I try to help my friend escape. He knows me too well.

“Yeah, but just in case they don’t, I have a plan, and that plan requires a goodbye. Just in case,” I say, throwing my arms around my brother’s waist and holding onto him tightly. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to leave him.

He returns my hug, but his voice turns skeptical. “What does this plan of yours consist of?”

“I can’t tell you. I just want you to know that you’re a wonderful brother and I love you and I’m sorry that I can’t be more like you,” I say, holding onto him still.

“I love you too, Laura. Don’t you go do anything stupid now. Everything’s going to work out. I can’t come with you to the execution site. I have to stay up here and let a…friend…in,” he says, winking at me. I nod, and hope with all my heart that Alicia’s plan works. If it doesn’t, though… Now I’m prepared.

“I’m going to go wait in my room for Ryan to get me, then. He said he’d be up here first thing in the morning,” I say.

“No need for that, I’m already here.” Ryan smiles, greeting me with a hug. “Laura, it’s time. But I want you to know something before we go downstairs. This is going to seem awful, and you’re going to think that there’s no one coming to help Shane. But you need to stay strong, and stall your father as long as possible. Give a speech, do a cartwheel… I don’t care. It’s all going to be okay. Just don’t pull the trigger.”

My eyebrows furrow at Ryan’s words. He has always been brave, daring to defy my father on many other matters, but this time, it could get him killed. It’s curious to me that Ryan would want to help Shane anyway. What could the head of the Royal Guard gain from protecting a traitor? I don’t know what he’s planning, but no matter what happens, I’m glad he’s on our side. “Okay, Ryan.”

“Okay. We never had this conversation.” He winks then leads me down the hallway.

“Bye, Eight! I love you!” I say one last time as we walk away, looking back at my brother, who stands in the doorway looking utterly confused.

“I love you too, Laura,” he says, waving at me as I walk down the hallway. He has no idea what I’m planning. “Don’t worry about things up here. I’ve got everything under control!”

I trust my brother to do his job well, as it is an easy one, so I follow Ryan to the execution site without a second thought. My heart beats faster as we walk, filling my ears with the sound as fear begins to creep into every corner of my body. Failure has always been the thing that terrified me most, and today more than ever. This time, if I fail, it will cost Shane his life. I have to succeed. I have to.

Ryan notices my discomfort and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Laura, calm down. It’s all going to be okay.”

“What if I mess up, Ryan? What if I can’t help him?” I ask, frantic. I’d like to believe Ryan, to believe that everything is going to work out just fine, but I can’t allow myself. I’m terrified that I will mess this up and that my mistakes will cost Shane his life.

“You won’t let him down, Laura. I know you won’t,” Ryan says, patting my back. “We have to stop talking about this now. Your father will be bringing Shane out soon.”

I nod, and walk through the palace gates in silence, waiting for my father to appear.

Executions take place outside of the palace walls, in front of the vast forest, so that blood isn’t spilled within the walls of our home. I used to think that this practice was stupid. If any prisoners were given even the smallest chance to escape, they could flee into the forest and possibly outrun our guards. But now I am grateful for it. For once, my father’s stupid ideology will do someone some good.

Ryan and I do not wait long before my father arrives with Shane in tow, a smug look plastered across his cold face. Shane, however, is not looking nearly as confident. His beaten body is still covered in the bandages that I put on him last night, and fear is evident in his hazel eyes, which remain focused on the ground. I want to go to him, to tell him that all will be well, but I can’t—not yet.

“Laura, are you prepared for your punishment?” my father asks, holding out a gun for me to take.

Angrily, I snatch it from his hands and clutch it tightly. “Yes.”

“Good. Let the execution of Shane Kagae, a rebel convicted of treason against the royal family, commence. Laura, kill him.”

Shane’s eyes widen and he raises his eyebrows as my father says the words. “What?”

“You heard me correctly. As punishment for defending you, Laura will be the one to put the bullet in your head.” My father smiles. His cruelty used to seem normal to me, but even I could never have imagined that he was capable of something like this.

“If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well tell you that you are a very sick and twisted individual who doesn’t deserve to even have a daughter like Laura.” Shane scoffs. “You don’t deserve to rule this country either. You’re going to bring it to ruin, just like you brought your own family to ruin.”

My father glares at him then turns to me.

“Laura, hurry up and finish the job. I’m tired of hearing his mouth run,” he commands, eyes piercing through me.

“I’m going to say goodbye first, Father, whether you like it or not,” I say definitively, approaching Shane. My father rolls his eyes, but steps aside nevertheless, giving Shane and me a little bit of space to speak in, as much privacy as we’re going to get.

“Look, Shane, I just wanted to tell you some stuff before… Well, if I don’t shoot you he’s going to torture you, and there are things worse than death, but I…” I begin, tears filling my eyes. I have no intention of harming Shane in any way, but I have to put on a show for my father, I have to stall until Alicia can get to us.

“It’s okay, Laura. I’m not upset with you. I deserve this,” Shane promises, still looking at the ground and not at me.

“Oh, you do not, for heaven’s sake. Just shut up and listen to me,” I say, touching his shoulder. Finally, his hazel gaze meets my golden one, and I wink, trying to assure him that everything’s going to be fine.

“You know, technically I’m supposed to be the one giving my last words—” he begins, and I roll my eyes, wondering how on earth Shane can be sarcastic, even when he thinks he’s about to die.

Ignoring his comment, I continue, “You’re one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met. Before you became my bodyguard, I tried everything I could to become ruthless just like my father so that one day, I could be an empress that would follow in his footsteps. You’ve helped me see things differently, showed me that I can never be the cruel and heartless leader that my dad wants me to be because that’s not who I am. Because of you, my heart is open again and for that, I’ll be forever grateful.”

“Laura…” he says, tears in his eyes and his brave face gone.

My father sighs impatiently, but I ignore him, throwing my arms around Shane and holding onto him tightly. Shane rests his chin on my shoulder and runs his fingers through the ends of my long hair.

“Plan’s still in effect. I’m trying to stall. Say something cheesy and meaningful,” I whisper in Shane’s ear as I let go of him and take his hands. I’m not good at all of this sappy nonsense, but most of what I said is true. I am a better person because I knew Shane, even if it is hard to admit that I’ve been wrong all these years.

Shane listens to my advice and begins speaking and I smile, knowing that whatever he has to say is going to be hilarious, very sweet or, if I’m lucky, both.

“Laura, I know that I’m supposed to be your enemy, but from the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that I loved you. This feeling of love was even stronger than the feeling of anger that I felt when you first spoke to me, pretending that I was actually a domesticated animal rather than a person. But now all of that is in the past, and I can truly say that I love you, Princess, more than anything.”

I laugh a little at his overly dramatic comment, shaking my head. “Oh, Shane. I’ll really miss your sense of humor.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny—” Shane says, tears truly brimming in his eyes, but my father has had enough of our charade.

“All right, that’s enough! You’ve said your goodbyes. Laura, execute him!” my father roars, frustrated at me for prolonging this event.

I look to Ryan, whose face is set in a solemn grimace. Maybe there is no hope left after all.

My sister is nowhere to be seen, and I can’t wait any longer. I’ve stalled as much as I can, and now Father wants Shane’s blood to be spilled.

I won’t do it. I won’t kill him. I had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this, but I’ve said my goodbyes, and now I’m prepared to die to save Shane.

If Father wants blood, he can have mine.