Chapter 2 The bitter cup

Julian bowed his head, stepped back, and left the room without another word. Corin approached my bed with a steaming silver cup in his hands. The dark herbal tea gave off a strong, bitter smell. He placed the cup on the wooden table beside my bed, then sat on the edge of the mattress. His face held an expression of deep sorrow and care. "Julian shouldn't be tiring you, my love," Corin said softly. "You need your strength after such a terrible crash." I stared at him, feeling cold from head to toe. "My parents, Corin. Have you heard anything from the gorge?" His face fell as though the question had wounded him. He reached for my hands and held them between his warm palms. "The guards have returned, Aurelia," he replied, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. The healers did everything they could, but your father and mother didn't survive. Their injuries were too severe. They died before the guards could bring them to the capital." A heavy pain settled in my chest. I had heard him tell Kade the same lie only minutes earlier, but hearing him repeat the words to my face made my head spin. My parents had died alone on the wet stones, abandoned on his orders. The thought tore through me, leaving me struggling to breathe. My chest rose and fell as tears slipped down my cheeks. I did not need to pretend to be heartbroken. My grief was real, even if the man before me was the cause. "They're gone?" I whispered, my voice breaking. "Both of them?" "I know, my heart. I know," Corin murmured. He pulled me against his chest and held me close as I shook with grief and anger. He stroked my hair while I cried, playing the part of a loving husband. "Let your tears out. I'm here for you. We'll face this pain together." His warmth made my skin crawl. This was the man who had allowed my parents to die to protect his mistress. I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat and make him pay for every lie. Instead, I kept my fists pressed against his tunic and let him believe grief had left me too weak to fight back. After a while, Corin eased me against the pillows. He picked up the silver cup and blew across the surface of the dark tea. "You need to drink this," he said, bringing the cup closer to my lips. "The head chirurgeon prepared it himself. The herbs will stop the internal bleeding and ease the pain in your body." I stared into the black liquid. This was the bitter drink he had ordered to kill our unborn child. Wolfsbane and winter root, mixed together to end the life growing inside me, all because he wanted Vivienne's future baby to inherit the throne without a rival. "Is our baby safe?" I asked, looking into his eyes. My voice shook as I spoke. "Corin, please tell me our child is alive." For a brief moment, he hesitated. Then his face settled into a calm, gentle expression. "The healers are doing everything possible to save the baby," he replied smoothly. "You need to drink every drop, Aurelia. Do it for our child. Please." He stared into my eyes while asking me to swallow poison. He wanted me to believe the drink would save the very life he had ordered it to destroy. My stomach twisted with disgust. If I refused, he would definitely find a way for me to drink this. I was surrounded by his guards, trapped inside his palace, and still too weak to fight them. I had no way to protect myself yet. I reached for the silver cup with trembling hands. "I'll drink it," I whispered. Relief spread across Corin's face, and he gave me a small smile. "Good girl," he said. "Drink it all." I raised the cup to my lips and let a small amount touch my tongue. The bitter taste filled my mouth, burning the back of my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut and pretended to swallow. Then I began coughing hard, tilting the cup so half the liquid spilled onto the thick wool blanket. "Aurelia!" Corin exclaimed as he took the cup from my hands. He placed it on the table and helped me sit up so I could cough into my sleeve. "I'm sorry," I gasped, wiping my mouth. I prayed the small amount I had swallowed would not harm me or my baby. "The taste is awful. My throat burns." "It's medicine, my love," Corin replied. He pulled the blanket up to my chin, covering the wet patch. "Lie down and rest. You need to recover." An hour later, the chirurgeon returned to check my condition. I kept my eyes closed and pretended to sleep as he approached the bed. His fingers pressed against my wrist while he checked my pulse. Then he examined my lower abdomen with gentle hands. "Your Highness," the chirurgeon said after a moment, his voice heavy with concern. "The child's pulse has faded. I'm sorry, but the baby is gone." Corin released a long breath. He walked to my bedside and waited until I slowly opened my eyes. He took my hand, his face pale and his eyes filled with tears. Every part of his expression showed sorrow, but I knew none of it was real. "Aurelia," he began, his voice breaking. "I don't know how to tell you this. The herbs couldn't save the baby after the crash. We lost our child." His words struck me with fresh pain. I had known he was lying, but hearing the chirurgeon confirm the death of my five-month-old baby growing inside of me shattered something inside me. A scream rose from my chest before I could stop it. "No!" I cried, clutching my stomach as fresh blood spread across the linen sheets. "No, Corin! Not my baby! Please, not my baby too!" I sobbed until I struggled to breathe, twisting against the pillows as the pain overwhelmed me. Corin held me in place and whispered empty words into my ear. He kept telling me how much he loved me and how we would get through the loss together. I buried my face against his shoulder so he would not see my eyes. My tears were real, and so was my grief. But beneath the pain, I held on to one clear thought. He had taken my parents. He had taken my child. Just wait, Corin, I thought as he held me and rocked me gently. Before this month ends, I will take your kingdom.