Islinda died this morning.
All she knew was that she felt a creeping sensation around her body and a strange hissing sound. At first, Islinda had dismissed it as a product of her imagination or a bizarre dream. But when the slithering movement grew more intense and the hair on her arms stood on end, she sensed danger looming. Her eyes snapped open, only to be met with the sight of a menacing snake with glowing red eyes coiled on her chest, poised to strike.
She attempted to scream, but it was too late. The snake lunged and sank its fangs into her flesh, injecting its sharp venom into her veins. Islinda screamed in agony as the bitter poison coursed through her bloodstream like liquid fire. Fueled by rage and desperation, she summoned all her strength and seized the snake’s head, clenching her teeth with vengeance as she crushed it with a loud scream. Gray matter and blood splattered onto her bed as she flung the lifeless serpent aside.
With trembling limbs, Islinda pushed herself upright, her heart pounding erratically as the venom wreaked havoc on her body. She knew she was running out of time. Despite her efforts to seek help, her legs gave way beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground, her vision blurring as her organs began to shut down one by one. Death was inevitable.
As her consciousness began to slip away, Islinda’s gaze fixed on the swirling ceiling above her. Her eyelids grew heavy, and despite her fight to stay awake, she succumbed to the darkness of death once more.
It wasn’t until Islinda felt her body being shaken roughly and heard the sounds of cries and sniffles that she regained consciousness, the breath of life returning to her lips. Confusion clouded her mind as she blinked her eyes open to find her two maidservants fussing over her.
"Milady!" Ginger, one of her maidservants, exclaimed, pulling Islinda into a tight embrace that knocked the breath out of her lungs. "We thought you were gone," she cried out, her voice trembling with relief and fear.
As the events of the day flooded back into Islinda’s mind, her gaze fell upon the lifeless snake nearby, sending a shudder down her spine. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had been targeted, but by whom, she had no idea. Lately, the list of those who wished her harm seemed to grow longer with each passing day. If not for her strange ability to come back to life, she would surely be dead.
Her other maidservant, Ailee, who had been squatting by her side, rose with determination. "I should call for Zaya, the healer, to look at you and inform Prince Aldric of what happened," she said urgently.
"You will not do such a thing," Islinda interjected firmly, seizing Ailee’s hand with surprising speed, halting her in her tracks.
Ailee was stunned into silence, her eyes widening in shock at Islinda’s unexpected outburst. Islinda’s grip on her hand was almost crushing, and she quickly realized her mistake. "I’m so sorry," Islinda apologized, easing her grip. Though Ailee nodded in understanding, there was still a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze.
Something wasn’t right with Islinda, and Ailee couldn’t shake the feeling that keeping this incident from Prince Aldric might not be the wisest decision. After all, he had ordered them to report any anomalies with Islinda to him, no matter how insignificant they may seem. And this was anything but insignificant
As if sensing the direction of her maid’s thoughts, Islinda turned to face her, her expression firm. "Promise me that you will not breathe a word of this to Aldric," she demanded.
Ailee pressed her lips together, hesitating. "My lady, this might not be a good idea—"
"Promise me!" Islinda interrupted with such intensity that it left Ailee dumbfounded.
"Both of you!" Islinda commanded, her voice carrying authority. "Faeries cannot break a sworn promise."
Ailee and Ginger exchanged a glance, silently communicating their reluctance. But faced with Islinda’s unwavering determination, they knew they had no other choice. With heavy hearts, they lowered their heads and took on the risk. "We will not tell anyone, especially not Prince Aldric, about this incident. It’s a sworn oath."
Only when Islinda felt the tingle of magic wash over her did she finally relax, sinking back exhausted onto the floor. The tension that had gripped her since the incident finally began to ease, and she allowed herself a moment of rest.
Ailee looked at Islinda with concern, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. "I still think we should call Zaya to examine you. You might still be in danger, and Prince Aldric would not take it lightly if anything happened to you."
Islinda reached around her neck where the snake had injected its venom, but there was no sign of a wound or bump. "I assure you, I am not in any danger," she insisted. "Trust me, I’m good as new."
Despite Islinda’s reassurances, Ginger and Ailee remained unconvinced. As mere humans, they couldn’t comprehend how Islinda had emerged unscathed from the encounter with the deadly snake. Not to mention, the manner in which she had killed the creature left them baffled.
Sensing their uncertainty, Islinda took charge. "The only way you can help me right now is to clean up this scene," she instructed. "Get rid of the snake and make sure no one sees you to avoid arousing suspicion and questions. No one should see this."
The maidservants obediently followed Islinda’s lead. Ginger gingerly grabbed the dead snake by the tail, her brows furrowing in confusion as she examined the creature. This was the deadly Adder, and Islinda shouldn’t have survived if it had bitten her. Yet here she was, unharmed. Suppressing her questions, Ginger wrapped the snake in the soiled sheet and dirty clothes, concealing it from prying eyes.
Meanwhile, Ailee set about cleaning up the rest of the scene, ensuring that no trace of the incident remained. She was determined to ensure that Islinda doesn’t die, else they would face a fate worse than death in the dark Fae prince’s hands.