ALL NOVEL Chapter 50: CORIANNE
It is often said that those who have nothing to lose are the most dangerous, and a prime example of this is Eviona.
She lost everything, and all that she wants is to have ‘everything’ back.
Eviona tied her boots to secure them and straightened herself to face me.
"It seems like you're going somewhere again," I commented, and she touched her hair to check if everything is in place.
"Didn't you know? I'm going to throw a surprise party. A party where everyone will kneel before me." A mixture of excitement and confidence filled her voice, and not the slightest doubt can be seen on her from head to toe. She prepared a bag of clothes and two simple yet elegant dresses and I assume those are the ones she used to wear before her banishment.
“You’re implying that you’ll start seizing the throne. How about the barriers you were talking about?”
“It is weak and sapphire Izavenes would be enough to make meteors fall to break that. It was strong a decade ago, but it deteriorated enough. Hence, it’s the perfect time to attack. I have sapphire Izavenes under my control. Once they break it, I can do everything by myself. War is unnecessary, so I basically just played with Hervouet and used him.”
Unbelievable. With the awareness that she holds complete control, Eviona is confident that everything will unfold according to her plans.
As I ponder over her motives, I find myself unable to discern the reasoning behind her insistence on forming alliances with the human kingdoms beyond the borders of the empire – Castevron, Phirean, and Arkhelia. What could possibly be her underlying purpose for such alliances?
“And yes, unbelievable, but everything will go as planned because everything is in the palm of my hands," she chuckled after hearing my thoughts, of course.
"Hervouet is gullible. He thought asking for support from different dukedoms will strengthen his influence, but I'm sure those who pledged their loyalty to him aren't sincere. All people in high society in different regions fear the empress and being against her would be treason. Do you know why?” I kept silent, deciding not to answer her question because I’m not bold enough to say that it’s none of my business.
“… because she knows how to make each dukedom fall, however strong their influence is. She knows their weaknesses, and all I have to do is to continue doing that. But I have to get rid of my brothers first.”
Elliot, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, was silently eavesdropping in our conversation from a distance. I know he's not happy with Eviona's plans, and never will be.
He had willingly relinquished his position on the throne to watch over Eviona in her banishment. He knows more than anyone that Eviona might cause further trouble, given her immense strength and power.
For now, all I can do is watch her chaotic plans that has nothing to do with me.
There are two goals I have left that I want to achieve in life – to raise Marius well for him to become a righteous person opposite to me, and the second is to tie up the loose ends with Evrart. He’s still my son, and that will never change. Tying up loose ends can mean two things – either he'll treat me as his mother, or he'll kill me. Not having closure, and escaping that place still makes me feel that something is lacking.
"Eviona, are you sure that you're going to do all this? Please, you don’t have to go this far. Can’t you see the family’s value?" Elliot almost begged, but he was holding himself back from giving a reaction that will fuel the fire.
Eviona rolled her eyes as she lazily looked at her father. “You already know my answer to that. Why give them value? Did they value me? Besides, there’s no such thing as family." a devilish smile rose across her lips, and her eyes started burning with disgust. "I'm going to show her the agony of losing everything, and wipe that proud smile off her face!" she cut her gaze from her father and shifted her gaze to me.
“And you, my dear aunt, are coming with me.”
“Pardon?”
“Just imagine how that woman would react once she sees you alive and well, who’s watching her on her knees. She will be full of guilt seeing you alive. I want her to feel as worse as possible. If Azriel is in the palace, I’ll let her watch me kill her favorite son. After all, she sees Azriel as her greatest treasure, and without him, she’ll be a wreck. Her heart will be shattered into pieces, and she will go mad. That’s what I’m longing to see for her to know how I felt all this time.”
Shivers ran down my spine as I heard her plans. I bit my bottom lip, and for some reason, I feel like I'm going to sink into where I'm standing. I don't support her, but I don't want to get involved in anything related to this. However, I know that even if I’ll refuse, I won’t be able to escape her grasp.
“Enough thinking about ridiculous things about me. If you don’t want to come, then I’ll make you do so.” Eviona covered my eyes with her hands, and everything in my vision faded.