Anastasia gave a tight nod with fear flashing in her eyes.
Etaya got up, wrapping the sheets around her. She picked up a piece of braised lamb and threw it back on the plate. "It is cold, you bitch!"
Anastasia blinked her eyes and said in the same innocent way, "M'lady it is still hot…" She opened the lid of the meat curry and an assortment of bread. Hot vapors rose from it and wafted in the air.
"You mean I am lying?" Etaya yelled.
Anastasia started shaking. She looked at Seraph once and lowered her head. Seeing the plight of the young demon girl, he rose from bed and walked to the trolley laden with food. The food was steaming hot. He peered at Anastasia for a long moment as if in a trance.
"Seraph!" Etaya shouted. "You should whip this bitch for calling me a liar."
Seraph pulled away his gaze from her with difficulty and looked at Etaya with shock in his eyes. "Etaya, the food is steaming hot. Just take a look. You are really stressed and it is normal in your stage. Why blame a poor servant for something that is untrue? After all, she serves you." He peeled his gaze away from her and then fixed it on Anastasia.
"What?" Etaya said. "Are you mad? You are going to favor a servant over me?" She picked up the whole bowl of hot braised meat and was about to throw it on Anastasia when her ankle twisted and the meat fell right over on her thighs. The heat of the meat scalded her skin over the sheets and she yelled in pain and agony. "My skin is burning." She started crying.
"Etaya!" Seraph's stunned voice echoed in the room and he rushed to her. He scooped her in her arms and set her up on the bed. He turned to Anastasia and ordered, "Go, fetch water."
Anastasia ran nervously to bring water from the bathroom but when she entered the bathroom, her lips curved into a grin. When Etaya had accused her that the meat was cold, she wanted to shout at her that what else would you expect when you have to bring the food right from the kitchen to the west wing? It was a long journey and naturally the food would lose heat. But the way Etaya created ruckus, she knew that no amount of logic was going to convince her and that is why when the woman rushed to throw it on her, she pointed her finger towards her ankle and pointed her energy, her magic for it to snap. Though she wasn't expecting it, the ankle twisted. Etaya fell down and the meat fell all over her.
Anastasia rushed back to the chamber after controlling her happiness and masking it with fear. Seraph took the water from her and poured it on Etaya's thighs. He barked another order, "Get the royal physician!"
"Yes, m'lord," Anastasia bowed and quickly left the room. However, she languidly walked back to the kitchen and informed Jor'gas about it. By the time the physician reached Etaya, almost an hour was over. After that Anastasia didn't go to Etaya's chamber and Jor'gas took over who informed that 'Natsya' was being questioned by the queen about her behavior. It was possible that they would expel her from the palace on the count of misconduct.
"But that is ludicrous," said Seraph as he watched the physician apply a black lotion on Etaya's thighs. "That poor girl didn't do anything. The accident happened because Etaya slipped."
When Seraph attested that the incident was not Natsya's fault, her name cleared immediately. Jor'gas looked at him with awe. He was such a nice and gentle person to have fallen for a woman as evil as Etaya. "I will go and inform the queen," she said.
On the other hand when Anastasia met Og'drath, she told her everything that she had heard in their bedchamber.
Og'drath pursed her lips and paced her room. "So this is her actual plan?" she fumed. "At first she was trying to convince Seraph to demand his lands and when Seraph declined, she wanted him to attack her brother? What a malevolent woman? I always thought the faes were like gods. They were revered. I had heard that the more you shower them with your prayers and offerings, the more they are pleased but the reality is opposite. From now on, all my beliefs about them are shattered."
Anastasia jerked her head back about this revelation. Offerings… prayers… gods… She blinked her eyes disbelievingly. She wished it was true. She exhaled heavily realizing that she was holding her breath. "I am so sorry, m'lady."
Og'drath stopped in front of her. "No Natsya. I am happy that you could gather so much information." She took out her pearl necklace and gave it to her. "Here, take this."
"Oh no, m'lady!" Anastasia rasped. "I did it for you."
Og'drath smiled and placed her hand on her cheek. With her thumb she caressed her skin and said, "You are so soft." She smiled. "I hope you find your way back to Vilinski within two weeks. I promise you that after two weeks, I will help you go back to your kingdom because with your original looks, it would be extremely dangerous for you to stay back. Until then continue doing what you are."
"Yes, m'lady," Anastasia bowed.
Og'drath forced her to keep the necklace and then walked inside her chamber where her daughter was crying.
Suddenly, why was she feeling as if her energy had become stronger? Was it true about the offerings? Was that the reason why Og'drath had given her the necklace? Was she testing her powers? Suddenly, she felt a tingle in the extremes of her fingers and felt as if the energy wanted to explode. Was Og'drath making her powerful? She stared behind the queen and wondered what was going on in her mind. She was very clever and very intelligent. And when two very intelligent women met, there were bound to be clashes. Etaya was no less. Though, Anastasia thought that her aunt's ambitions overran her intellect.
