Story 25/1001

• scheme
• philosophy
• unlikely

Eliseo watched as his sister paced the room. Her posture changed from elegant, graceful one, into concerned, slightly slouched one. She was biting her nails, just like she did as a little girl.

“Minya.” He called out to her. She muttered something to herself and frowned.

“Minya.” Eliseo got up from his seat and grabbed her by her shoulders.

“Minya.” His calm, steady manner made her forget what she was thinking about. “It’s highly unlikely he will act on it.” Eliseo said, when he got her attention.

“If there is even a slightest chance, we are both dead, Eli.” She whispered.

Eliseo looked around, making sure none of the servants were near, and that all the doors and windows were closed. Then he sat Minya next to the fireplace and took a deep breath.

“We need to gather everything we know about this situation.” Eliseo said, sitting down next to Minya. “When exactly did he approach you? Was he alone? Completely alone?”

“Yes. Not even his guard was with him.” She was looking at the flames dancing in front of her. ” He approached me after the first game. We were sitting alone at the arena. Carla had a wardrobe malfunction, so she went to get changed.”

“None of the servants were there?”

“No. Adeo sent them away to get more wine before he told me-” She stopped, her eyes tearing up. “He knows who we are, Eli.”

“What did he say, exactly?”

“You and your brother can cut the act now. You’ve come further than anyone thought you would. Velvets deserved to die. I’m only doing this because I actually started liking you, so you have until midnight to disappear, never to be seen again. Or we will end you.”

“Are you sure he said that?”

“You know about my memory, Eliseo. He said those words, exactly.” Her gaze pierced through his skull, but he managed to smile. “Why are you smiling?”

“He said ‘we’.”

“He probably meant he’ll tell the king.”

“With what proof? The king adores us. No, Minya. What he meant is that someone else is behind this. This is not his scheme.”

“But who-“

“I saw him in the gardens yesterday. He was with Adalia Tyr.”

“Her husband is in the Council.” Eliseo got up from excitement.

“And her husband is just a puppet.” Eliseo added. “I don’t think they know; I think they suspect.”

“We should stay.” Minya got up, following her brother’s excitement.

“If Adalia really is behind all this, we need to get close to her.”

“She hates me.” Minya frowned.

“It would have helped if you kept some of your opinions to yourself, yes.”

“She was abusing her stepdaughter. Those aren’t opinions.” Eliseo patted her back.

“Well, we should use that against her. She always talked about how she needed to bond with her stepdaughter more.”

“Those words may have worked on the king, but I will not be swayed.”

“Either way, your actions against her abuse, and her words of regret, made the king give them a second chance.”

Minya smiled.

“I should have punched her harder.”

“If you did, we might not be here. Focus, Minya.” Eliseo frowned. “Adalia is hosting her readings every week, correct? Those about philosophy or history or something along those lines?”

” Old philosophers, yes.” Minya nodded.

“You should send her stepdaughter to bond with her stepmother.”

“I can’t do that to her.”

“If you want to save our kingdom, you must. We are not one of them, Minya. And we have a mission.” Minya sighed.

“She hates her stepmother more than anyone. She’ll tell me everything they say, in detail.”