To His Hell and Back
Chapter 77: Naivety Demerits

Chapter 77: Naivety Demerits

Bella wasn’t naïve. She knew that in a court like this, the wrong words could be a death sentence. Saying the right thing would be the difference between survival and ruin.

She couldn’t bring herself to trust Queen Morgana, not when the woman was as fickle as the wind, turning allies into enemies with nothing more than a passing whim. A predator dressed with demureness and smiles, whose kindness was nothing but a fake front to trap those she deemed would bring her closer to her goals.

But Princess Marissa... she was different.

Marissa, at least, was known to hold a fondness for humans. Unlike the others, she did not treat them as mere playthings, as expendable creatures whose lives could be snuffed out without a second thought. There was something softer in her, something that made Bella feel that, if it came down to it, she would be the one to stand between her and Morgana’s cruelty.

And so, Bella weighed her words carefully, forcing herself to remain calm even as her pulse pounded in her ears.

But lying for survival like this? Please make one side happy and make the other side unhappy? She would rather frankly tell the truth.

In the end, she responded clearly to her, "I do think that killing is a heinous act."

Marissa’s face turned stout, but she didn’t immediately lash out to Arabella, and seeing this, Bella’s green eyes turned softer. "However, I cannot say anything whether it is right or wrong or whether they deserve it or not. I know that at times people are deserving of death due to their mistake; in that case, would killing be a very obvious option, though killing is always a heinous act."

She sucked her breaths and saw Princess Marissa’s blood red eyes and locked it with her green ones, offering a small smile, "What I mean, Princess, is that I do not know what had happened. It shocked me and scared me, but it should never be me who judges whether it is wrong or right."

Queen Morgana chuckled from the side, "You are just a bit fearful, aren’t you, human girl? Because Marissa here can kill you?"

Arabella looked at the Queen briefly for a split second and how sadistic she had smiled when her words had somehow hurt Princess Marissa. This woman was just happy. It didn’t matter whether it was Marissa who was hurt or someone else; she was just happy to see someone suffering, that someone was more unhappy than she was.

This kind of behavior was something Bella knew she had to be careful of.

She answered the Queen gently, "If that is the case, I should fear the entire castle." she smiled, "No one here is truly concerned for my safety other than myself."

Queen Morgana’s eyes flickered. "Indeed. Not even your beloved Crown Prince."

Beloved? Hardly.

She didn’t answer as Princess Marissa clinked her teacup; her expression was so unreadable that Arabella couldn’t tell whether her words had made the Princess displeased or not. Then the Princess swept herself from the couch, her pinkish blue dress streaming over down her ankle as she looked at her step mother, "I should be going now then. Thank you for your invitation, mother."

"All for you, dearest. Pray tell me, are you going to continue spending your time in the castle?"

"I suppose I should," and her gaze lingered on her for a fraction too long before she dipped into a graceful curtsey. Then, without another word, Princess Marissa turned and swept out of the room, her maids trailing behind her like shadows.

The remaining servants hesitated, their eyes flickering between Arabella and the queen. But then Queen Morgana’s fingers lifted ever so slightly from the armrest of her chair, a subtle, unspoken command. That was all it took.

One by one, they bowed their heads and left, their footsteps fading into silence as the doors closed behind them.

And just like that, Arabella was alone with the queen.

"Let us cut to the chase," Queen Morgana said, her tone clipped as if even breathing the same air as Arabella was an inconvenience. "I have called you here to demand your answer."

Arabella kept her expression carefully neutral, choosing her words with precision. "Of accepting your offer? Of turning my loyalty to you instead of His Highness?"

The queen’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "If you wish to put it that way," she murmured, tilting her head ever so slightly. "But you should know that I was human once. I remember what it was like to have a human heart, to fear the monsters in the dark."

Her fingers tapped lazily against the table.

"You are right to be afraid, little girl. This castle is a dangerous place. But I am offering you a way out. Complete the tasks I ask of you, and when it is done, I will give you more than just my protection, girl; I will give you freedom. Wealth. A safe passage far from here."

Arabella held her breath. It was a tempting offer. Too tempting. But the way Queen Morgana watched her, like a spider, patiently waiting for the fly to struggle, made her blood run cold.

Throughout her stay with Cassius, Queen Morgana’s words festered in her mind like a slow-spreading poison. She had not dismissed them, not even close. In truth, she had thought of them constantly.

The offer. The promise of freedom. The whispered assurance that perhaps, in this twisted court, Queen Morgana was the more trustworthy one.

Because what if Cassius changed?

Or worse, what if he didn’t?

What if his cold indifference never thawed? What if his amusement in keeping her close faded, leaving her as nothing more than an inconvenience? A mistake to be erased?

He had never hurt her. Not truly. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t.

And he had made himself perfectly clear. He would never change. Kindness was not in him, and she was foolish to search for it.

"Would that mean I have to hurt him?" Arabella finally asked, the question barely above a whisper.

Queen Morgana laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made Arabella’s skin prickle.

"Not necessarily," the Queen purred. "Though, at times, perhaps I will need you to. But really, why does it matter?" She tilted her head, her crimson painted lips curling into something too pleased, too knowing. "Did he care when you were hurt? Think girl. You will regret choosing the wrong answer today."

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