The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 299: A Heartless Woman

Bernard’s eyes widened, and his lips parted in protest, the words of caution dying on his tongue. The plan was reckless, borderline suicidal, but Jessamyn shot him a warning glance, her eyes sharp and pleading.

In that moment, she silently conveyed more than any words could. She needed him to trust her, to follow her lead despite the madness of it all.

"You’ll need me working with you once you enter the castle. I can bring you to Cordelia. I am friends with her," Jessamyn continued, her voice steady but laced with a subtle urgency. She knew she was treading on thin ice. "Annoy me now, and I will keep on making your life hard."

The woman’s gaze flickered between Jessamyn and Bernard, her expression torn between suspicion and calculation. Her eyes, sharp and cold, were trying to dissect the truth from the fear in Jessamyn’s eyes. The woman could sense the precariousness of the situation, a delicate balance where one wrong move could shatter everything she’d schemed for.

Jessamyn held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. This was a dangerous game, a gamble that could either save them or doom them all. She prayed silently, hoping that the woman’s greed and ambition would override her doubts.

"Fine," the woman hissed through gritted teeth, her voice laced with reluctant agreement. "But if you try anything—anything at all—I’ll make sure you regret it."

The tension in the air was palpable, thick like the stifling heat of a summer storm about to break. The dangerous game they were playing had reached its climax.

The woman broke the chain around Bernard with a flick of her wrist, releasing him from the agonizing grip of the cursed metal.

The moment the chain fell to the ground, Bernard collapsed, his body convulsing as it tried to recover from the pain. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and Jessamyn’s heart ached at the sight. She could see the toll the torture had taken on him, his once-strong frame now weakened, his skin pale and clammy.

But as the moments passed, she noticed a faint glow beneath his skin, a subtle shimmer that spread through his veins. Jerrick had once told her that Bernard possessed healing abilities, a gift passed down through his bloodline. It seemed that even now, in his weakened state, those abilities were working to mend his body.

Jessamyn felt a wave of relief wash over her. Bernard would be fine. She had to believe that. But there was no time to dwell on that relief; there was still danger ahead, and she had to be strong.

"Return to Isadora and stay with her. Protect Roche," Jessamyn instructed, her voice low but firm. She couldn’t say much more, not with the woman watching them so closely.

She could only hope that Bernard would understand her unspoken plea—to find Jerrick, to bring him back, to save them all.

Bernard hesitated, his eyes searching Jessamyn’s for answers. She saw the conflict within him, the urge to stay and protect her warring with the duty she had just given him. But he was a warrior, bound by honor and loyalty, and he knew what he had to do. Without a word, he nodded and turned away, his steps unsteady but determined.

As Bernard disappeared into the shadows of the forest, Jessamyn let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She wasn’t entirely sure how her idea had worked. It could very well be a ploy by that woman, a trick to lure them into a false sense of security. But she couldn’t dwell on that now. She had to focus on the task at hand, on surviving this night.

Jessamyn’s eyes remained fixed on the woman who had caused them so much pain. The woman had taken a seat by the fire, her face illuminated by the flickering flames. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes, a cold calculation that sent a shiver down Jessamyn’s spine. The woman was a predator, and Jessamyn was all too aware that she was still very much the prey. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Worried your friend’s husband might be in danger?" The woman’s voice broke the silence, smooth and venomous.

"Well, is he?" Jessamyn shot back, trying to keep her voice steady, though she could feel the tremor in her hands.

The woman chuckled, a dark, hollow sound that echoed through the trees. "Who’s to say? The forest is mysterious and holds a lot of danger... He probably was much safer with me."

Jessamyn scoffed, unable to hide her disdain. Safer? Bernard had been tortured, his life hanging by a thread. How was that anywhere near safety? The woman’s words were laced with deception, and Jessamyn knew better than to trust her.

"Bernard is your son-in-law. You know that, don’t you?" Jessamyn said, her voice softer now, almost pleading. She wanted to reach some semblance of humanity within the woman, but she knew it was a futile effort.

The woman’s expression remained unchanged, her eyes cold and unfeeling. "So?" she replied, her voice devoid of any warmth. The moonlight cast a harsh shadow on her face, making her appear even more sinister.

"Being a widow is better than being dependent on a man," the woman added, her tone dismissive.

"Not if your husband loves you," Jessamyn countered, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions.

The woman’s lips curled into a sneer. "Love?" she scoffed, the word dripping with contempt. "Love is nothing but a mirage... You think it’s there, but no... Love is... useless..." For a brief moment, there was a trace of sorrow in her eyes, a flicker of something that resembled regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the familiar coldness. "I bet you’d differ. You could fall in love twice."

Jessamyn chuckled softly, though the sound was tinged with sadness. "And I do not regret it," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. She had loved deeply, and she had lost, but she would never regret the love she had found.

For a moment, the two women were silent, the only sound the crackling of the fire and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. The forest around them was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of animals and insects absent. It was as if the very earth was holding its breath, waiting for what was to come.

The night air was cool, and a gentle breeze swept through the clearing, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the landscape. Jessamyn felt a chill run down her spine, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the tension in the air.

"Can you shift?" Jessamyn asked, her voice cutting through the silence. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for the woman, carrying the weight of betrayal and heartbreak for so long. It was no wonder she had become so twisted, so full of malice.

The woman smirked, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Never allowed myself to break my heart. That way, I held power over those men who were willing to do anything for me. I used them as a stepping stone, and they were nothing but—"

"Except for William’s father," Jessamyn interrupted, her voice firm. She found it hard to believe that even this woman, with all her cruelty, had never loved.

The woman’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Jessamyn thought she saw a flicker of emotion. But it was gone before she could be sure. "You’re a child, aren’t you?" the woman said, her tone condescending.

The firelight flickered, casting shadows across the woman’s face. Jessamyn saw something in her expression that she hadn’t noticed before—a resemblance to Jerrick, a fleeting softness that was quickly buried beneath layers of bitterness.

"Immature in the way you think..." the woman added, her voice dripping with disdain.

Jessamyn took a deep breath, steadying herself. "How was Isadora’s father a stepping stone for you?"

The woman didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looked out into the distance, her gaze unfocused as if she were remembering something long past. Jessamyn could see the gears turning in her mind, the calculations and the regrets. It was clear that there was more to the story than the woman was willing to share.

"Who is that woman who has been following you for a long time?" the woman suddenly asked, her voice sharp.

Jessamyn’s heart skipped a beat. The old seer had been following them. It was a relief to know that she wasn’t imagining things, but it also meant that they were in even more danger than she had realized.

"She wants to kill me. We have an old score to settle," Jessamyn replied, choosing her words carefully. She wasn’t sure how much the woman knew, but she didn’t want to give away more than necessary.

In the dim light, Jessamyn could see the dark figure approaching, a silhouette against the night sky. The seer was getting closer, and Jessamyn could feel the tension in the air rising.

"Get up, we are leaving," the woman said abruptly, her voice full of urgency.

"I cannot rest?" Jessamyn asked, her body aching with exhaustion.

"We are walking," the woman snapped, dousing the fire with a swift motion.

Jessamyn stood, her body protesting every movement. She stopped and turned.

The dark aura of the seer hit her. She clutched her belly.