The Villainess Wants To Retire-Chapter 288: The Weight Of Guilt

SOREN

I stepped away from Eris and Mira quietly, my boots making no sound against the stone floor as I moved toward the doorway where Ryse stood at attention.

His posture was rigid, professional, but I’d known him long enough to recognize the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw worked like he was chewing on words he didn’t want to swallow.

"Commander," I said softly, gesturing toward the corridor. "A word."

He followed without question, and we moved far enough from Mira’s chamber that our voices wouldn’t carry.

The hallway was empty... everyone had scattered after the courtyard incident, fleeing to their rooms to process what they’d witnessed or to spread gossip like wildfire through the palace.

I stopped near a window overlooking the eastern gardens, watching frost patterns crawl across the glass. Beautiful. Deadly if you touched them wrong.

"What did the physicians tell you?" I asked without preamble. "The full truth, Ryse. Not the half they gave Lady Eris."

Ryse’s expression darkened. For a moment, he said nothing, his hands curling into fists at his sides. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough with barely contained rage.

"They found evidence of sexual assault. Multiple instances. Both brothers." He paused, swallowing hard. "The healers did what they could for the physical damage, but..."

He didn’t need to finish. I understood perfectly. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"You didn’t tell her." It wasn’t a question.

"No, Your Majesty. I..." Ryse’s composure cracked slightly. "I wasn’t certain if Lady Eris should know. If telling her would help or... " He stopped, rubbing his face with one hand. "i told the healers not to inform her yet."

I nodded slowly, considering. Ryse was conflicted... I could see it written across his face, the guilt gnawing at him.

It mirrored the one that threatened to swallow me where I stood.

"You made the right call," I said quietly.

His eyes snapped to mine, surprise flickering across his features.

"She doesn’t need to know right now," I continued. "Not in this state. Not when she’s already torn herself apart with guilt."

I turned back to the window, watching my breath fog the glass. "I’ll tell her. When the time is right. But not today."

"Your Majesty... "

"Eris already made Isolde pay," I said, cutting him off gently. "She tortured that woman in front of half the court. Broke her. Burned her. Made her an example."

I paused, choosing my words carefully. "If she learns what else was done to Mira now, in this moment, one of two things will happen. Either she’ll spiral into guilt so profound she destroys herself from the inside out..." I let the implication hang. "Or she’ll go back down to those cells and finish what she started. And this time, she won’t stop at Isolde."

Ryse was silent for a long moment. Then, quietly: "The brothers deserve it."

"Perhaps." I wouldn’t argue the point. "But Eris needs to rest. She needs to recover from what she’s already done. And I..." I smiled, cold and sharp. "I would deal with Kael and Damon Ravencrest first."

Understanding dawned in Ryse’s eyes. He nodded once, firmly. "Of course, Your Majesty."

"Watch over her," I said, turning from the window. "Make sure she doesn’t stay at Mira’s bedside all night. Ensure she actually sleeps, eats something. Use force if necessary."

A ghost of a smile touched Ryse’s lips. "You want me to forcibly remove Lady Eris from... "

"I want you to use your considerable charm and diplomatic skills to persuade her that rest would be beneficial." I paused. "And yes, if that fails, carry her to her chambers yourself. I’ll take full responsibility."

"Understood, Your Majesty."

I clasped his shoulder briefly... a gesture of trust, of shared burden... then moved back toward Mira’s chamber.

Eris was exactly where I’d left her, bent over Mira’s bedside, her hand still stroking the girl’s hair with mechanical gentleness.

She looked exhausted. Hollowed out. The rage that had driven her through the courtyard had burned itself to ash, leaving only guilt and weariness in its wake.

I wished, not for the first time, that I could take her far away from this. From Nevareth, from Vetra’s schemes, from the endless political warfare that had become our daily existence. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere she could simply... be. Without enemies. Without expectations.

Without the weight of empire crushing her shoulders.

But that wasn’t our reality. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.

"Eris." I kept my voice soft, approaching slowly so as not to startle her.

She looked up, her eyes unfocused, like she’d been somewhere far away. "Soren."

"I need to leave for a while." I crouched beside her chair, bringing myself to her eye level. "I want to have a nice chat with Isolde’s brothers. Make sure they understand the full scope of their mistakes."

Something flickered in her expression... satisfaction, perhaps, or grim approval. "Don’t kill them."

"I won’t." Not yet, anyway. "But they need to learn that certain actions have consequences. Severe ones."

She nodded distractedly, her attention already drifting back to Mira.

"Eris." I waited until she looked at me again. "You need to rest. Please. Let Ryse escort you back to your chambers. Sleep. Eat something. Mira will still be here when you wake."

"I should stay... "

"You should rest." I reached up, cupping her face gently, my thumb brushing across her cheekbone. She leaned into the touch unconsciously, her eyes drifting closed. "You’ve done everything you can for her right now. The healers are excellent. She’s safe. But you’re no good to her if you collapse from exhaustion."

"I’m fine... "

"You’re not." The words came firmer than I’d intended.

She looked down at her hands, seeming surprised to find them trembling slightly. The adrenaline crash, finally hitting.

"Rest," I repeated gently. "For the sake of Mira at least."

She sighed, the sound carrying years of weariness. "Fine. But only for a few hours."

"That’s all I ask." I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her cheek... brief, chaste, but the gesture felt necessary. Grounding.

Her eyes snapped open, narrowing slightly. "Was that really necessary?"

I smiled, bright and completely unapologetic. "Yes. Very necessary. I’ll likely do it again later."

Behind us, Ryse cleared his throat pointedly, reminding us of his presence.

I stood, reluctantly releasing Eris’s face. "Ryse will make sure you actually sleep. I’ve given him full authority to carry you to your chambers if needed."

"You wouldn’t dare... "

"I absolutely would." Ryse’s voice carried a hint of amusement. "His Majesty’s orders."

Eris glared at both of us, but there was no real heat behind it. Just exhaustion.

I squeezed her shoulder once more, then turned and left before she could argue further. Before I could give in to the overwhelming urge to stay at her side instead of doing what needed to be done.

The Ravencrest brothers were waiting in their cells.

And I had promises to keep.

Cold, brutal promises that would make even Eris’s torture look merciful by comparison.

Because if there was one thing I excelled at, one skill I’d honed over years of ruling a frozen empire built on ice and calculated cruelty, it was making people understand... truly, viscerally understand... what happened when they touched what belonged to me.

And Mira, by extension of Eris, belonged under my protection.

The brothers would learn that lesson.

Slowly.

Painfully.

And by the time I was finished, they would beg for the mercy of Eris’s flames.