Isabella, struck by the intensity of Chloe’s defiance, seemed to wither before her. Retreating, she cowered, realizing there was no more room for threats or escape. In the next moment, Chloe hoisted the turkey, knife and all, high above her head. Isabella could only watch as Chloe brought it down with all her might.
THUNK. Isabella made a sound reminiscent of a dying frog as her body careened into the far wall. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She coughed once, twice, a dribble of white spittle escaping her lips, before finally she fell limp.
Panting heavily, Chloe carefully set the turkey onto the table. She crouched on the ground, overwhelmed by the exertion.
✦ ✦ ✦
What happened next was a blur to Chloe. She quickly rustled up some rope to bind Isabella before dashing outside to seek help from her neighbors. The city guard arrived promptly. Chloe, still reeling from the ordeal, gave a disjointed account of the events. However, the evidence was clear: her injured arm, the shattered balcony window—all corroborated her story. Isabella was arrested and taken away shortly after, never having regained consciousness. Chloe was allowed to stay in her home to recover, where she anxiously awaited Lloyd’s return.
It wasn’t long before Lloyd burst through the front door, his voice filled with concern. “Chloe!” he called out, seeing her seated on the sofa amid the disarray of the living room. Sweat streamed down his face, his breath ragged—no doubt he had sprinted all the way from the royal castle.
“Lloyd...” Chloe’s voice was a mere whisper.
Lloyd rushed to her, kneeling before her. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?” he asked urgently, his hands gently scanning her body for any unseen injuries.
The sound of Lloyd’s voice and the reassurance of his touch slowly calmed Chloe, grounding her back in reality. “I’m...I’m fine, somehow...” she replied, managing a small, comforting smile.
Lloyd let out a deep sigh of relief.
“I’m so glad...” He rested his head in Chloe’s lap, as if seeking physical confirmation of her presence. “When the city guard informed me of an incident with you and your mother, I feared the worst. I rushed here as quickly as possible. I’m so sorry, Chloe, for not being there for you when you needed me most.”
“It’s all right,” Chloe reassured him, shaking her head gently. “Mother deliberately chose a time when you weren’t here to intrude, so you have nothing to apologize for.”
Deep down, Lloyd knew that even if he had somehow been psychically alerted to Isabella’s presence at the same moment as Chloe, it would have been physically impossible for him to arrive in time. Yet the weight of not being there for Chloe in her moment of need weighed heavily on his heart. “It was scary, wasn’t it?” he asked, his face etched with pain and sympathy as he tenderly cradled Chloe’s hand.
It was only then that Chloe noticed her hands were trembling. Throughout the confrontation with Isabella, adrenaline had driven her, focusing her body solely on survival. But now, in the relative safety of Lloyd’s presence, the full gravity of the situation dawned on her. The realization that a single misstep could have been fatal sent her heart racing, her breaths becoming shallow.
“You’re safe now, Chloe,” Lloyd whispered, drawing her close into a protective embrace. “It’s over. It’s all over...” His gentle strokes on her back soothed her.
“Yes...” Chloe’s voice was a whisper. She clung tightly to Lloyd’s clothing, drawing comfort from his warmth, his scent, the steady rhythm of his heart. Gradually, her own heartbeat slowed. “I... I did it, Lloyd,” she said, her voice quivering with a hint of pride. She pulled back slightly to look at him. “I protected myself, with my own strength, by my own will...”
Lloyd had been briefed by the city guard before he arrived home. They had told him how Chloe had valiantly fought off her mother and restrained her before their arrival. A proud smile spread across Lloyd’s face as he nodded deeply. “Now do you believe me that we can make a swordsman out of you yet?”
Chloe’s eyes widened in half surprise at Lloyd’s words, a giggle bubbling up from deep within her. “Why stop there? Maybe I’ll become a knight myself,” she quipped, before sinking back into the comforting cradle of Lloyd’s arms.
“You did well,” Lloyd murmured, his fingers gently caressing her hair in a soothing rhythm.
“I did...” Chloe’s voice was a soft whisper, a mix of acknowledgment and awe. Lloyd’s affirming words triggered a warm surge that welled up in her eyes.
“You were so, so brave.”
“I... I was...”
That simple acknowledgment was the catalyst. In the secure embrace of Lloyd’s arms, Chloe’s emotions overflowed. Her brush with death had left her physically drained, and Lloyd’s presence, his warmth and support, eased apart the walls around her heart. More than anything, it was the liberating realization that she had cast off the curse that had hung over her for so long. The flood of feelings seemed like it would never cease. In Lloyd’s arms, Chloe cried and cried and cried, until she had no tears left to shed.