Crowned by Fate Chapter 70

Skye's POV

My hand shot out to grab the cup, but Nadia had already pulled it out of my reach, her eyes locked with mine in silent determination. The mind-link between us flared with urgency as I desperately tried to stop her.

Don't drink it! You don't have to do this! I projected, my mental voice frantic.

Nadia's expression softened, though her grip on the cup remained firm.

“I trust you, Skye. I believe you're smart enough to find a way out of here once we reach the hospital. Marcus taught you reconnaissance skills, didn't he? He said you were a natural.”

Please, let's think about this, I pleaded, maintaining our mental connection while keeping my face carefully neutral for the guard's benefit.

 “There must be another way. We don't have to resort to this.”

Nadia shook her head slightly, her dark eyes reflecting the dim light of our prison. This might be our best chance. Maybe our only chance.

She glanced toward the impassive guard, then back to me.

“You need to escape, find Adrian, and tell him not to agree to Kane's demands. Under no circumstances can he surrender Oasisborn.”

“I'm not leaving you behind,” I insisted, the very thought making my stomach clench with anxiety.

Don't waste time arguing, Nadia countered, her mental voice taking on the authoritative edge I'd come to associate with her role as Beta.

“If one of us escapes, Kane loses half his leverage. And I know you wouldn't truly abandon me. Her gaze intensified, boring into mine. You'll find a way to come back for me, won't you?”

“Of course, but—”

“I trust you'll do whatever it takes to save both of us, “she interrupted. Then her mental voice softened, becoming almost vulnerable.

“If you don't at least try to escape, I'll hate you forever, Skye. I mean it.”

Before I could form another protest, Nadia raised the cup to her lips and drank the poisoned coffee in several quick gulps. She set the empty cup down with deliberate calm, then reached for a sandwich as if nothing unusual had happened.

"You should eat," she said aloud, her voice steady despite what she'd just done. "Keep your strength up."

I felt sick with dread, knowing what would happen next, yet forced to play along with her charade. I picked at my food without tasting it, watching Nadia from the corner of my eye, waiting for the poison to take effect.

It didn't take long. Barely a minute later, Nadia's hand froze mid-air as she was reaching for her water. Her fingers began to tremble, the tremor quickly spreading up her arm. She tried to speak, but her words came out slurred and incomprehensible. Her body stiffened, eyes widening with what looked like genuine fear.

Then the convulsions started.

Her back arched unnaturally, muscles contracting with violent force. Her head snapped backward, tendons standing out in her neck like steel cables. A strangled gasp escaped her lips as her body pitched forward, then sideways, limbs jerking in grotesque, puppet-like movements.

I caught her before she could strike her head against the stone floor, cradling her convulsing body against mine. Foam began to form at the corners of her mouth, tinged with an alarming shade of pink. Her eyes rolled back, showing only the whites, and her breathing became rapid and shallow.

"Help!" I screamed, my panic entirely real as I held Nadia's seizing body. "Guard! My friend is sick! She needs help!"

The guard glanced our way, his expression shifting from boredom to suspicion. He approached the bars lazily, keeping a safe distance as he observed Nadia's convulsions.

"Nice performance," he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You really think I'd fall for this? Let me guess—I open the cell, you jump me while I'm distracted with your 'sick' friend, and you both make a run for it?" He shook his head, looking almost disappointed. "Stop watching so many Hollywood movies. This trick is older than dirt."

"I'm not lying!" I shouted, genuine tears springing to my eyes as Nadia's body continued to spasm violently in my arms. "Something's wrong with her! Please!"

The tears weren't fake—they came from a place of real fear and frustration. While I knew the wolfsbane wasn't lethal, I had no idea what other effects it might have. Lydia had never specified the exact symptoms or potential side effects, only that it would induce temporary paralysis. What if Nadia's reaction was abnormal? What if she needed immediate medical attention?

The guard remained unmoved by my pleas, watching with clinical detachment as Nadia's convulsions gradually subsided. Her body grew still in my arms, limbs hanging limp and heavy, her head lolling against my shoulder. Her breathing had become shallow and irregular, each inhale a strained whisper.

Despite knowing this was the intended effect of the poison, terror clawed at my chest. She looked dead. Her skin had taken on an ashen hue, lips tinged with blue, eyes half-closed and unseeing.

The guard finally seemed to register that something might be genuinely wrong. He stepped closer to the bars, peering at Nadia's motionless form with growing concern. When he was close enough, he extended his electric baton through the bars, prodding Nadia's leg with its tip.

"Stop it!" I snarled, pulling her away from his reach. "You heartless monster! How can you be so cruel?"

I glared at him with genuine hatred. "If she dies, do you think Kane will let you live? You were supposed to keep us healthy for the exchange!"

That seemed to penetrate his indifference. Uncertainty flickered across his face as he considered the potential consequences of failing in his duty. He retreated a few steps, pulling out a cell phone from his pocket.

"Alpha Kane," he said after a moment, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "One of the women has collapsed!"

Through my tears, I watched the guard's face carefully, trying to gauge Kane's response on the other end of the line. A flicker of hope sparked in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, Nadia's desperate gamble would work after all.

As I held her limp body against mine, I silently promised her that if—when—we got out of here, I would never again dismiss her judgment. She had risked everything on this desperate plan, swallowing poison without hesitation to create a chance for us to escape.

And I wasn't going to waste it.