Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 114: Who Poisoned the Well...

Chapter 114: Who Poisoned the Well...

Evelina quickened her pace, trying to block out the whispers that followed her as she arrived at her room. As soon as she closed the door, she let out a deep breath.

Then—

A smile crept onto her lips.

She couldn’t help it.

Not just because of last night. Not just because of Damian and the way he had made her feel. Or because of how everyone’s attention was on her.

But because of how she had handled Selene.

She sat on the edge of her bed, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle. "I put her in her place. And I’d do it again."

Relia hummed in approval. "There’s my girl. Confidence looks good on you."

Evelina leaned back against the pillows, her body still sore but healing fast. Her eyes flickered across the room—until they landed on a familiar scrap of fabric near her desk.

The cloth.

The one she had taken from the well side, the one that she had tried getting a vision from but got nothing.

Her amusement faded.

Slowly, she sat up and reached for it, her fingers curling around the fabric as she picked it up.

"Let’s try this again," she murmured.

Last time, even though she had the pearl with her, she couldn’t get a vision. Relia believed she was too reliant on the pearl instead of on herself.

She had been so distracted and afraid that it caused a mental block, preventing her from using her abilities.

But now...

Now, she couldn’t help but feel like she was past that block.

Closing her eyes, she centered herself.

Cleared her mind.

Focused.

Relia’s presence softly filled her thoughts. "Look at you," she whispered. "So determined. So powerful. I love this energy."

Evelina barely heard her. The world around her faded, the sounds of the room disappearing into a distant hum.

Then—

A pull.

A sudden shift in the air, like something had snapped into place.

And then she saw.

The vision slammed into her like a crashing wave, pulling her under.

Darkness.

Thick, suffocating darkness stretching for miles.

At first, Evelina thought it was the same nothingness she had seen the last few times she had tried.

The same frustrating void.

But then—her eyes adjusted.

Shapes began to take form within the darkness, shifting and sharpening until she could see

A well.

The same well where the poison had been placed.

It was night, and the air was still. A soft, eerie light from the moon faintly lit the area, allowing Evelina to see the shadow of a figure walking toward the well.

Her breath caught. "This is it. This is when it happened."

The figure moved quickly, their movements precise. They carried a small vial, no bigger than a palm. Without hesitation, they leaned over the well and poured the contents into the water.

Evelina’s heart pounded. Show your face. Come on, come on...

She strained to see through the dim lighting, but the figure remained cloaked in shadows. The hood of their robe covered most of their features, obscuring them.

Then—

They turned.

Evelina’s breath hitched as she almost caught a glimpse of their face. But it was too dark. Too fast.

Frustration gnawed at her. Damn it!

However, something else caught her attention.

The figure’s robe.

She recognised it.

A deep, midnight-blue cloak with silver embroidery along the edges—distinctive, regal, official.

A uniform.

A royal guard’s uniform.

Evelina’s stomach dropped.

One of the King’s men.

Before she could fully process it, the figure moved again. They stepped away from the well, but as they turned sharply, a small root near the base of the stone structure snagged their robes.

The fabric tore.

A small piece of dark cloth fluttered to the ground.

Evelina zeroed in on it.

That was the piece of cloth she picked up... the one she’s currently holding.

The figure cursed under their breath and quickly adjusted their robe before bolting into the night.

Evelina watched them run, her mind racing.

No, no, no. I need more.

She reached forward, willing the vision to hold, to show her more.

"Who are you exactly? Where are you? Who sent you?"

The vision suddenly shifted.

The familiar pull started to drag her out of it, the way it always did when she reached the end of a vision.

But then—

Instead of waking up in her chambers, Evelina saw herself somewhere else.

She stood outside, where the air was fresh and carried a light smell of hay and wet soil.

The stables.

It was morning, and the light from the sky illuminated the landscape. A figure moved nearby, standing near the stable doors.

Evelina squinted, her pulse hammering in her ears.

And then—

"Ethan!" A sharp voice called out.

The figure near the stables turned and Evelina’s entire body froze.

The man from the well.

The same hooded figure.

Now, she could clearly see his face. His defined features. The serious look on his jaw. The thoughtful spark in his eyes.

A high-ranking guard. And now, she can identify him.

Ethan.

As the name registered in her mind, the vision shattered. Evelina gasped as she was yanked back, her body jerking violently. She sucked in a breath, her senses flooding back in all at once.

The dim lighting of her chambers. The feel of the bed beneath her. The racing of her heart.

Her body trembled, sweat dripping down her temples.

She barely had time to recover before Relia’s voice exploded in her mind. "Holy. Shit."

Evelina panted, gripping the fabric of her dress tightly.

"You saw him, didn’t you?" Relia breathed. "You saw his face."

Evelina swallowed hard. "Yeah," she whispered. "And I know exactly who he is. But first, I need to confirm something."

Evelina barely gave herself time to breathe before she moved.

She shoved the fabric off her lap, bolted to her feet, and ran out of her chambers, ignoring the lingering soreness in her muscles.

Her vision had shown her two things—one from the past and one that felt disturbingly like the present.

And if that second part was the present...

She needed to see it for herself.

"Evie, slow down!" Relia yelped.

"No time," Evelina shot back, her heart pounding as she sprinted down the hall, weaving through servants who gasped at her sudden rush.

The stables.

She needed to get to the stables.

By the time she got to the big wooden doors that opened outside, her chest was heavy from breathing hard, but she kept going. She moved forward and stepped into the fresh morning air.

Her eyes darted across the courtyard—

And then she saw them.

The royal guards.

Several of them stood near the stable, dressed in their midnight-blue cloaks, securing saddles and checking their weapons.

And among them was... Ethan.

Evelina skidded to a stop behind a stack of crates, her heart racing.

Shit... I saw the present.

"Seems like they’re preparing to leave town or something," Relia murmured.

Evelina clenched her fists. "I need to tell Damian. Now."

She turned on her heel, prepared to make a mad dash for the throne room, but something caught her eye.

A familiar figure, moving through the courtyard.

Jasper.

He was carrying—what the hell was he carrying? Evelina blinked at the absurd sight of him struggling with what looked like a stack of books, a bottle of ink balanced precariously on top.

"Oh, for the love of—"

Evelina ran toward him.

"Jasper!" she hissed, reaching him before he could drop the entire mess onto the ground.

Jasper barely had time to react before she grabbed his arm, forcing him to steady himself.

"Good morning to you too, milady," he said dryly, glancing at her with amusement. "You’re certainly in a hurry. Might I assume it has something to do with all the whispers I’ve been hearing this morning? About a certain someone having a particularly... eventful night?"

Evelina groaned. "Not the time, Jasper."

Jasper smirked but let it go. "Then to what do I owe the honor of this frantic visit?"

Evelina lowered her voice. "I need you to stall the royal guards at the stables."

Jasper blinked. "I’m sorry, what?"

"They cannot leave until I get the prince."

Jasper looked over her shoulder at the stable, then back at her. His expression shifted, the humor fading slightly. "Why, milady?"

Evelina clenched her jaw. "Don’t ask why. Obey before questions."

Jasper’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "Understood."

"Where’s the prince?" she asked, glancing around.

"In the throne room," Jasper answered, his voice edged with curiosity. "Though I’d love to know what this is about—"

But Evelina was already moving.

She ignored the confused looks from passing nobles as she darted down the grand hallways, her breath coming in sharp, uneven pants.

She forced herself to slow down as she neared the throne room entrance. The last thing she needed was to storm in unannounced when she knew the king had it out for her.

The two guards stationed outside glanced at her warily as she approached.

"Is the prince still inside?" she asked.

One of the guards hesitated before giving a short nod.

Evelina didn’t have to wait long.

The heavy doors opened a moment later, and Damian strode out with an unreadable expression.

He barely had time to react before Evelina stepped forward, grasping his wrist.

His silver eyes snapped to hers, questioning. "Eve—"

She looked up at him, her heart pounding.

"I know who poisoned the well," she whispered.