THE DOOR OF VALENCIA'S LIBRARY FLEW OPEN. Elliot darted inside, closing the door behind him. He sat down on the seat opposite Valencia's desk, reminiscent of them being here just before leaving for the Stone castle.

Something about that trip still ate at him. He couldn't tell if it was Caspian's annoyance at having to reveal Andreas's insanity or the fact that he brought Valencia into her enemy's home that bugged him so much. He reminded himself whose side he's on – Caspian's and the Reprisal's.

"I heard you," Elliot admitted.

Valencia furrowed her dark eyebrows. "What?"

Her hands sprung to motion, wiping away the tears streaming down her face. Her nose looked red, her eyes tired. Elliot frowned.

"You said 'I killed him,'" Elliot said.

Valencia took in a deep breath and found a tissue to clean herself with. "I don't know what you think you heard, or why you were eavesdropping on me, but I have to say—"

"Don't lie."

"I want the truth," Elliot urged. "I can't join you in your fight without knowing who you really are and what you come from."

"I think you forget that you are my prisoner," Valencia reminded him with a tint of hatred pouring out of her.

"I think we both know that's no longer true."

Elliot stood in front of her now, with his hand cupping Valencia's cheek. His thumb traced her jaw.

"What did you do, Valencia?"

"What haven't I done?" she remarked with a saracastic laugh. "What hasn't been done to me?"

A tear slid down her face. "Where do I even began, Elliot? Do I start with my father beating me till I bled and bruised every chance he got? Do I start with how I starved and shivered in that satellite state every goddamn day? Do I start with how I killed my best friend because he betrayed me and I had no other choice?"

Valencia's tears turned to violent sobs. Elliot couldn't even process her words before he found himself hugging Valencia on the floor of her library. Her whole body shook in his arms, and all he wanted to do was calm her.

He didn't even know what to say.

Valencia calmed herself down enough to continue her story. "I was nineteen when I fled home. I didn't want to leave my siblings, but I couldn't be his punching bag anymore. For a year I didn't know what to do with myself. Then I heard the whispers saying that Andreas and Cyra were no longer fit for the throne. I knew what needed to be done."

"You started your campaign?"

"Sort of. I had to get my foot in the door first," Valencia explained, "I started as mere assistants to bigger political figures. But I climbed. I had to. My mind was set on creating on a better Lehua, one where people were not dying just by being alive. My campaign kickstarted when I was twenty-two. Now people more than ever wanted a new ruler. I found Ronan, who became the best person on my team. He knew how to convince people that they need me."

Elliot chuckled. "It helps that he believes it too."

Valencia's eyes shined with love for Ronan. "I adored him. And then I remet Homer, my childhood friend. He was angrier than me, claimed the only way I could get the throne was if Andreas and Cyra died or abdicated. I knew there was truth to his words, and maybe I was a bit too helpless and hopeless, so I devised a plan with him. Homer would infiltrate the palace to assassinate Andreas and Cyra. But first he would learn everything he could about them."

Elliot snapped his mouth shut, unsure of how long it had even been open in shock. Valencia had conspired to kill Caspian's parents? He felt firmly how wrong that was and how traitorous.

"I knew even then how wrong it was," Valencia continued, "Just days after Homer arrived at the palace, I asked him to stop. He didn't listen; he had gone rogue. I anticipated to hear about their death, but the news never came. Weeks later Homer confided to me that he fell in love with Cyra and that he would not kill her or let her abdicate. I don't understand how his thinking could have changed so much, how Cyra could have such a strong affect on Homer. He was a stubborn man."

Elliot formed an hypothesis. Surely Cyra's most adored Dr. Oberlin could formulate some exotic elixir that would change Homer's mentality.

"And suddenly the one person standing in my way was my best friend," Valencia said, "He threatened my life in return. His anger was now directed at me as if I became the villain, when actually all the facts about Cyra's murders and Andreas's insanity were coming to light. Homer was blind to the fact that Cyra is a murderess."

The empress paused, bit her lip. "Homer came to my home one night as I slept. I awoke to the sound of his footsteps. He had a knife, Elliot. Something came over me that I can't explain. Some higher power looking after me. The memories are blurry, but I stabbed Homer to death."

Valencia looked down, sobs overtaking her again. Elliot held her tighter.

"There was blood everywhere," she choked out. "I loved Homer. I don't understand—"

"Shh," Elliot soothed her, "You're okay. You're not in that room anymore. You're safe."

Elliot had a pretty good idea of what may of happened. Cyra had turned Homer into her own personal killer.

If Caspian found out that Valencia sent an assassin after his parents, he would be livid. But what Caspian wouldn't understand is how much his parents deserved it. Elliot swallowed back his guilt. He felt in his heart that Valencia was truly a good person and she did what she had to do with the cards dealt to her. Valencia's origin story and the demons that haunt her wouldn't make her citizens hate her. They would praise her for not becoming Cyra's next victim. Despite the ill-intentions at the beginning of Valencia's origin story, she never went through with it and everyone hated Cyra more anyway.

Suddenly Elliot found himself at a crossroad knowing exactly which direction to go in, but his life as he knew it would fall apart if he made that decision.

He chose his words carefully. "Is it possible that Cyra could have made Auden use magic on Homer? To change him and use him to hurt you?"

Valencia looked up at him and gasped. She sprung to her feet. "It could be!"

The empress almost looked happy.

Almost.

"The enchantress said Auden is at the North Isle Tower," Valencia said, wiping away her tears. "We have to leave now."

"And venture through the night? To the north?"

Elliot didn't like that sound of that.

"Yes," Valencia answered. "We'll take Ophelia."

Valencia ran out of the library before Elliot even had a chance to object further. He just prayed to whatever higher power that saved Valencia against Homer would save her again.