The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 317: Fragile Daughter

The cold air of the dimly lit tower seemed to cling to Jessamyn’s skin as Lady Celena raised her sword, the gleaming edge catching the faint flicker of candlelight. Jessamyn stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest.

The gravity of the moment hit her like a wave, but it wasn’t fear for herself that gripped her—it was the thought of leaving her unborn son to these two twisted, vengeful women. She knew they would raise him in a world of bitterness, molding him into a weapon, and that thought shattered her resolve.

"Your son will survive without you, won’t he?" Lady Celena’s lips curved into a dangerous smile, the malice in her voice thick and chilling.

Jessamyn’s heart dropped. Her son. The thought of her child alone, born into a world where vengeance and cruelty ruled, made her want to scream. She would not let her son be another casualty in this endless cycle of hatred. Pressing a trembling hand over her belly, she silently begged for any sign, any movement from the child within her womb, willing him to somehow help her stop this madness. But the silence in her belly was deafening. The terror of stillbirth gnawed at her, threatening to tear her apart from the inside.

I can’t go through that again. The thought repeated in her mind like a mantra. She had lost one child to stillbirth already, and the grief had nearly destroyed her. She couldn’t survive it a second time.

But losing her mind was a luxury she couldn’t afford right now. She had to focus. She had to protect Cordelia, protect her son, and somehow stop the madness that surrounded her. She had to save the Kaiser family.

"You sure like to hear your own voice, don’t you?" Jessamyn asked, forcing her voice to remain steady despite the terror clenching her chest. She needed to stall, to buy time. If only she had managed to bring her crossbow with her, none of this would be happening. But then again, her son had urged her to come here without it. Maybe this was the reason—if she had been even a moment late, Cordelia might already be dead. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Lady Celena’s lips twitched in irritation at Jessamyn’s taunt, her grip on the sword tightening. Her eyes, cold and unblinking, locked onto Jessamyn as she raised the blade higher, this time aiming for her throat. The malicious glee in her gaze sent a shiver down Jessamyn’s spine.

Cordelia’s scream pierced the air as she saw the blade descending toward Jessamyn. But Lady Celena stopped, the sword hovering in the air, teasing them both with the threat of violence.

She raised the sword again, Cordelia screaming in terror once more, but Jessamyn saw through the act. Lady Celena was playing with them, enjoying their fear, drawing it out as long as possible.

Jessamyn’s eyes darted around the room, searching for anything she could use to defend herself. Her gaze fell on a brass candle holder, its heavy weight resting just within reach. She glanced at Cordelia, and their eyes met in silent understanding. Slowly, cautiously, Cordelia nudged the candle holder toward Jessamyn’s hand.

"I’m bored," Lady Celena said suddenly, her voice petulant. "Her screams aren’t interesting anymore." She pouted, as if the terror she had elicited had failed to entertain her.

Jessamyn’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched Lady Celena raise the sword again, this time with deadly intent. The game was over.

In a desperate move, Jessamyn grabbed the candle holder and blocked the blow, the force of the impact sending vibrations through her arms. Lady Celena’s eyes flared with rage as she swung the sword again, more viciously this time, the clang of metal against metal echoing through the room.

Jessamyn fought back with every ounce of strength she had, blocking and dodging as Lady Celena’s attacks grew more erratic, more unhinged.

"Stop it!" A voice echoed from the stairwell, sharp and commanding.

Jessamyn’s blood ran cold. Jerrick’s mother.

Lady Celena’s grip tightened on the sword, her eyes wide with a mixture of panic and fury. In the next moment, she swung wildly at Jessamyn again, but this time, her movements were sloppy, rushed.

"I told you to stop!" Jerrick’s mother’s voice rang out again, this time laced with irritation. The sound seemed to rattle Lady Celena, her hands trembling as she held the sword.

"You won’t love me anymore if you get that baby," Lady Celena muttered, her voice cracking. She pointed the sword at Jessamyn’s swollen belly, her eyes wild with desperation. "You’ll replace me... with him."

Jessamyn’s heart clenched. There it was—the fractured relationship between Lady Celena and her mother. Jessamyn had always known there was something dark between that woman and her children. Jerrick had hinted at it, but now, seeing it unfold before her, it was worse than she could have imagined. This woman, who had given birth to four children, had failed them all, consumed by revenge and bitterness. She had thrown away any chance of happiness, any chance of love.

Jerrick’s mother appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes cold and calculating as she looked at Lady Celena. "I’ll love you," she said, her voice smooth and coaxing, though there was no warmth behind it. "You’ve done everything I’ve asked of you. Why wouldn’t I love you?"

Jessamyn watched as Lady Celena’s hands shook, the sword trembling in her grasp. Her mother’s voice seemed to calm her, but Jessamyn saw through it. There was no love in that woman’s eyes, only irritation that Lady Celena’s hysteria was about to ruin her plans.

"Will you love me, Mother?" Lady Celena’s voice was small now, the sword wavering in her hand as she looked at the woman who had twisted her into this broken creature.

Jerrick’s mother moved slowly, cautiously, like a snake approaching its prey. "Of course, I’ll love you," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

Jessamyn could feel the tension in the air, the fragility of Lady Celena’s mental state. This was her chance. While Jerrick’s mother distracted Lady Celena with empty promises of affection, Jessamyn acted. She stepped forward and, with a quick, decisive motion, ripped the sword from Lady Celena’s hand.