Page 78 of Light in Your Eyes

“Is it a poison?”

“Holy shit. Is it Layla? Is she trying to poison Kellan?”

Before I know it, people have already formed a circle around us, and my heart rate kicks up.

No, I didn’t put anything in Kellan’s food.

My legs feel weak, I feel like they’re going to give up on me anytime. If Kellan had eaten the risotto, he would have...

I can’t even finish the sentence in my head.

I shake my head in denial. My whole body is shaking.

“Layla.” Kellan’s voice is firm as he calls my name. “What the fuck is going on?”

Slowly, I turn my head toward Kellan. He must have heard the accusations too.

Yet, the look on Kellan’s face is far from anger. It’s filled with worry and panic. He’s concerned about me.

“What the hell is happening?” A familiar voice echoes.

I snap my head toward the source of the voice and find Stas walking through the crowd. His eyes widen in shock as he studies the sight.

“Layla was trying to poison Kellan,”someone shouts aloud.

“She’s trying to kill him,”another one follows.

“She has to be punished. She endangered our king.”

“She has to die.”

People keep throwing accusations at me, and tears start to form in my eyes.

“It’s not me,” I stutter, my voice sounding weak. I shake my head violently. “Someone tried to harm Kellan,but it wasn’t me.”

Silence falls for a while after they hear my words.

But then, will anyone believe it?

Many people here ate the risotto, but nothing happened to them. It wouldn’t be wise to put the blame on the chef.

I was the only one who brought the food to Kellan. So, logically, it was only me who could put poison into the food.

I startle as realization strikes me.

I did bring Kellan the food, but there was a time when I left it unattended to grab the drink.

“I left it while I was walking away to get Kellan a drink,” I say, my voice still shaking. “It must have been that. Someone must have used that time to put the poison.”

Stas swallows, and I give him a pleading look.

“Please, Stas. Believe me,” I cry. “I didn’t do it.”

I don’t know what I should do if no one believes me. Everything around me feels like crumbling.

“I believe Layla,” Kellan’s voice echoes beside me, causing me to jerk.

More tears pool in my eyes as I stare at Kellan, who nods at me in understanding. People are whispering frantically around us.