As Chrysalis climbed out of her bed, she made sure to keep her movements slow and deliberate, so as not to wake her partner beside her. She rounded the foot of the bed, heading for the bathroom door on the other side of the room. A smirk pulled at the corners of her mouth as she looked back. She wondered what the elder princesses would think of this scene: Twilight, face down in her pillow, snoring, a short string of drool at the corner of her mouth. Shaking her head, Chrysalis continued on.
She stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
In both cleanliness and size, this bathroom was greatly inferior to the ones in the royal chambers. Despite this room also being made for an alicorn, the bathtub looked about the right size for a regular pony, a size Chrysalis had outgrown long ago. Not that the plain porcelain bath looked all that comfortable anyways.
Either way, Chrysalis hadn’t come here for a bath. Her horn flickered with magic, turning the shower’s knob as far into the red as it could go. The pipes rattled, producing quick bursts of water from the showerhead. After a few of these bursts, the flow settled back into its regular stream and the pipes fell silent.
Before stepping in, she tested the temperature with her hoof, recoiling when she felt its icy touch. While waiting for the hot water to arrive, she crossed over to the sink, leaning up against the countertop to take some of the weight off her hooves. Her stump leg throbbed as she lifted it from the floor. The provided prosthetic was crude. Perhaps the doctor could procure her a new one. One with some cushion, hopefully.
Calming herself with a sigh, Chrysalis couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of her reflection. An oversized vanity mirror sat behind the sink, leaning against the wall. Idly, Chrysalis wondered if it might have fallen. The crack bisecting the reflection certainly lent some credit to that theory.
Chrysalis studied the changeling staring back at her. She almost didn’t recognize herself. Her mane was unkempt and overgrown, slicked back with mud and grime. Her chitin didn’t fare much better. Though the cracks had closed, her shell had lost its luster. But that was hardly the most noticeable mark. She stared into her reflection’s missing eye.
Taking a moment to steady herself, she lifted one of her hooves toward the wound. The flesh around the eye was cracked and swollen still. She prodded at it inquisitively, sending small surges of pain through her cheek. At some point in her long life, Chrysalis heard that the eyes were windows to the soul. Now, as she gazed into the place her eye had once been, she saw nothing but a yawning abyss, endless and gluttonous.
Captured by her thoughts, she continued to poke at the wound. She only noticed when a sharp, stabbing pain made her flinch. A small corner of the wound had reopened, spilling a line of blood down her cheek in the shape of a teardrop. Chrysalis watched as the white porcelain basin was spattered with drops of red.
“I’m falling apart.”
With a scoff, Chrysalis turned her back to the mirror. She limped over to the edge of the tub and sat down. There, she lifted her leg and started fumbling with the buckles that held her prosthetic in place. Even when it was open, though, it took a sturdy tug to dislodge it. Chrysalis bit her tongue to keep quiet. It felt like ripping off an old bandage. As she set the leg aside, she spied dry blood on the buckles.
She pulled open the shower door, flooding the room with a cloud of steam. Steeling herself with a deep breath, she plunged beneath the water. She tilted her head back, basking in the feel of scalding water spilling down her face and back. Her breathing stayed slow as she tilted her head to either side, spreading the heat across the rest of her body.
Flecks of dirt and mud were stripped from her mane, swirling in a constant spiral as they disappeared down the drain. With a cautious demeanor, she braced one of her fore legs against the wall. She planted her back leg against the floor, testing it with increasingly more of her weight until it adjusted. Once she was sure it was safe, she raised her last hoof up toward her mane, teasing it in an effort to draw out the rest of the muck trapped within.
Though the water splashed off her shell, the heat punched through just enough to soothe the aching body beneath. As she unwound, a warm shiver crawled up her spine. It rinsed away her thoughts away, stripped away any semblance of self. It felt rather nice to burn like this.
As much as she wanted it, Chrysalis despised the silence. How long had she been alone? How many years had it been since she was able to smile and laugh as freely as she could now? And all because of her.
Twilight.
The same Twilight that she’d spent years plotting against. The same Twilight she once blamed for her solitude, for taking everything from her. Despite the horrible things Chrysalis had done to her, Twilight risked everything to save her.
More than likely, Twilight would never know just what she had done for Chrysalis. The changeling queen would have died without her rescue, of course. But Chrysalis had been dying long before that, since that day she stood in those sandstone streets, consumed in the same flames that had claimed everything she loved.
With a smile, Chrysalis’ strength waned. She bent her buckling knee, lowering herself to the floor before her wounds could do it for her. She hung her head beneath the water, allowing it to wash down her face. Bit by bit, the dirt chiseled off her.
To Chrysalis, time ceased to exist. She only realized it when the water started to cool. She shut off the shower. The last dregs of water swirled down the drain, leaving the water dripping from her mane as the only sound in the world. With the aid of her magic, she dug through the linen closet for the cleanest towel she could find and started to dry.
Once she had finished, she tossed it aside and retrieved her wooden leg. Biting her lip to stifle herself, she slid the prosthetic into place and buckled the straps tight. She gave it a few test steps before putting her full weight on it. From the corner of her eye, she spied her reflection in the mirror.
“I’m falling apart.”
“No.” Chrysalis sighed. “I fell apart a long time ago.”
“You think she cares for broken goods?”
“More than she ought to. I think she’s a little crazy.”
“You know what they say about stones and glass houses, right?”
“Yeah,” she said through a grin. “Turns out, crazy might just be what I needed.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Me too.”
Chrysalis stepped away from her reflection. She flipped the switch on her way out, darkening the one source of non-natural light in the room. Outside, the sun was just starting to peek over the mountains. For Twilight’s sake, Chrysalis took her fill of the sunrise and pulled the blinds close, dousing herself with dust in the process. She used her magic to close the rest of the windows, darkening the room completely.
With that done, Chrysalis made her way over toward the bed.
“Seriously?” she muttered under her breath.
Twilight was lying in the center of the bed, her wings and legs splayed out on both sides. Chrysalis attempted to climb in alongside her, but no matter how she twisted and stretched, she couldn’t challenge Twilight’s claim to the whole of the bed. Rolling her eyes, she plucked one of the more vulnerable pillows and stepped away from the bedside.
After circling once or twice, she tossed down the pillow and knelt onto an ornate rug that covered most of the floor. With a sigh, she lowered her head onto the pillow and closed her eye.
Before she could fall asleep, a presence in the room caught her attention. Her eye crept open. A dark figure stood at the entrance to the room. It was the silhouette of a stallion, dressed in black-ish armor. Two bat wings protruded from his back.
Without a word, the intruder ushered Chrysalis to follow and disappeared down the hole to the first level. Overcoming her initial shock, Chrysalis considered her options. More than likely, if she didn’t follow, that soldier would come back for her. Plus, the sooner she followed, the sooner she would be able to sleep. Regardless of how uncomfortable her bed actually was, she couldn’t wait to get back to it. Her old bones creaked and popped as she stood. Given the stiffness, she wondered if she actually might have slept a while.
Regardless, she stretched out her wings and glided down from her room. The lights on the first floor had been dimmed. Streams of morning sunlight were slipping through the gaps in the curtains. The stallion stood in the center of the room. Seeing him in the light, Chrysalis realized he bore a heavy resemblance to Crow.
“I take it that you have a good reason for interrupting my sleep?” Chrysalis scowled.
“Indeed,” the thestral answered in a tone far too cocky for her liking.
“Well, are you going to tell me? Or should I start guessing?”
“You’ve been summoned before the Court.” He shrugged. “In other words, Princess Luna would like to speak with you. She sent me to escort you.”
“Aww. Luna.” Chrysalis hung her head. “Because that’s what I wanted to deal with this early in the morning.” She shook her head. “Can you at least tell me why I’ve been summoned?”
Another shrug. “No idea.”
The changeling groaned. “Fine. I suppose I have a little time to waste on her.”
The thestral beamed. “Good. Follow me.”
He led her through a long hallway back into the main structure of the castle. This early in the morning, the maids were just beginning their daily chores. Several of them, dressed in their black and white uniforms were scurrying about, laden with trays or buckets. Chrysalis kept her guard up, searching for the one that had attacked her. Strangely enough, none of them reacted to the changeling’s presence.
“Seems like everypony’s keeping busy,” Chrysalis said.
The thestral glanced back over his shoulder. “Yeah. The way they act, you could almost believe Equestria isn’t falling apart at the seams.”
“By the way, I don’t believe I ever caught your name.”
“Raven. I believe you’ve already met my sister.”
“The other bird-brain?”
“That’s the one.”
Chrysalis nodded. “She seems capable.”
“Yeah.” Raven’s returned his attention to the hallway ahead of them. “But I would never admit it to her face. She might seem a bit quiet, but she’s got enough ego to match the nobles.”
“Does she now?” Chrysalis tightened her lips. “Maybe we could get along after all.”
The walk to the throne room was longer than Chrysalis remembered. Of course, there was every possibility that her feelings had something to do with the shock of pain shooting up her stump leg with every step. As hard as she tried to fight it, she couldn’t hide her pain forever. Seemingly of its own volition, her body forced her to start limping.
“You alright?” Raven asked.
“I’m fine. Just not used to such a long walk.”
Fine was a bit of a stretch. She had to grit her teeth to keep quiet.
“Alright. We’re here.”
Raven stopped in front of a grand doorway. Chrysalis recognized the castle entryway around her. With the room as quiet as it was, she could hear a commotion on the other side of the doors. It sounded like an argument. Plenty of shouting and posturing. She could already feel the headache taking root.
Raven stopped fast. “A bit of warning before we go in. The nobles aren’t happy with you. So, do all of us a favor and try to be on your best behavior.”
“Should I care what a bunch of nobles think of me?”
“Yeah. You should.” Raven turned to face her. “You’re not just a changeling anymore. Princess Twilight has put her reputation on the line for you. If you stir up trouble, you’ll just be making things harder for her. With that in mind, I’ll tell you again; try to be on your best behavior.”
“Very well,” Chrysalis grumbled. After everything Twilight had done for her, behaving was the least she could do to pay that debt.
Without another word, Raven motioned for the guards to open the door and stepped aside, motioning for Chrysalis to continue on her own. “Good luck,” he whispered as she passed.
Luna stood beside her throne, her expression sour as she was berated by the crowd gathered below. There must have been over a dozen ponies, all dressed in outfits far too absurd to be regular ponies. Nobles, Chrysalis figured. Just looking at them, she could already feel a pit in her stomach. Nevertheless, Raven’s advice stuck. She took a moment to settle her emotions and strode forward with the confidence only a queen could muster.
“Ahh. Chrysalis. Welcome. We were just beginning,” Luna announced. If Chrysalis didn’t know better, she might have thought Luna sounded relieved to see her. “Now that both parties have arrived, we can begin.”
“Begin what? There’s nothing to discuss here,” One of the stallions in the noble mob shouted. He was larger than the rest, a unicorn with green-ish fur and a vibrant mane. The symbol on his flank depicted crossed swords. Which would explain why he had his own blade sheathed at his hip. “She should be taken to the dungeon immediately.”
“Calm yourself, Lord Hilt. I will not have you threatening guests until guilt has been decided,” Luna responded, her voice calm.
“Of course she is guilty,” Hilt shouted back. The crowd behind him seemed to rally at his words, cheering him on, but were ultimately kept in check by the line of guards between the prisoner and the crowd. “How can you stand there and allow such blatant criminal actions to go unpunished?”
“I said that was enough, Lord Hilt!” Luna’s voice echoed from the marble arches. “Continue to hinder these proceedings and I will not hesitate to have this case thrown out along with you.” She cleared her throat, straightened her regalia, and settled into her throne.
“Now, shall we begin?”
At their princess’ command, the guards formed a half-circle around Chrysalis and ushered her forward. The same unicorn from before – Lord Hilt, Chrysalis guessed – stepped forward to mirror her. Among the guards, she spied the familiar face of Shining Armor.
“Now,” Luna continued. “Miss Chrysalis, there is quite a lengthy list of crimes you will answer for in due time.” Chrysalis frowned. That hardly narrowed it down. “However, any crimes prior to your arrival to Canterlot are not the focus of this meeting. You will face judgment for those another time. Today, you stand accused of attempting to kill a member of the Blueblood noble family.”
“Excuse me?” Chrysalis laughed.
“You heard what the princess said,” Lord Hilt cried out. “You attacked my niece. You’re lucky I took this to the court, Creature. I honestly considered running you through with my own blade.”
“Oh, I would have loved to see you try that,” Chrysalis smiled.
“That is enough from both of you,” Luna chastised them.
“Of course. Apologies, Princess,” Hilt said, bowing until his horn touched the floor. “I am simply a little short-tempered. As an attack on one’s own kin is apt to do.”
“You are forgiven, Lord Hilt.” Luna cleared her throat. “Now, your niece is here, yes? Have her step forward. I would have her give an account of what happened yesterday.”
“As you wish, Princess.”
Hilt turned to face the crowd behind him and gave a slight nod. Reluctantly, the group split apart, revealing a mare in maid’s uniform at the core of their formation. Bandages were wrapped around her shoulder and she had a bruise on her cheek. Chrysalis felt her blood pressure spike.
“You!” Chrysalis snapped. Before she could even think to stop herself, she bared her fangs, snarling like a rabid dog. The guards around her raised their weapons. A few of the nobles stepped forward, putting themselves between the changeling and her target. The mare herself cowered, running to her uncle’s embrace and burying her face in his fur.
“I will not allow you to harm her again, Monster,” Lord Hilt cried, his blade, a rapier of sorts, ripped from its sheath and hovered before him.
“Harm her?” Chrysalis spat. “She’s lucky to be alive after what she did to me.” The blunt end of a spear crossed her chestplate. She turned to the side to see Shining Armor there. He had an almost excited look in his eyes. He was waiting for her to try something. Seeing him reminded Chrysalis of just what was at stake here. She had to remember, she was doing this for Twilight’s sake. With that, she calmed down.
The mare held her uncle tight, trembling. Chrysalis had to admit, the girl could have been a stage actress if her career in service hadn’t panned out.
“Then you admit you’re the one who put her in this state?” One of the nobles asked.
“Is that a confession?” Another said, amazed.
“Miss Chrysalis, if you cannot restrain yourself, I will have no choice but to have you shackled and chained for the remainder of this session,” Luna said.
“Do it,” the crowd chanted.
“Chain her up.”
“She deserves it.”
Luna silenced the growing rabble with a glare. “Do I make myself clear, Miss Chrysalis?”
Chrysalis scowled. “She’s the one who should be on trial here.”
“That remains to be seen. Now, I will only repeat this once more. Do you understand?”
The changeling took a deep breath and thought of Twilight. “Yes. I understand.”
The guards retreated, but did not relax.
“Good.” Luna returned her attention to the servant. “Now, Lord Hilt, is your niece willing to explain to the court the series of events that led us to this moment?”
Hilt returned his blade to his hip and whispered something in his niece’s ear. The young mare nodded and slipped from his embrace. She inched toward the throne, her tear-stained eyes trained on Chrysalis, watching for the slightest hint of movement.
“I-I will try to do as you a-ask, Princess Luna,” she said.
“Thank you. Your testimony will no doubt be invaluable to figuring out what happened here. Now, take all the time you need and make sure you leave nothing out. Even the smallest detail could help.”
Chrysalis ground her teeth. She still had half a dozen spears leveled at her chest. Her sore hooves were all but forgotten beneath her adrenaline rush. But more than that, she felt sick. She had been outsmarted, had blundered into the maid’s trap. And now the whole of Equestria had a valid reason to string her up. She really wished Twilight was here.
The maid began her tale.
“I-I was ordered to bring Princess Twilight and Miss Chrysalis their lunch up in the abandoned tower. I t-told them that I would be back up to clean up the mess, but . . .” she sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye with her non-injured hoof. “When I returned, I only found her there.” She cast a scared glance in Chrysalis’ direction. “She started yelling incoherently. I thought that perhaps . . . perhaps I might have made a mistake.”
The mare’s story came to a pause as she started to sob again. Chrysalis rolled her eye.
“Take your time. I know this must be difficult for you,” Luna comforted her.
“Of course, Princess.” Another sniffle. “I . . . I tried to apologize for . . . for whatever I’d done to offend her.” More tears. Chrysalis had to bite her tongue to keep from lashing out again. “But before I could, she . . . s-she attacked me. She hit me. The doctor said that she nearly broke my jaw.” She pawed at the bruise on her cheek. “And before I could stand, she drew a knife on me.”
Chrysalis could feel Luna’s gaze lingering on her. She could only guess what the alicorn was thinking at this moment. Chrysalis had saved both her and Twilight. She had also nearly killed Celestia. It was anypony’s guess which way the scales were tipping.
“It was a silverware knife, probably left behind when Princess Twilight left to return the dirty dishes.” The waitress put a hoof on her bandaged shoulder. “She . . . she stabbed me in the shoulder.” As if on cue, she winced. “It was the most painful thing I’d ever felt.”
“How did you escape?” Luna asked, her eyes still on Chrysalis.
The server hung her head. “I don’t know. I can only ascribe it to luck. I managed to break free of Chrysalis' grasp and ran. I didn’t even realize she wasn’t chasing me until one of the other maids found me several floors down. They brought me to a doctor and helped bandage me up.”
“I see. You may stand down now. Thank you for being brave enough to relive those memories.” Luna closed her eyes and sighed. The maid kept her head bowed as she stepped back. “Is this story correct, Miss Chrysalis?”
“It’s a load of crap,” Chrysalis growled. More than a few grumbled threats emanated from the noble mob. “I will fully admit that I gave her a bruise on her cheek. But I didn’t attack her unprovoked. She had poisoned me. I was simply trying to defend myself.”
“You would slander House Blueblood with your lies, villain?” Lord Hilt asked. “Not only that, but you would put the blame for this whole incident on my sweet little niece? She would never hurt another pony.”
“Chrysalis, you admit that you were the cause of the wound on her cheek?” Luna raised an eyebrow. Chrysalis nodded. “But you neglected to mention the knife in her shoulder. Do you mean to tell the court that you were not responsible for that?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then would you care to explain?”
“She drew the knife from her own pocket and stabbed herself with it.” Chrysalis’ response was met with an uproar from every noble in the room.
“Lies. Slander.”
“Does this thing really think we are so gullible?”
“Even as far as lies go, that’s far-fetched.”
Luna quieted the crowd again. “You claim that the wound is self-inflicted?”
“I do.” Chrysalis met Luna’s gaze. “We had salad and tea. Why would we have been brought a knife? And do you really think that Twilight, of all ponies, would be careless enough to leave a lone piece of silverware behind?”
The court paused for a moment as Luna appeared to consider the possibility. She whispered something under her breath. Chrysalis couldn’t read her lips from this distance, but had a pretty good idea of what she’d said when Crow stepped out from the shadows behind Luna’s throne. The Princess and her agent spoke in hushed whispers. Once Crow was finished, she bowed to her lady and disappeared behind the throne. Everypony in the chamber watched, holding their breath as they waited for Luna to speak.
“Something has just been brought to my attention,” Luna announced. She waited for her voice to stop echoing before continuing. “As it would seem, Chrysalis was indeed under the influence of some sort of drug or poison during the time of the attack.”
Lord Hilt was the first to pick his jaw back up off the floor. “Princess, you can’t be serious. My niece has served at this castle for most of her life. She’s proven herself loyal. She would never–”
“I did not say that she was responsible,” Luna growled. Hilt shut his mouth. “I simply said that Chrysalis was under some outside influence.” She turned toward Chrysalis. “What do you know about this? Do you know how it might have happened? Or perhaps you remember something?”
Chrysalis shut her eyes. “I almost died. I probably would have if not for Twilight and Doctor Heart. They saved my life. Ask them if you don’t believe me.” She stroked her chin. “You honestly might be better off asking them anyway. They’ll probably remember the whole ordeal better than me. All I know is, the only possible way I would have been poisoned was through lunch. It was the only meal I ate and I hadn’t had contact with anyone else that day.”
“And what did you eat for lunch that day?”
“I only drank some tea.”
Chrysalis had spent most of her life lying through her teeth. It was what her kind excelled at, after all. But here, standing amidst a court of her greatest enemies, she was willingly spilling her guts to them all. And not one of them believed her.
“Princess Luna, you can’t seriously believe her?” One of the nobles called out. “She’s a changeling. Everything she said is likely a lie.”
“Don’t take my word for it, then,” Chrysalis replied. “Ask Princess Twilight. Or your Doctor Heart. Thorax. By the queens above, even your thestral was there. She witnessed it.”
“And how do we know you didn’t simply use your magic to make them believe you?” Another angry voice cried out. “After all, everypony knows you have Princess Twilight under your control.”
Luna frowned. “Such a claim is a dangerous thing to make in my presence. If Miss Chrysalis is telling the truth, then I’m sure there’s a record for it somewhere. Doctor Heart is known to be thorough with his notes.”
“Are you sure he can be trusted, Princess?”
“Doctor Heart has served the crown faithfully for longer than you’ve been alive, Lord Hilt. You would ask if I would question your niece’s faithful service, then it would be hypocritical for you to doubt Doctor Heart’s loyalty.”
“None of this matters,” Lord Hilt shouted over the cacophony of voices. “Regardless of her intent, this creature still tried to kill my niece. She’s a danger to every pony in the castle. I will not allow her to walk free tonight.”
Luna arched an eyebrow. “You will not allow it? That is not your decision to make.”
“You would take the changeling’s side over your own subjects?”
“I side with justice, Lord Hilt.”
“If justice is what you seek, then this creature cannot walk free. How many ponies suffered because of her? Everyone here in Canterlot has lost someone to these changelings. They have proven time and time again how dangerous they are.” The crowd behind him started to murmur in agreement. “And yet, you would take the word of these liars over families who have served the crown since before your return.”
“Lord Hilt, what exactly are you suggesting?”
“This creature cannot be allowed to roam free.” He motioned toward Chrysalis. “She is far too dangerous. And if you refuse to do anything about it, then you are putting Equestria and all of her citizens at risk. And the Noble families will not stand idly by while you do so.”
“He speaks the truth, Princess.”
“Me and my house stand behind his cause.”
Countless voices called in support for Lord Hilt’s speech. This time, the guards had to step in to quell the noise.
“As I said before, Lord Hilt, that is not your choice to make,” Luna repeated, her hoof pinching the bridge of her nose. “And the fact that you would suggest that I am putting Equestria at risk for not meeting your particular demand is akin to treason. If you do not wish for me to strip you and your house of your noble status–”
Another noble, this one a dark purple pegasus, pushed his way to the front. “And now you seek to threaten the noble houses? How much of Equestria are you willing to sacrifice to protect your new master, Princess Luna?”
“Excuse me?” Luna balked.
“It’s clear that Chrysalis has sunk her hooks into you. You cannot be trusted with the throne any longer.” Lord Hilt took a deep breath. “From this moment forward, the great noble houses are invoking the Daybreak Protocol.”
The room fell silent. Luna rose from her throne, her eyes wide as she studied the faces of the crowd gathered below her. Chrysalis could feel the air growing cold. Puffs of steam started to accompany her breathing as frost crawled over the windows of the Great Hall.
“You would dare?” Luna asked.
“I would,” Lord Hilt’s voice shook under the weight of his words. “It is clear that you aren’t capable of protecting Equestria any longer. Do not worry, Princess, once Chrysalis has been dealt with and you have been freed from her grasp, will we discuss returning the throne to you.” Luna stood, awestruck. The line of guards standing beneath her were exchanging terrified glances.
“I would not be so hasty, Lord Hilt.” The doors to the chamber croaked open. A pony dressed from tip to tail in golden plate armor stepped inside. This soldier’s voice sounded neither male nor female. Rather, it sounded like the unearthly growl of a beast. Every eye in the room watched in stunned silence as the newcomer approached the throne. Their movements were stiff, inorganic, like a machine. An aura of dread radiated out from them.
The only one relieved to see them was Luna. “Inquisitor Flare?”
“The Daybreak Protocol requires the support of a majority of the noble families, as well as the three guilds and a petition from the public. It would seem to me that you lack the necessary materials to invoke it.” The soldier’s head turned only an inch in the lord’s direction. “Or have I misspoke?”
“I-I have the noble’s support. As well as the g-guilds,” Hilt replied.
“And the support of the common pony?”
“We are in the process of gathering them now.”
“That’s quite efficient of you. But ‘in the process’ is not the same as having finished. So, until you’ve gathered the support you need, I would suggest that you cease slandering the crown. Unless, of course, you intend on forcing the matter.”
“O-of course not.”
Chrysalis watched the lord cower. And she couldn’t blame him. Even she could feel this newcomer’s intimidating presence from here. She could feel cold sweat beneath her shell. Her horror only grew as the Inquisitor turned their attention toward her.
“Ahh. You must be the changeling queen. Chrysalis, was it?”
Chrysalis nodded. Her throat felt dry.
“I was told that you attempted to kill my princess.”