In the chaos that followed, someone dragged the Lord's body from the jailhouse floor. The soldiers tagged after, no longer interested in the women. But it was no matter; the women had lost interest in the soldiers and the Lord, now that their safety was guaranteed.

"Bella!" Valina knelt beside their wounded friend, pressing both hands against the bloody wound.

"How bad is it?" Rachel joined them on the floor.

"You did it..." Bella moaned, slumping against her comrades. "You won..."

"We did it together." Rachel smiled and beckoned for Ruth to join them. "All of us."

"It's not over yet though." Mother, still trapped in her cell, reached through the bars to comfort her younger sister. "You've got to rise to your rightful place."

"I... I don't think that's going to happen..." Bella forced the words out through trembling lips.

"It will, it will." Ruth tried to be helpful, joining the others in pressing against her aunt's stomach, as though their hands might stop the bleeding.

"Of course it will." Valina tried to sound cheerful.

Bella shook her head weakly and glanced down at her injury. "I think I'm dying."

"You can't be dying." Mother insisted. "You just can't be dying. You're heir to the throne. Remember the prophecies, Mallory's prophecies from so long ago? They said you would be Queen. You can't die now."

"We need you." Rachel added. "You're the only one who can rule."

"No."

"No to what?" Valina stared in confusion.

"No to both." Bella paused to breathe, then repeated herself. "No to both."

"I don't understand." Mother protested. "What do you mean, no to both?"

"I'm not the heir to the throne."

"But you said..." Mother's voice trailed off as the others chimed in.

"You told us you were!" Valina pointed out, shocked.

"Did you lie to us?" Rachel was wide eyed.

Ruth's eyes widened, as Bella's meaning slowly became clear. "Wait... the blood... " She looked towards her mother.

Bella smiled, weakly. "Yes, Ruth. The blood."

"I don't get it." Valina looked between the sisters and Ruth. "Tell me!"

"They're sisters." Ruth explained. "And since it's in the blood, my mother must have it too."

"Grace Ann is older." Bella added, wincing as she shifted slightly. "That makes her the heir... I'm just the spare."

Mother stared, the unexpected news catching her off guard. She recovered quickly, though, and squeezed Bella's hand. "I don't care. You must not die. I can't do this alone."

Bella laughed, then, a weak and trembling laugh. "We're too old to do this, Grace Ann."

"Then who? Who will inherit the throne?"

"Your eldest daughter Ruth, of course." Bella replied. And then, doubling over in pain, she closed her eyes and was still.