Chapter 5

"So, what all of are telling me is that my beloved cousin was murdered for trying to free the rightful queen of this kingdom and heir to power beyond any of your comprehensions."

My tone is icy, my eyes steely and hard. But it's fake, of course it is.

They were just following through on typical protocol. This is all really my fault and for that very reason I feel one of the last pieces of myself that I've been clinging onto desperately fall away.

This feeling is nearly identical to the feeling I had when Rebekah Shariah had died for her people and in doing so, shattered our bond.

Again my mind pulls me into a memory I just can't seem to escape.

"I trusted you."

"Eve, please," she says with tears in her eyes, trying to reach out for me.

"We swore the vow of sisterhood, I gave you some of my family's ashes for flames sake, I trusted you. I trusted you as I trust Bex."

"Eve, if I told you, you would have died. You would have been killed. That would have destroyed my sister and you know it."

"Rebekah was my mate, how do you think I feel now?" I let out a scoff of disbelief, "do you honestly think her death left me unscathed. I trusted you with my family, yet you still didn't trust me with yours."

"Bekah was my sister, I loved her too, but you have to understand-"

"I don't understand. My life is worthless. I would have gladly traded my life for hers."

"It was her choice to make. No matter how much you hate this. Deep down you know that. And deep down you aren't angry at me, you're angry at her for leaving you."

"So what if I am. You know, this is the one time I wanted something for myself. So, yes, I'm being selfish, but I think I deserved to be selfish this once, all things considered."

"You deserve to be as selfish as you want after the Coalition and Aries, but she wanted life for you."

"My death would have been celebrated by the people. There would have been partying in the streets and a non-stop flow of booze in every household."

"What about your family, what about your sisters, they need you as I do now."

"What about what Bekah, what about what she needed? What about what I need?"

"My sister has been alone for so long, you were her happiness, she would not have made it without you."

"Bekah was queen of the Farhian witch's and the descendants of Rhiannon. She would have been fine as long as you were by her side."

"She has walked her path alone for hundreds, thousands, of years. She gave up that life to protect your's."

"Who am I without her?"

"You are her legacy and your own person, never let her sacrifice go to waste, Violetta."

"Only she called me that. I trusted you with her life and you broke that trust."

My last words were soft, weak and broken.

"I trusted you."

More silence, the gull of these people, to ignore me after telling me they have killed the only person of Aculiac blood I had left.

They didn't just kill an Aculiac. They killed an Aculiac under my protection.

On the inside I am about to have a mental breakdown and fall into a pile of despair upon the floor, I feel tears sting the back of my eyes but quickly push them down before any can really form.

But they climb the back of my throat still and a soft pang goes through my chest.

No matter what I cannot show weakness, especially in times of soon to be war, when we are most vulnerable. One slip and we could be done for.

And for once, I'm not being dramatic.

Just like when I fell for the woman who only wanted to use me. Just like when I allowed said woman to ruin my world.

It would seem today mind is splintering more than usual as yet another flash starts across my vision. If only these flashes of the past would just end, I can only take so much.

I slam into her, taking her to the floor with me on top.

"I have buried the monster inside me deep, I have tried to be good, but you, Ravenna, have unearthed what everyone is so damn afraid of and I can't for the life of me understand why?

My thoughts quickly turn dark. Urges to kill, to hurt her flash through my mind. I will not let them take me over though. I will not. But I don't have control in this moment.

After years of suppressing the monster inside, it simply breaks out.

"You will do well to remember I am consul of state, by tour vote, if you have something against me it is to be 'taken up with the council of nines."

It's funny, she thinks some poultry council can save her from the fate she's practically begging for. Her stupid council won't bring back my sisters, so what does it matter?

"You forget I am queen, and you have made the gravest mistake of all in killing my sisters."

I just can't think rationally anymore.

"You cannot touch me."

"Do you know how I became queen?" My words are nothing more than an animalistic hiss.

She falters at that.

"No, but I do know that council law will have your head for this."

I am the law.

"I became queen when I killed seventy-five percent of the council and court. I killed them for the murder of my parents, for the murder of my family. And now I'll kill you for the same. For Lunata and my sisters."

"Your family needed to be dealt with."

I let out a merciless laugh.

"Do you know how I rooted out traitors? I ripped into the entirety of the court's minds and made each and every conspirator pay for their actions."

"You are a monster."

"And you have just made me so much worse, Ravenna. Mark my words, the Nivirah line will forever pay, just as they have Forever Endured in the past."

Mocking a house saying is basically declaring war upon her and her line, I can't find it in me to care right now, or ever. Who knows if I'll regret this later, but I don't think I will, not with her.

Her screams echoed through the walls that night. And I don't think anyone could ever look at me the same after that night.

I am pulled out of my remembering and I gaze out at them, various gulps of fear the only noise.

Even the great Ravenna Nivirah was afraid of me in the end.

"This will be discussed later; we are now in times of war thanks to you lot and I have work to do if you do not all want to be slaves in the sahrian mines of Varkeshia. Now correct me if I am wrong, but only the nine members of my chosen personal council stay, as well as the consul of state,"

My words are a rapid fire of fury, short and punctuated.

"So, let us make this quick Darren West, Windsor York, Adam Rivers, Cassandra Parsons, Verity Wilson, Sabrina Temes, Kol Bryne, Kyla Valeron and lastly Harlan Hawthorne. Well, and of course our most esteemed consul of state, Draven Atkinsons. Everyone else you may excuse yourselves, get your family's out of here and disappear before I change my mind and kill you all for the murder of Gavrin Ayer."

So maybe I'm a little dramatic, but the simple joy of drama brings a genuine smile to my face.

The rest of them move into action. Scurrying away in fear, shock and hysteria.

A shuffle of panicked footsteps later and it is me and the unfortunate chosen nine.

"Now, we have much to discuss."

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