Page 104 of War of Her Heart

Seconds later, the screaming had stopped, and even though I felt bad that my father had to endure that, I couldn’t help but smile as I looked down at Calum on his knees before me.

“What’s to stop me now?” I mocked, cocking my head to the side.

Every instinct in me wanted to light his ass on fire for being the coward he’d always been. For being a part of this failed attempt. For never putting me first.

But I couldn’t do that. My mind wouldn’t let me. He deserved so much, but his realm didn’t deserve the havoc that would ensue if it were left without a Sovereign. That was all too familiar for me.

“Stand up.” I watched as he stood, battling myself internally for the next words I was about to say.

“You will go back to the Mountain Realm and be the Sovereign your realm deserves. The Sovereign your fatheralways wanted you to be. But if you ever take one step out of line, I will come and rain fire down on you.”

While he looked shocked for a moment, that quickly turned into disgust as he said, “Look at what he has made you become. He turned you into a monster.”

“No. He helped me become what I was always meant to be,” I said, fighting harder to keep my instincts under control.

“This isn’t you, Violet.”

I said nothing to that. It was pointless. To him, I would always be the weak, powerless Violet. But I would never allow myself to become that again.

I thought about Bash, and the emotionless look he gave the people he didn’t care about.

Starting now, I decided to adopt that practice. I turned to walk to Bash but remembered one more thing.

“You might still want to send your mother to Sartova. She might scare your Advisors and the servants with her new look.”

Someone let out a quiet chuckle from behind me, but I knew it wasn’t Bash’s voice.

Calum stood there for a moment, probably unable to comprehend everything that had happened and everything he had learned in such a short amount of time.

But as I took my spot next to Bash, allowing him to wrap his arm around my waist, Bash said, “Leave, Calum. Never step foot in my realm again. Violet showed you mercy, but if I ever lay my eyes on you again, I won’t be as kind.”

Calum reached down to grab Celine off the ground before transferring away.

And just like that, an entire chapter of my life came to an end.

43

Chapter 43

Violet

“You don’t have to stay. I’m safe. You’ve completed your duty,” I said to my father as he stared at the spot that Calum once stood.

My father looked at me confused before he knelt down before me and bowed his head. “My duty will always be to you, my little bird.”

I knelt down and grabbed his face in my hands. When he looked up, I realized he had tears in his eyes. “They would be so proud if they saw how strong you were,” he said.

“You will always be my father. You always have been,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. A hug from my father had never brought as much comfort to me as this one did. I seemed to finally understand him, and everything he did for me, always for me, on a deeper level.

“No matter what you choose to do,” he said, pulling away from me, “I’ll support you. You can stay here and never think about the Sun Realm again, but if you choose to fight for it, I’d like to be your Commander. If you’ll have me, that is.”

I nodded and smiled at what he offered, but I knew I couldn’t give him an answer just yet. I needed it all to sink in first and allow the fog in my mind to clear before deciding what I wanted to do next.

I stood up, bringing my father with me. “Let’s talk tonight,” I said.

My father nodded.

I turned around to see Adar crouched down with his hand placed on the ground. He let out a deep breath.

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