Page 97 of Glass Hearts
Bert and Kip rustle out of my pockets as they go to the knife and inspect it.
“Arabelly, this blade feels weird-like it is spelled.”
“Why does he feel like stone? How curious.” Kip taps a paw against Grayers cheek.
Slowly, I rise, as I call upon the snakes who linger in the shadows. She needs to die. This needs to end.
“What the-” Bernice shouts as enormous snakes wrap around her legs, slowly constricting her so she doesn’t move. For the first time, Bernice looks scared in my presence. I had always dreamed of the day she would fear the sight of me, but instead of vindication, I only feel hollow.
“Now, Arabella, if I had known you could command serpents, then I would have protected you more. Release me from this and maybe we can sti-”
“No,” I cut her off, venom in my voice. “My worth to you should never have been based on what I could dofor you.”
“Arabella, cut this out this instant. I will let you know where Elora is, but you must accept that there are greater things at play. People whodeserveto be in power. The princes are too weak-minded to lead all of Velora and the elemental Isles.”
“Why? So you can abuse them too? The princes are good men who care for their people. All you care about is status and power.” I feel Max’s presence lingering around Grayer. Sniffing him.
Sadness fills the bond, breaking me down even more.
Grayer.
“I still remember when I was a young girl, grieving the loss of my mother, so confused why my father had moved on so fast. How did you do it? How did you blackmail my father?”
“I am not telling you anything,” she snarls, her ire coming back. I ask the snakes to restrict her more.
“Try again, Bernice. I don’t mind making it much worse for your daughters.” She must see the menace in my eyes as she pales. Max joins me at my side.
She grunts, annoyed.
“Your father was rich. We needed gold, and I witnessed one of his crimes. Did you not wonder how he could afford such luxuries? He was a thief, the Art Thief of Eldor. I had evidence that could have sent him straight to the Obsidian Isle and the Villain prison, and he knew that would leaveyouall alone. So I used that to barter for a marriage.”
I laugh sadly. The bow and arrows I had carried with me on my missions are my father’s. Meaning that Valak and Oliver knew my father’s secret. All this time my biggest inspiration has been my father.
“Why are you laughing? That’s not a laughing matter, girl. I made him an honest man.”
“Until you killed him. I can’t prove it, but I know you did. You moved on to Victor while my father’s body was still warm. This has always been the plan. And it’s why you resented me so. I was a consequence of getting in the way, a weakness you had because of the curse.”
She says nothing, but her fear has morphed back to anger. “Stop all the dramatics, Arabella. Let’s broker a deal. Victor has probably already killed the other princes; he is more powerful than you all realize. I will allow you to live. Our curse is broken, so I will send you the coordinates for Elora and I will leave you be.” I pretend not to hear that Victor may have killed my other Princes. I refuse to believe it.
Where are those damn mercenaries!?
“And what? Victor makes himself the King, so you could be hisQueen.” I snarl. “Over my dead body would I subject the people of Velora to be ruled by a washed-up hag like you.”
“You bi-’”
I cut off Bernice by having the snakes constrict her throat.
“I had always hoped that you could love me like you love your daughters. That your daughters would have loved me like a sister. Instead, I wear the marks upon my back for being the victim of your ruse. For having the audacity to be a hiccup in your plan. Well, here I am, Bernice, fucking up your plan yet again. How does that feel?” I sneer into her face. The glint of Clarsef’s sword catches my eye, next to his burned body. I pick up the weighted hilt, scraping the stone floor.
“Well, now you are getting in my way. And-” I break out into a sob. “You murdered one of the men I love.Anotherperson I love, destroyed by your hands.”
“Now, Arabella. Murdering me won’t bring them back. I could try to love you like one of my daughters—”
I raise the sword, with a tremble. Hesitating, maddeningly finding it so hard to kill the woman who has hurt me my whole life.
She notices my moment of weakness and laughs.
“I knew you couldn’t do it. You have always been a weak girl.” She continues laughing evilly as more tears build in my eyes. My hands shake as I try to force myself to kill her.
