Page 86 of The Child of Rue Royale
“Go to Nicola’s office and wait,” Cassius finally roars, and before Oksana can protest, he shouts “GO!”
She clasps her hands over her chest, never looking at me for a second, and stumbles into the office.
“Are you okay?” Bastian huffs, pulling me to his side, his hand wrapping around my hip so tightly it hurts. I take it in my hand to release the tension and nod the best I can.
“I guess we have to kill her.” Nicola sighs and falls onto the couch. The look on Cassius’s face tells me that’s not what he wants, not at all, and Nicola sees it too. “She killed your brother.”
“I guess it should be up to you. Do you think she should die?” Cassius asks Bastian, and he looks so exhausted like he could fall to the ground any second from the stress.
Oksana has always been closest to Cassius, and I’m sure this betrayal is the hardest for him to swallow. But it seems like he wantsBastian to say no, and truly, Bastian is too emotional to make such a decision.
I want Oksana to feel the pain she caused, but when I looked in her eyes, I saw all the suffering my vengeance desires.
“But was it really Oksana who killed Bastian? She was a used vessel, manipulated by a dead vampire,” Cassius says.
Nicola sighs in exasperation. “She still started the fire, she still killed Bastian. And she was trying to kill Aster! I think she must die.” Nicola pushes her hair back from her face then brings a hand to rub her temples.
“This is quite complicated. Franklin lied to her, made her believe Bastian was under a spell. She thought she was doing the right thing,” Cassius says.
“Oh, darling boy. She should have come to us the moment Franklin approached her, and deep down in your heart, you know that. You’re letting your guilt for biting her cloud your judgment.”
Cassius swallows, his long hair creating a cloak across his back as he bends forward. “I won’t be the one who does it,” he whispers.
“Is it possible to wait?” I offer. “We will have to confront my aunts soon, and she might have more information we need.”
Cassius looks like I’ve thrown Oksana a lifeline, and maybe I have, I don’t know. Maybe love has softened me.
“What do we do with her in the meantime?” Nicola asks, and I look at Bastian, who is pacing back and forth. I need to get him home.
“I’ll keep her with me,” Cassius says, his eyes two shattered slits. “I just have to talk to Marlowe first.”
Nicola rises, grabbing each of Bastian’s wrists as she approaches him. “My love. Don’t be darkened by the pain.” He looks away, but her face only follows his, forcing him to look up. “You’ve come back from the dead. This is nothing in comparison.” She smiles then, a smile that tells me in Nicola’s long life, she’s seen more betrayals than I can imagine. She holds him, pulling his head down to her shoulder, running her fingers over his hair. When they separate, she looks at me and grabs my hand.
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.” The apology isn’t easy for her. Years of hating each other make being vulnerable difficult.
“I wouldn’t have believed it either.” I wave, and she embraces me and whispers in my ear.
“Take care of my boys.”
WHEN WE WALK THROUGH THEdoor, Mother storms toward us, her hands firmly clenched over her chest. “I’m going to kill Oksana, I just want you to know that.” I had filled her in on everything on the car ride home.
Bastian sighs then squeezes the bridge of his nose. “I understand the desire, believe me.” His sardonic laugh sends a spike down my spine. “But we need to hold off on any additional killing right now.” He looks at me, eyes pleading to be released from the conversation.
“Why don’t you get some rest,” I say, patting his chest, and he nods, grateful.
“Delta, could you stay here tonight? I don’t want you alone. I think we should stick together until we have a plan of action.”
She looks at him and then to me again, reverence on her face. “You’re worried about me?”
“You’re the grandmother of my child. I’ll always worry about you now.”
She’s speechless, and now I want to kiss him, but Mother speaks before I can. “Yes, love. I’ll sleep in the extra room downstairs.”
“Where’s Chantal? She should come too,” Bastian says.
“She had a show tonight. I’ll text her.”
Bastian nods, escaping upstairs. I grab Mother’s arm and pull her into the parlor.
