Page 48 of Inheritance
“So, what do you say, Ama?”
Her eyes filled with sadness as she looked towards Finias, “Do you really believe they are lying?”
Finias’ gaze filled with pure disgust as he looked towards his parents, who were both smiling and looked amused at the dilemma.
“Yes,” he bit out. “I don’t trust them.”
“If you don’t, we will kill the girl right now,” Queen Ava whispered something under her breath and brought out a dagger that she gently pushed against Adrien’s sister's neck with a small smile of amusement. They were fucking monsters. The fact that they found this okay, acceptable even, was sickening.
Ama inhaled sharply and turned to look at all of us. The soldiers at the perimeter of the room moving into position with their runes lit up, and I stepped forward to stand between them and her turned back. I knew Ama well, and I knew how she felt about situations like this. My Hellhound almost had me tackling her to the floor, and I heard the other men shift in realization of what she was going to do.
“Ama, they are lying,” Nico said softly, his tone filled with concern.
“I know that,” she murmured. “They probably won’t turn their prisoners over to us. But they aren’t lying about killing her if I don’t go.”
Adrien made a pained sound from the back of his throat, “There has to be another way.”
My heart broke for my friend and the dilemma of his little sister at the enemy's feet, not far from death as it was, and being told to trade his mate over to save her life. It was an impossible decision.
“We have forty of their soldiers surrounding us. We are good, but not that good,” Ama exhaled sharply.
“I can feel more in the castle passing through shadows,” Adrien grunted, looking almost defeated.
Finias was practically shaking with fury as Ama squeezed his hand and turned back around. I could hear Jace growling, and it caused my own Hellhound to be defensive. Colt appeared in front of Ama, and he snapped his wings out to block her from moving forward. I briefly noticed the soldiers moving forward and closing in, but Ama just went up on her toes and grasped Colt’s face, which I noticed had a stray tear falling down it despite the furious expression he wore.
Her whispered words were so soft, I doubt anyone but Colt, Jace, and myself could hear her.
“Once I give Adrien’s sister to you, because that exchange Iwillmake sure happens, you need to get her out of here—one of you has to. The rest of you should be able to handle most of these soldiers. I am going to go get the others free. Promise me, Colt.”
It was our best option at truly freeing our family members, but I hated the idea of her being out of my line of sight and in harm's way.
Colt’s wings snapped in, and as Ama stepped forward, I heard him filling in the others quietly. I kept focused fully on my mate as my Hellhound began to growl and surge through our bond, trying to overtake me.
Once Ama was out of here, I could do that. Once it was just the soldiers, I could turn this into a slaughter. Not a second before. She couldn’t see me when I unleashed the true monster lurking within, which reveled in the bloodshed of our enemies.
“Give her to one of them, and I’ll go with you,” Ama demanded, her words steady and even.
Queen Ava stood the girl up, and Ama edged forward. Then, in a move so fucking fast that it seemed like a blur...King Roarke snapped Ama up as Adrien’s sister went flying forward to where she was barely caught by him. That was when absolute chaos erupted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Ama
“You motherfuckers!” I growled as I was immediately slammed against the wall by King Roarke, my head spinning when it cracked against the stone. I could hear the roar of chaos from the other room as the soldiers had converged on my men, and Queen Ava blasted a shield up against the door before she turned towards me, smiling at the way her husband’s elbow was against my throat, pinning me to the wall.
I gasped, desperately trying to breathe in air but unable to as pain radiated through my head and neck. Unfortunately, while I was strong, Roarke was physically bigger than me, and both of their magics were overwhelming mine as it tried to flare to the surface but was quickly batted down. I also had no idea what runes they possessed and couldn’t begin to form a tactical defensive plan without that knowledge.
I barely had a chance to blink before Queen Ava slapped a cuff around my wrist. My powers came to a complete halt and deflated, leaving me feeling dizzy from going from such an extreme high from the energy I had taken in during my love making with my men, to just...nothing. Just like how I had been in Luce’s castle.
I blinked, but before I had a chance to do or say anything, Queen Ava was in my face, grabbing one of my horns and yanking on it harshly so that she could bring her lips right next to my ear. “You thought you were so smart,” she goaded, seeming almost gleeful.
“So brave. Don’t you know that bravery is a weakness? While your men die, you will be powerless. While we slaughter your father and their remaining families, you will be powerless. You fell right into our trap. You are weak, Ama. You are a weak, silly, stupid girl, and you will be the reason that everyone falls.”
Naturally, I tried to call for my scythe so I could embed its tip into her black fucking heart, only to snarl when I remembered I couldn’t call any of my powers forward.
I tugged my horn out of her grip and narrowed my eyes at her, “You have no idea what those men out there are capable of. Those soldiers will be slaughtered in minutes. You may be able to lock me up, but I would run very fast if I were you, Ava, because once your son gets a hold of you, you’re fucked.”
She truly was underestimating all of my men, but most of all, she was underestimating her son's hatred of her, and that would be her downfall. I just knew that in the center of my being.
