Page 82 of Remi's War (Four Dark Horsemen 2)

Three knocks sound on the wooden door before someone opens it gently. Briseis’s soft voice mutes the sounds grating on my nerves.

Just because her marriage worked out, for whatever reason, doesn’t mean she should support these assholes in their methods. Their rules be damned!

A single tear streams down my cheek and falls on my white skirt. “We have to go now. Everyone’s waiting.” A pause and then she adds, “I’m really sorry that it has come to this.”

Glancing in her direction, I notice guilt etching her features, her eyes filled with sorrow and compassion, making them enormous in her face.

Her words hardly matter.

After all, she belongs to their family, and as such, forever stays on their side, no matter the horrible deeds they participate in.

An enemy is not an evil person or a villain seeking to feast on the vulnerable flesh. An enemy is someone who doesn’t mind sacrificing you or anyone else as long as it serves their selfish desires.

Swallowing past the bile in my throat and grabbing the nearby orchid bouquet, I rise from the vanity chair, which scrapes against the wooden floor. Briseis winces a little as she notices that my makeup got ruined by my tears.

She takes out a handkerchief from her purse and steps toward me. “I can fix it for you before—”

My splayed palm stops whatever she wants to say, and without answering her, I shake my head and adjust the veil over my face, partially hiding me from the prying gazes ready to find all my exposed spots in order to strike at me where it would hurt the most.

Although at this point, they should give up; they’ve already delivered so many blows to my fragile heart it bleeds with invisible blood, letting my life slowly fade away.

I regret ever stepping foot in this city that has brought me nothing but sorrows.

Giving myself one last glance, I hold my chin high and walk out of the room, my heels clicking on the marble as Briseis trails after me.

She tries to shuffle my long train and help me carry some of the weight, since the layers upon layers of chiffon is heavy, but I snap over my shoulder, “Don’t touch me.” She leads me toward the slaughter.

How could she even for a second think I would welcome her help or allow her to speed up the process just so she can breathe easier and not worry about the consequences that will inevitably follow?

She freezes, her hands fisting, and annoyance flashes on her face, hinting at the character she failed to show me so far.

Straightening up, she says, “Very well,” and passes me by, walking toward the wide-open double doors leading to the church’s altar. The music becomes louder and louder with each step we take.

She motions with her hand inside before entering, and I reach the opening in two short strides, pausing at the entrance.

Gulping for breath, I press the bouquet to my chest and will all my self-control and bravery to push to the surface, praying to everything that’s holy to send some kind of intervention and stop this madness—even though, deep in my soul, I know no one will come to save me.

“No matter what happens, I’ll always be there. You just have to say the word, and I’ll slay all the dragons.”

Even my father, though, can’t save me this time around. Doing as my heart wishes would mean subjecting him and all the people I love to so much suffering and death I’d never be able to forgive myself.

The Four Dark Horsemen won’t hesitate to hurt who I love the most.

My loved ones gave me everything; sacrificing my life and future in exchange for their peace shouldn’t be such a hardship.

Or that’s the lie I tell myself while bitterness fills my mouth, because I will never forgive Amalia for this.

I will always love her, she is my twin, but she broke our bond the minute she pushed me to marry a killer and put Lachlan and his friends above me.

With a swift intake of air into my shrinking lungs, my legs move forward of their own accord.

The music stops for a second as the organist blinks at my presence, and then he resumes playing, his hands flawless on the keys while my eyes roam around the space and widen at the scene before me.

The church they chose for the ceremony has expensive stained glass in the windows, and the ceiling is an oval shape, which almost gives a fairy-tale-like experience, creating a magical atmosphere. I’m surprised angels haven’t descended from heaven to sing in tune with the music.

The golden marble glistens under the candlelight; the expensive artwork displayed on the walls matches the exquisite design.

Despite its beauty that can mesmerize a person into a constant state of awe, the place reeks of doom and hopelessness that nothing can hide.

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