Chapter 50 #2
I hear Christopher gasp when he realizes I have my magic back.
The distraction cost me, as Bianca’s fist connects with the side of my face.
My head whips to the side before she kicks me in the stomach.
Sending me hurtling into the brick wall of the foyer.
The impact knocks the air out of my lungs and I grunt before pulling myself onto my hands and knees.
I don’t even have time to get up when I see her running at me.
I feel my magic surge through my palms, sickly sweet, I draw on the darkness, taking a little of it before hitting the ground with my palms. The ground lifts in a wave, making her lose her footing.
Black vines growing from the earth underneath the stone ground, wrapping like tentacles around her. She struggles against the vines trapping her and holding her in place. She screams loudly as the thorns pierce her skin, long and sharp, moving over her body like a snake.
“She can’t use magic ,” Christopher screams angrily when he realizes Bianca is losing. I ignore him walking toward her. When he gets to his feet protesting again. Mara stands, blocking him from the fight.
“No one said there were any rules, Christopher, now sit, you don’t want to anger me,” she warns, flashing her fangs. He sits back down when he realizes the entire council is eyeing him angrily. Mara nods toward me to continue.
Bianca squirms in the vine’s grip. Trying to break free from their restraints.
I casually stroll over to her, stopping a few meters off.
Now that she is restrained, I feel bad. I hate her, but am I any better than her, if I kill her?
Killing her won’t bring my mother back or my life back.
Not that I want it back now, anyway. The only thing separating me from her is that I’m not a murderer.
“Finish it,” screams Christopher angrily.
I shake my thoughts away. Deciding to let the darkness take over.
I feel my magic zap and crackle between my fingers.
Electricity sparks and I roll my arms, creating an enormous ball of electricity.
Bianca watches, horrified, and I look to Theo and Tobias.
Both of them turn their heads and I can feel that they don’t want to watch me kill my sister, kill their ex-wife.
They don’t enjoy seeing me like this, yet if I didn’t do it, I know I forfeit the challenge.
Josiah nods to me and I turn back to Bianca.
Her blue eyes are the same as mine staring back at me pleading.
I raise my hands, planning to incinerate her when she screams.
“It was his idea. I didn’t want any part of it. I just wanted my father back.” I falter hearing her pleading.
“Who’s idea?” Josiah and Mara say at the same time getting up from their seats. Electricity zapping loudly as I feel my magic building still, while I hold it between my hands.
“Christopher’s, please, Imogen, you don’t want to kill me. I know you don’t,” she pleads looking at me with tears in her eyes. I snap my head toward Christopher’s direction, but he is suddenly gone.
“Where did he go?” I ask and everyone looks to Christopher’s seat which is now empty.
“Speak?” Mara demand placing her hands on her hips and glaring at Bianca. Theo places his hand on my shoulder before jumping back having been electrocuted by my magic running over my skin. I let the magic go, let it fizzle out while we figure out what is going on.
“Christopher didn’t want Josiah getting a seat at the table.
We made a deal; he would tell me where my father was if I got him to take his seat back at the table.
He refused. Christopher said he wouldn’t come back because of your mother and that if I got rid of her, he would come back.
So, I killed her. I am sorry, Imogen. I can’t blame him entirely.
I did it and I will admit I enjoyed watching you suffer from it.
I was jealous of what you had with Tobias and Theo.
Jealous that our father dumped my mother for yours.
” I feel my anger rise hearing her confess.
“When my father came back, he refused the position, and I gave it to Alaric which angered Christopher so he told me to kill Dad and he would take care of Alaric and I could take the position.”
“Guards, find Christopher,” Mara yells. Men come running out of the empty shops and take off through the streets.
“Christopher told Alaric information about your wife that he received from me. I was spying on you when you both left. I followed you, then Josiah killed Alaric for Christopher. He knew you would fly off the deep end and kill him and he could also get revenge on you for what Theo did to his son, by getting you punished,” she tells Josiah.
“I can’t believe you killed your own father for a place on the council,” Mara boomed before stepping forward and slapping her across the face. Bianca spat out blood and coughed from the impact, huge claw marks scratched her face from the blow.
“Find Christopher,” Mara said talking to the rest of the council members. They nod but stop when an unfamiliar voice echoes through the quad. One I hadn’t heard before. Spinning around, I hear Tobias growl along with Theo and Josiah. I follow their gaze.
I have him here,” said the stranger’s voice only when I lay eyes on him, he isn’t a stranger.
Percy walks in with another man who has Christopher by the back of his suit.
He lay unconscious while Percy and the man got closer, dragging Christopher with them.
He stops in front of me, and I look at him in shock.
“Hey Immy,” he says, and I can see the emotion he is trying to hide behind his eyes.
“Dad?”
My mind is racing, going into overdrive at the sight of the man I thought was dead, now standing before me.
“Hey, sweetie, you probably don’t remember me,” he says.
“You, you fucking killed us and left us,” Josiah bellows coming face to face with the man who changed them and disappeared off the face of the earth.
“Blame your guard dog there. He chased me away before I could explain,” he spat back at Josiah. Tobias growls menacingly at being called a guard dog. Josiah went to step forward, but Mara got between them.
“As interesting as this is to watch, we have more pressing matters at hand, and you have some explaining to do as to why you just disappeared for a century,” she says, pointing to my father and folding her arms across her chest.
“I was on vacation,” he said, eyeing his daughter, making me look at Bianca who has fallen silent behind us, still trapped in the vines. She averts her eyes, and I know there is something my father is hiding for her benefit.
“Guards take Christopher away,” Mara calls before turning to Bianca.