Epilogue 2
Aleksandra
“I am glad to see you both here today,” I spoke with quiet pleasantness, adjusting my leg across the other while in my chair. “You made the right choice, Konstantin.”
Watching the silent man in front of me, who exuded a sensual magnetic charm and deathly calmness.
Dressed in a sleek black button-down with the first few buttons open, exposing a golden rosary, black tailored slacks, and Oxfords.
He was a man that left many women desiring.
Though today, right now, and it seemed like forever by the golden wedding band on his finger, he only wanted one woman.
The unapologetically stunning woman whose beauty was fit for a queen, or more correctly, a princess, sat at his side.
The pair came to my headquarters for an official initiation.
“You too, Miss Blair Morgan, or should I say Mrs. Volkov, now?” I posed the question, wondering what her choice was.
A glaze of hesitant astonishment passed before her hazel eyes as she stiffened in her position. “How do you know my name? Why do you know my name?” She asked, her gaze switching to her husband.
The corner of my lips lifted to almost smile.
Our history ran deeper than she could ever imagine, but I contained myself for now.
“I’ll answer you in a moment, but right now, I would like to welcome you into my establishment.
Know that from now on you are protected and valued members of my council.
No one will harm you if I do not command it.
They cannot go against you if I do not will it.
No one, and I mean no one, will ever put themselves as your superior because you are all equals and qualified in your relevant positions.
Only I am above you all. The only thing I seek is loyalty and respect.
Nothing more. Nothing less. Is that understood? ”
“Seems simple enough,” Konstantin drawled in his heavy Russian accent. “But I have been a part of different organizations before. Everyone is out for something. No one cares for another. Why should we?”
I inclined my head, understanding his point truly.
Stranger’s words meant nothing after you got stabbed in the back so many times before.
However, here I was, hoping to be the exception.
Because there was a grander scheme to things than anyone realized.
There was no time to be hot or cold; it was one side or another.
Melancholy burned in the remnants of my soul as I went on, “I understand your hesitation. But after being sacrificed, degraded, abused, maimed, violated, and having survived, I realized that out of everything, loyalty and respect are the foundation of a strong empire. Not fear or violence, but you are free to exercise that will with others if you please.” Adding a smile to make it sound convincing.
Shadows of somberness glazed over both their respective features.
Ugh, regret immediately settled in my stomach.
The demons of my past were kept secret for a reason. Only to ever be locked away in my mind, confined to its eternal chains for no one to ever know about.
Never. Never would I speak upon it again. Never.
Moving on like it never happened. “We all have our past, but I believe we share a present common enemy,” my voice paused, Konstantin angling his brow. “Does the House of Gods ring a bell?”
Dark flashing anger swirled in his midnight blue eyes as he tightened his fist. “Fuck, those abominable bastards have their death signed.”
Blair shifted in her chair, reaching out for her husband’s tattooed hand. “Are they the ones who screwed you over?”
With one touch, his expression eased and his gaze turned to her, completely becoming enamored within the instance.
“Yes, kotyonok. It’s a long story, but those people are sitting at the edge of their throne commanding the world.
” Kon replied. “But they didn’t punish me because I screwed them over.
They punished me because of what I knew— the stones, Alchemy, dark magic, political agendas to hide the truth.
Something few would even pay attention to. ”
“But it exists?” As I probed, a deafening charge shot through my chest.
“I have evidence.” He confirmed my suspicion— no, my long-awaited cause.
“Then make them suffer and then kill them,” Blair emotionlessly dealt.
Now that was something.
Internally laughing to myself, as I could see the two were a match made in heaven. Truly they were meant for one another. For such a petite woman to have power over a man like him and he didn’t care to show it; that was absolute vulnerability and intimacy. One could only wish for that type of love.
“It’s not that easy, Blair.” He sighed.
She signaled her hand over to me, sassing him back. “She’s giving you a chance to make it that easy.”
He eyed me thoroughly, still very defensive. “That’s not a guarantee yet.”
Someone has trust issues.
To be honest, he wasn’t the only one. Who didn’t have their fair share of traumatizing shit?
“Let me give you a token of my true alliance.” I began as I opened a drawer in my desk, taking a well-constructed file and removing it and holding it up for them to see. “Blair, earlier you asked me how I knew your identity. Blair Morgan, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Do you understand that you were adopted by the Morgans?” The Morgans were a Titan family who exercised power over the United States military. Extremely powerful. A deadly threat.
She nodded. “That was never a secret. I am well aware, and it is what it is.”
“Well, I’m glad you see it that way, but haven’t you ever wondered about your biological family?”
She tensed up, Kon at her side, tending to her as he rubbed her back.
Family was never an easy subject to talk about. Trust me, I knew.
Her breathing became still, her column shifting as she swallowed harshly. “I’m not going to lie and say no when it’s been the opposite. But what does it matter now? It’s not like they’re looking for me, are they?”
Her words said one thing, but the hungry hint in her gaze wanted more.
“Blair, you have a family that loves you and a sister who never stopped looking or fighting for you.”
A certain glossiness hazed her eyes. “You’re lying.” She refuted.
That’s something I would never play with.
The story began to unfold from my lips. “About twenty-two years ago in a small kingdom, one day a beloved queen took her daughters out for a picnic. Unknowingly, it began to rain, and she had to drive herself and her daughters home; however, the brakes failed, leading the car to lose control and roll over a cliff. Resulting in a tragic accident. The queen died.” Small sobs emerged from Blair’s throat as she couldn’t control her facade anymore.
“But her daughters didn’t. All three of them. ”
She paused, her voice shaking with surprise. “Three? I have two sisters.”
“Two twin sisters and a younger brother.”
“Twins? So I’m a triplet?” She gasped, shaking her head as tears flowed down her red, torn cheeks. “But that’s not possible. I can’t have—”
I raised my finger, pointing to the beautiful gold heart-shaped pendant hanging around her neck. “Check the photo inside.”’
“How did you—” A flash of recognition passed through her hazel brown eyes as she tore off her necklace and swiftly opened the pendant as I placed one of the photographs in front of her.
“Oh my god.”
Konstantin’s expression grew more tense by the minute, as he hated to see his wife in any type of pain. “What is it? What are you doing to her?” He directed his anger towards me.
“So this photo is real?” She asked me with pure vulnerability, something akin to disbelief.
“Yes, it is, Blair. That’s you and your family. The Royal Family of Theronida.”
Her eyes grew round. “Royal Family?”
I nodded once more. Surprise. Not everyone was that lucky to discover they were blue-blooded.
“Are you saying I’m a princess? Shut up!” She shouted in a whisper.
“Princess Blair Marie Athena DeLoughrey, second-in-line to the throne,” I declared her true identity, the one she longed to know. She was not a mere pawn in this game. She was royalty. So she would stand by my side when I conquered the world.
“Second? So I’m the middle child?” the corner of her lips curled upwards. “I’m a middle child. Can’t you believe it? I have never been anyone’s sister,” she told her husband as he gazed at her with tender affection.
He lifted his hand, caressing her cheek softly. “Are you happy, kotyonok?”
“So much,” she said through a new batch of tears.
Looking at the pair, I felt like I was intruding on a private moment. A moment I wished one day to experience for myself, but that was only wishful thinking. After all, no one could love a soul like mine. So broken. So chaotic. So torn.
It would be too much to ask anyone for.
Her curious voice drew me out of my wondering despair as she added, “So if I’m the middle child, who are my sisters?”
“Your eldest sister is Crown Princess Breelynn Thalia Isadora DeLoughrey.” I handed her another photo.
This time it was a portrait of an identical gorgeous brunette maiden wearing a Tiffany blue corset gown and a diamond tiara with matching earrings.
A maiden who put her duty and honor above her heart, her pain. Her tragedies.
She gazed down at the picture with newfound emotions. “Breelynn.”
“She’s been looking for you for a long time. She never stopped believing you were alive, but no one paid her much attention.”
“Why?”
“Your sister, as privileged and powerful as she is, is currently facing her own battle. Reinforcing her own claim to the throne. Making sure she keeps the DeLoughrey line ruling. She holds a whole country on her shoulders. It’s not an easy task.”
Her brow tightened together, a mixture of conflicting expressions passing over her features. Life was kind and unkind to the fortunate and unfortunate alike. So no one was saved from heartaches and suffering. It was how you dealt with it that counts.
“She’s so beautiful. So elegant.”