not to speak to her through our minds. Even when sometimes I just wanted to hear her voice from the other side of the castle.
“And perhaps I wanted more freedom. I am stuck here. Locked away when I was promised more freedom than I could even
dream of!” she shouted, coughing at the sudden pitch in her voice.
Vanessa’s thunder clapped loudly while lighting flashed, filling the throne room with a bright white light. Even Morgana
seemed to be shaken by Ornella’s tone. She curled her fingers into fists and caught my eye as I watched her closely. Nodding
slowly, she stepped back from Ornella.
Morgana was the last person I wanted to lose her temper or control. Illusions may have been her gift, but there were other
gifts, curses she’d been born with. Some that even rivalled my own.
“I suggest you lower your tone with me,” Vanessa demanded coldly.
“Aren’t you going to step in?”April’s in my head drew me to look at her, as she crossed her arms and tapped one foot.
“Vanessa can handle it, as can Ornella. I refuse to engage in a battle of tongues.”
April rolled her eyes at me and moved to stand next to Percy as he stayed quiet, obviously doing the same and not wishing
to get involved in an argument with females.
“I will do no such thing. Since I arrived here, I have been ordered and told what to do. I wanted to see what damage had
been done to my friends! And Kathlyn”—she stopped, holding back what looked like tears as she stared at me with hatred in
her eyes.—“Kathlyn, she had her faults, but she was a shell of the woman I knew. Yourkingdestroyed her.”
I did destroy her. After finding out more information of what Ornella’s uncle had done to her, the things he subjected her to
and how Kathlyn, Ornella’s faithful servant and friend just stood by and allowed it to happen. Never once seeking out help or
telling Ornella’s parents—anyone for that matter. Kathlyn deserved more pain than what I inflicted, and if Ornella knew the full
extent, she would have understood. I hoped.
“Like you! Just like your family has destroyed mine! Your father killed my auntie, and your mother ordered the death of our
parents! If anyone has destroyed anything, the blood of my family is onyourhands. Nicholas only gave that woman death, and
she still didn’t deserve the mercy of a quick death for what she allowed to happen to you! She should have been hung at the
town square and then stuck on the spike!” Vanessa spat back.
Ornella’s eyes softened in shock as she looked at me and then at everyone in the room. I did not expect Vanessa to speak
so cold-heartedly towards Ornella. I’d come to believe they were friends. Perhaps there was some resentment towards
Ornella, most likely something I had put there.
“How do they know what happened, Nicholas?”
“Know about what?” Percy asked, as Ornella looked at me with pleading eyes.
How did Vanessa know what happened to Ornella in fact? Did Morgana know as well? April was the only one out of the
