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My father told Daphne everything that transpired while she was locked away, but she stood there stoic, asking for some time to process everything. I chew on my lip nervously, wishing I’d had the chance to speak with her before this, to give my first hand account of how Helene manipulated Domenic, and how her son saved his friends, his heart pure despite her treacherous actions.
“Helene, they’ve told me your story, but I want to hear it from your lips,” Daphne says, her expression pensive and calm, not revealing if she’s been swayed one way or another.
“Of course,” Helene says. Clearing her throat, she sits up straight, a smug smirk spreading across her face as though she’s ready to put on a performance of a lifetime. “I noticed you were missing from your home in Ethereal, but before I could even search for you, Romulus came for me. He told me that he had you, but you would remain unharmed if I helped him by keeping a disguised Titus in the position of Headmaster of the academy.”
“And you agreed?” Daphne asks, coaxing Helene to continue despite the feigned sorrow lacing her words.
She pauses to wipe a suspiciously dry eye before continuing. “I had no other choice. I knew you would do anything to get me back, just as I have done for you.”
“You also knew that I wanted nothing more than to finally meet my son, to be there with him, with you, while we trained and got to know our children. And despite knowing that, you used him to further Romulus’ cause.” Rage flickers in Daphne’s eyes, and the raven flaps its wings beside her, as though it’s readying to do her bidding at a moment’s notice.
“I needed help, and I knew you’d want to—”
“No, you chose to put his life in jeopardy. You chose to bring him to the infernal realm under the guise of helping me. You crossed the line, Helene, and the fact that you can’t even see that anymore shows me that you’re no longer the woman I made that blood ritual with so long ago.”
“Daphne—” Helene exclaims, but she’s cut off before she can get another word out.
“You can’t even see how many people you’ve hurt, can you? You attacked students, killed a human, and killed my son.” Daphne grips the edge of the white podium, clearly holding herself back from lunging across the room. The raven releases its hold on her shoulder and circles above her, like it’s seconds away from diving towards the god of sea. “The blood right does not apply here because you have broken everything that bond stood for.”
“Daphne,” Helene pleads, real panic in her eyes for the first time ever as her former sister turns on her heel and strides down the stairs, her long velvet gown trailing along behind her as she storms to the exit, unable to look at the woman who broke her trust for a second longer.
“Please.”
The raven circles over Helene in warning before swooping out over the crowd at the last second and following Daphne into the hall as she pushes the door open. The crash of the door slamming closed echoes through the room, conveying the finality of her words.
I exhale a breath, and watch the god of sea squirm, apparently not too confident in her future after that.
“It seems your defense is invalid. Do you have anything else to say before we hand you your sentence?” my father asks, taking his place back at the podium.
“If I’m going down, he’s going down with me,” Helene shouts, her hands jerking against the binds as she looks towards the crowd.
My brows knit together as I try to spot just who she’s talking about when I spot the three other former council members on the other side of the auditorium. Agathon and Anastasia look just as confused as I am, but Victor’s eyes dart around, his throat bobbing, pretty much giving himself away.
“Who, Helene?” Nyssa asks, her barbed sword flashing out before her as she strides to the center of the stage.
“Victor,” Helene sneers, that calculating gleam glinting in her eyes once more.
“We didn’t sense any lies when we interrogated him,” Orrin says, stepping forward and sharing a look of confusion with Nyssa.
“He must’ve been giving you half truths then.” Helene sighs, shaking her head in disbelief.
“He wasn’t willing to give any information on his own,” Nyssa murmurs, her eyes narrowing on Victor as he shifts in his seat, obviously trying to gauge his options now that he’s been caught. “He only agreed with whatever Anastasia and Agathon said. I thought it was just because he’s an uncooperative asshole but—”
“She’s lying,” Victor shouts, bolting upright from his chair. “They were controlling me just like the others.”
“Yes, because you were getting on my last nerve,” Helene snaps, her calculating gaze spearing Victor. “I double-crossed you at the last second, because it was your idea in the second trial that got us caught and locked in those offices in the first place.”
She’s one hundred percent trying to throw him under the bus in an attempt to get a lesser sentence herself.
“Like any of your ideas were any better,” Victor scoffs, then claps a hand over his mouth, belatedly realizing he’s just outed himself as a traitor.
He’s about to bolt down the aisle but Agathon and Anastasia both stand in his way, pushing him back into his seat just as Nyssa’s golden binds wrap around him, tying him to his chair.
“You bitch,” Victor snarls. He thrashes against the binds, desperately trying to get free. His lips part, and I’m sure he’s about to spew something else that’s just as vile, when Anastasia shoves a branch in his mouth, just wide enough to keep him from talking. A vine shoots out from either end, connecting around the back of his head to keep the wood in place like a makeshift gag.
“You took away our choices, now I’m going to make sure you suffer the consequences of yours, Victor,” Agathon grinds out between gritted teeth as a white light flickers from his palm and slams into Victor’s chest.
“What does that mean?” I ask, my brows knitting together as Victor thrashes against the binds again, his muffled screams filled with terror.
