Chapter 88: Challenge For The Throne
>>Aelin
Alishay’s eyes widened as the weight of Draegon’s accusation settled over the crowd. "No," She shook her head, "I didn’t," She looked at her mother innocently,"That’s not true."
Darcelle whipped around to face Draegon, her expression twisted with rage. "You’re lying," she snapped. "I can’t believe I doubted my own daughter because of the nonsense you spewed. I knew you could never be a real sibling to my children!" Her words clearly indicated she never thought of Draegon as family.
Draegon let out a slow breath through his nose, his patience waning. His purple eyes burned with barely contained fury as he took a step forward.
"My whole life, I have watched you be unfair to me," he said, voice low and bitter. "But you crossed into cruelty when I got married. You stood silent while your servants and court humiliated my wife. You turned a blind eye when she suffered. And now—" his voice darkened—"you protect the very monster that killed my child."
Up until this point, I never knew why Alishay did that to me. I simply thought she was being cruel to me. But it was for herself. She killed Asha for... her own resurrection...Or maybe she never properly died, she used my baby for some sick show...
My chest constricted.
Darcelle’s lips curled in disgust. "She is nothing more than a human. There was no need to protect her from words. She’s not a child." The look in her eyes didn’t wane, "And Alishay didn’t kill your half bastard child." She glanced at me, her gaze piercing through me, "Someone poisoned you with their words."
The words pierced straight through me.
I felt something twist in my chest. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Shouldn’t have let it affect me. But the cold finality in her voice, the complete dismissal of my existence—of my pain—felt like a blow straight to my soul.
I swallowed against the lump forming in my throat.