Page 96 of King of the Unsightly

“You may go.” The woman flicked her wrist.

Gren stepped away but I snatched his hand. “Gren.” My voice cracked. “Were you the one who spoke to me? The ritual?How could you?” I looked into his eyes, hoping to see any emotion, any hint of truth.

But his vexed complexion held no lingering tenderness.So it was him. He was the one who said those words to me?

Gren pried my hand off him. “Don’t act so pathetic, Addy. It doesn’t suit you.”

My heart dropped, and I fell to my knees as I watched Gren disappear from my view.

A deep pit formed in my stomach, and I tried to make sense of everything around me. Gren couldn’t do this. Not after everything we had been through.

Anger boiled through me like molten lava, fueling me to continue.

The woman pointed at me, and my knees slammed hard onto the ground. She flicked her wrist and sent me flying to the other side of the room.

I collided with a wall, creating several cracks in the hard stone. I gasped for air, coughing up blood.

I cried out in agony as a sharp pain stabbed at my side with each breath.

Fuck. I thought they were after the keys, not me. And I thought Gren was on my side too. How many times was I going to let people fool me?I misplaced my trust, again.

I inhaled, and the piercing pain made me scream out as it sobered me enough to witness the woman prowling toward me.

“I'm sorry, I’m feeling a little hostile since your mother hid you from me when all I wanted to do was cultivate your powers. Welcome to the Winters family, my sweet Adeline. Your grandmother has missed you dearly.” She brushed the back of her hand on my cheek, and I flinched. “Please call me Ingrid for now since we’re not on familiar terms yet.”

My heart slowed as her words crawled against my skin. No way she couldn’t ... no.

My only family was Lucien.

I blinked away the tears and forced the words out. “Let Lucien go.”

The woman, Ingrid, laughed and it sent me over the edge. I called on my magic—from my chest to my fingers—but every time I tried, something blocked it.

Ingrid’s mouth curled, immoral and slimy—like a businesswoman swindling me for everything I had—not a grandmother who reunited with her long-lost granddaughter.

Ingrid took a deep breath and lifted my chin with her pointer finger. Her sharp fingernail dug into my skin.

Her smirk spread and her magic released my body, and I slackened as the pressure left me. “My daughter created a potent witch.” She snapped his fingers, and I fell to the floor.

Lynne reappeared from the hallway with Lucien chained, dragging him behind her. His light hair ruffled as dirt clungto the same clothes I last saw him in. His face was gaunt and covered in deep purple bruises.

I shot to my feet and ran past Lynne and kneeled beside Lucien.

“What happened?” The tears stung and blurred my vision as he looked at me with indifference.

I cupped his jaw, but Lucien didn’t move or flinch from my touch.

“What did you do to him?” I seethed, clenching my other hand into a tight fist as I stared at Lynne.

She chuckled, haughty and full of pleasure. “He should be fine in a day or two. Probably.”

My attention snapped back to Ingrid, who dared to call herself my family, as her temperament turned wrathful. “I’m feeling generous since my daughter’s debt is now cast upon you. So, don’t test my patience with all your useless whining. I hated it when Lasira did it.”

Ingrid materialized in front of me and tapped my forehead. She snatched my arm and traced her black nail along my skin. She pressed down on a vein and punctured my flesh.

Ingrid moved so quickly I had no time to react.

I recoiled from the tinge of discomfort and jerked away, but she had a strength I couldn’t match.

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