“Yeah, well, I worried he still might have some fight in him and that could put her at risk.” I gestured to the wingless fairy. “He’s of no risk now. Let her finish it.”
“She cannot execute a member of the royal family, even a bastard, Your Highness,” Morgan hedged.
I gave him the look he deserved. “Who the fuck will tell? You?” I snorted when he sighed. “Is it really so much better that I execute my own uncle?”
“No, and you’ve suffered enough traumas to last you a thousand years,” Stefanie said from the portal she came out of. “No one in Faerie will chastise her for this, so let her be the benevolent queen who gave her loyal advisor the right to punish no matter who it is. No one is above the law in her reign.”
“Even better,” I said with a shrug and handed off my sword to her.
“Thank you,” Colton breathed as he moved to stand next to me.
“I didn’t know if it would work out like this, but she more than deserves it.” I reached over and took his hand, glad when he let me and seemed okay. Better than expected at least.
The four commanders dipped their heads to Stefanie as she moved towards Mario, accepting this was happening.
She yanked him up by his hair to kneel. “I would wish you peace in the afterlife if it was just what you did to me. What happened to you could have twisted you, and desperation made you go too far. I could see that and forgive that. I have been able to partially forgive my former queen for just that even if she did the unthinkable.”
I swallowed a gasp. Stefanie saying she’d forgiven Neldor’s mother—even somewhat—was huge.
“But you tried to kill thesaviorof Faerie, you cockroach. She is our future and brought the miracle ofpeaceto our world. And you selfishly wanted to take her from us and tried to take herplaceknowing you could never live up to her. It was all your own selfishness where she constantly kills herself being selfless to the point it hurts us to watch.
“So rot with the demons you wanted to invade our world for your petty desires. You chose your side, and it wasn’t the side of Faerie.Youare not one of us, and that is no one’s fault but yours. You chose that, and none of us feel any pity or desire to show you mercy. We wish you an eternity of reaping what you sowed.”
She raised my sword and took his head with one clean swing.
I watched it fall to the ground and felt… Nothing.
Not even relief.
I felt—well, maybe settled? But that was a bit disturbing. I didn’t just get grocery shopping off my list, but a man just died.
I really was as broken as people said. I swallowed down my worry about that and turned off the camera. It was recorded in case we ever needed it, but now it was just for us.
I jumped when Lageos teleported to us with a wild look in his eyes. He glanced around and understanding instantly filled his eyes.
And anger.
“I felt someone of your mother’s blood die since our souls are tied,” he explained. “I feared the worst, but instead—what did you do, Tamsin?”
“What I needed to,” I admitted, not in the mood to fight with him.
But apparently, he wanted to fight with me.
“We said we would go together—handle this together and—” he started to blast.
“Yeah, well, we just do whatever the fuck we want in this family, so don’t lecture me about doing it too!” I bellowed, shocking everyone there.
But I wasn’t remotely done yet.
“You. Mom. Your parent. Aunts and uncles. All just make decisions however you want, right? We don’t discuss shit as a family or—you two made all of the decisions, and I’m left with the consequences, so don’t fuckingeverlecture me about doing what I thought I needed to again. You have no leg to stand on.”
“I just—”
“You didn’t even come to class,” I seethed. “I’m tired of feeling like the fucking parent between us,Dad.” I stormed over to Mario’s body and burned it with fae fire, making sure to get all of the pieces.
Then I spit on the ashes just for good measure.
I teleported away and immediately went to one of the fairy hotels and told them to inform Ara that I was alone and needed food. I wasn’t even sure if she was on shift for my detail, but she always knew who was and sent them. She didn’t care in the slightest about the extra work because she got extra perks as well.