Page 49 of Omission: Part 2

Beside me, Maman recognizes the piece and gasps; I’d forgotten to mention it being in our possession and how it came to be, but there’s time for that later as more portraits are damaged and the royal blue double doors are thrown open, revealing a bloody vampire and werewolf carrying the dead bodies of four men and one woman.

And just like we did with Brice and Chiara, my brothers-in-law dump the bodies where they’re visible toall.The action wakes up Veltross’s daughter—the woman screams at the sight of bloody bodies so close to her, one man’s arm touching her leg.

“Oh my God!” she screeches at the top of her lungs, dragging herself back as best she can, only to bump into the dead woman. That makes her stop. This death affects her. “No. No!”

“Fuck, shut up,” Brice snarls, groaning awake and trying to sit up, but the pain makes him hiss. His fall left him battered and bruised while the lightning burned certain areas of his skin. “What the hell happened?”

“I’m glad you could join us.” Their heads simultaneously turn in my direction and then flick throughout the room. They take in my family and their accomplices before coming back to me:

A tiny fae with no knowledge of how to run this trial and who’s dressed in a pair of ripped-at-the-knee denim overalls, a white crop top, and on my feet, some Chuck Taylor’s in the color pink.

My hair is in a French braid and I have on the mascara and gloss I put on before leaving the coven house to meet with the witchlings. Our excursion demanded comfort and after ruining the pair I flew in, I changed into these. Just as cute and perfect for kicking ass and taking names, as I learned on social media.

The things I’ve learned over the last few months are mind-blowing. Changed me.

“Ma princesse, you are making a fool of yourself. End this now.” A demand—hissing at me—something my mate doesn’t approve of, and he jumps over my throne and rushes him, plowing his knee into Brice’s face.

“Son of a bitch,” Brice bellows, the pain-filled groan causinghismate to whimper, a sound I don’t think she was supposed to make. For some reason, they didn’t want anyone to know of their relationship.Why?

“Disrespect her again—asshole. I dare you.” Leonardo’s voice is lethal, his body poised to knee him again as he grips the injured man’s hair and forces his head back. Looks him in the eye. “Go on. Say something.”

“Don’t hurt him!” Chiara tries to crawl over a body but gags and falls back, crying her frustration. “Let him go!”

“Who is he to you, Chiara? Why do you care?” She doesn’t answer me, swallowing hard and looking away.Why won’t you admit it?“Is that the game you want to play? Will you deny your mate?”

I give her a full five minutes but she doesn’t respond, and I lift my hand high in the air. That signals Gabriella and Isabella’s entrance, a demure Lena two steps behind them.

The older witch looks haggard—exhaustion seeps from her every pore—and I motion for her to take a seat in an empty chair in the courtiers’ section.

At once they stand and complain, giving Lena dirty looks while flashing their fangs, but they quickly fall into line when six creatures growl so loud the floor shakes.

Theodore and Xadiel thump their chests and crouch, ready to snap the first neck of many tonight, while Leonardo’s beast is just as volatile. Storms rage outside, lightning crackling too close for comfort, and Chiara whimpers again.

The men do so as well.

“Lena, please take a seat. I have some questions I want answers for.”

“Yes, Queen Anaya.” Warily, Lena sits and exhales slowly, trying to calm herself. “I’m ready.”

“Good.” Giving Leo a nod, he brings Brice to my feet and forces his head down to the floor. Pins him there. “How did Chiara end up with the Rossi coven? For what purpose?”

“Marsilla wanted to keep her close without actually bonding with the Miss. She didn’t trust the vampires not to scent her true bloodline and kill her before her purpose was fulfilled.”

“What purpose?”

“To marry Leonardo.” I’m not surprised in the least by Lena’s answer. The way she behaved when we met—the looks sent his way…Chiara believes him hers.

“Shut up! Not another…mhhp!”

Gabriella’s covering her mouth while lifting her off the floor by the grip on her face. Her usually green eyes are blood red, and her fangs are bared. “Quiet.”

“Continue, Lena.”

Tears roll down the woman’s face, chin trembling. “I’m so sorry.”

“No. You’re not, but that’s not what I asked of you.” I lean forward while pointing at Chiara Veltross. “What was her full purpose? What happened after shematedwith King Moore? What about her mate?”

“They couldn’t be together in public so they’d cheat on their chosen, same as Larue did to your mother.” Again, growls and snarls reverberated throughout the room. She cowers, almost toppling over, but manages to stay upright. “It’s hard to explain with them?—”

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