Page 96 of Sworn to My Heart
My mother pours the fresh sweet water she brought into the shells, and Zale is the first to stand and give his blessing, as is customary. They don’t waste more time on land than necessary.
“After years of territorial wars, casualties on both sides, and prolonged hatred, we unite today through the marriage of my first and only son, Galen of the lineage of Al-Ar, to Alianna of the royal house of Mal-El. I am not only happy for my son, but I am also pleased with the peace that will prevail between our pods and the new home we will build in the ocean. I am already looking forward to a little heir,” he ends his speech with a wink in my direction. I muster a diplomatic smile, raising my shell along with everyone else as we toast his blessing and take our first sips.
My parents need to give their blessing now, and I must act swiftly. I discreetly reach under the table, feeling for the sea wasp venom in Luca’s bag left at the balcony entrance. Keeping my gaze fixed on Zale, I force another smile, hoping not to arouse suspicion.
Suddenly, a crashing sound shatters the moment, and we all turn to see my parents collapsed on the ground. The brothers swiftly draw their weapons, aiming at Zale’s head.
Unlike them, I’m slower to react, struggling to grasp what’s happening.What did I miss?
I look at my parents’ faces, which appear lifeless on the balcony floor. Panic grips me as I transform my legs back and rush to their side. “Dad? Mom?” I cry out, shaking them desperately, but there’s no response, their faces frozen and still. Tears well up, and I check for a pulse. Nothing. How is this possible? Zale was beside me; he couldn’t have done this.What’s going on?It must be Zale!
“Bring them back now!” I scream at Zale, my voice cracking with anguish, but he remains fixated on the brothers who haven’t lowered their weapons.
“Release them! You’ve violated our traditions! If you don’t bring them back, you’re starting a war!” I threaten through clenched teeth, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.
“I didn’t break any tradition. This is your tradition, not ours,” Zale retorts smugly, unafraid, facing down the brothers’ guns with defiance. I rise to my feet, feeling exposed but far from defenseless.He will not take my parents from me—not today, not ever!
Rage surges within me, and I seize control of his body in an instant. My fury consumes me as I lift him effortlessly, exerting pressure on his arm until the sickening sound of bones breaking fills the air. He screams in agony, but his laughter echoes madly. He’s crazier than I imagined.
“Zale, bring them back! Now!” I command, the monster within me surfacing as I continue to inflict as much pain as possible without killing him or causing him to lose consciousness. I need him to bring them back.
He doesn’t respond and keeps laughing. I am loosing my patience.
Bay stands frozen in shock, unable to help. I won’t let him kill them; he won’t take them from me! “No matter what you do to him, it won’t help you... he’s not the one who did it...” Galen saysfrom behind me, his annoying smugness grating on my nerves. Without hesitation, Luca leaps across the table and grabs him by the throat.
“You son of a bitch, release them now,” he threatens, pressing his gun to Galen’s temple.
Galen starts laughing too, bringing his legs back. I can’t hold myself back. I want to tear them apart limb by limb. Rage overwhelms me, and I throw Zale’s body to the floor with force. He can barely move, but manages to spit blood while I rush to his son.
“If it’s not Zale, how did you do it? What poison did you use?” I ask impatiently as Luca keeps the gun to Galen’s head. “I didn’t say it wasn’t Zale. I just said it’s not him,” he replies, pointing to Zale writhing in pain on the floor. Suddenly, Zale’s body shifts, revealing Galen on the floor, and Zale appears in Luca’s grasp.
“Luca, let go of him now!” I scream in panic, but it’s already too late. Luca collapses to the floor, paralyzed just like my parents.
“Nooooo!” A scream tears from my throat as I fall to the ground, holding Luca in my arms, but he’s already as cold as ice, paralyzed.
This can’t be happening. This isn’t how today was supposed to end.
Zale approaches me, and a surge of rage unlike anything I’ve ever felt courses through me. “You’re going to pay for this! For everything!” I scream, my voice choked with tears.
Before I can brace myself, he lunges toward me. Just as his hand is about to touch my shoulder, Mariano’s gunshot echoes through the air. Zale staggers from the impact, falling to the ground near me. I leap away, my heart pounding, and then I use my powers to lift him by the neck.
“How did you do it?” I demand, pure hatred lacing my words. I need to understand who among them can bring my parentsback.
“It wasn’t me,” he chuckles as if he has the upper hand now. Bastard.
“My son got his powers late. Who would’ve thought? I feared he wouldn’t get them at all,” he says proudly. “It seems my son also inherited my tactical thinking.”
I can’t stand the sight of his scarred, grotesque face any longer. “Your tactics aren’t as strategic as you think, unless your strategy is to die right here and now,” I threaten through clenched teeth.
“That’s where you’re wrong, dear Alianna. You’re the one returning as our prisoner, not the other way around,” he announces, and I scoff. Mariano presses the gun to Zale’s head.
“Bring back my brother, now!” he commands. For the first time, I see his eyes red with tears.
“It seems these humans never learn, right, Alianna?” Zale says, and I scream for Mariano to back off as I strengthen my grip on Zale.
“Well, now you’re really hurting me,” he says, surprising me by breaking free from my grip and lunging at Mariano. My breath catches, but Mariano dodges just in time and shoots him in the thigh.
I exhale in relief, grateful for their expertise in handling such crises. Returning my focus to Zale, now limping, I note at least something is slowing this monster down.
