She started to cry. Angus ground out, “I believe that’s an answer.” I said, “I want her to say it.” She spat at me, “Do you know that everyone, from the time she was born, thought you and her would just be this dream Hackura realm couple?” I yelled, “WHAT?” I glanced at my dad who shrugged.
He said, “Maybe your mom knows.” Cora snorted, “Of course she doesn’t. Like they’d say it around you. Despite the fact that the Princess never let him come within ten miles of me when we were kids and she babysat him, his other babysitter didn’t notice me.” What the fuck was happening right now?
She continued, “Before Cassie was born people at the park that played with us thought it was me and him. EVERYONE!” Angus said, “I don’t recall thinking that.” I shot him an amused look since Cassie was older than he was. She glared at him. My dad chimed in, “I don’t recall thinking that either. I didn’t think you were suited for each other even when you dated.”
Cora argued, “Because by then everyone said they belonged together.” My dad replied, “I already told you that I didn’t know anyone said that.” She accused, “But you wanted him with her, even though he was with me.” He admitted, “Yes, I did.” Angus and I turned to him in surprise.
She haughtily said, “See?” I asked, “What?” He replied, “I did want you with Cassie because I saw the child she was and the woman she was becoming. I thought she would suit you and this job well. Did I feel that would make a lifelong friend of mine that turned into a brother incredibly happy? Yes. I knew Bjourn and the whole Cambridge family would be happy. That would make my sister happy and I’m not apologizing for that.”
“Nor will I apologize for the fact that I never liked you together with my son, Cora. You were awful together. You pushed for everything between you, and it irritated to me no end that Cayden gave in. I saw it with Evin when he dated Gretchen. You reminded me of her, and I hated that Cayden went through it. I was still nice to you, and I never told him not to date you.” She scoffed.
I defended my dad, “Neither of my parents told me not to date you.” She retorted, “But they didn’t support us.” I rubbed my temples, “Yes, they did. They invited you over and got to know you. They came to events if you were in them, because I was there. They did support us.”
Angus said, “I didn’t. I told him you were trash, and that I hated you. I’ve actually waited so long to say this.” He turned me to face him. He said, “I told you so. She’s awful.” I threw my head back and laughed. I asked, “Do you feel better? You waited so long to say that.” He nodded, “I know. It was horrible keeping it all bottled up inside.” I shook my head smirking at his sarcasm.
I turned, “How did you burn Micah? I nearly missed my aunt’s coronation.” She dismissed that with the flick of her hand, “She moved it for you and I figured she would.” My dad dryly asked, “You figured she would buck tradition and move her coronation? If you lie again, I’ll call my brother in law to torture you. He hasn’t made it to you yet.” Cora shivered in fear with the threat of my Uncle Bjourn hanging over her.
I waited to see if she would realize he was coming today anyway. Cora burned missions and one of those had two of his nephews on it. Me and Micah. Neither of us were related by blood, but that wouldn’t matter to him. This kind of confession would’ve mattered to him even if it wasn’t someone he cared about. She put the lives of people in our realm in jeopardy. Period. End of story. That it was two people that he called nephew was worse.
She admitted, “I used Jed’s login on his computer and looked up Cayden’s mission.” My dad said, “He didn’t have that one.” She shrugged nonchalantly, “I used my dad’s and mom’s login on occasion. I couldn’t possibly remember which time I used whose login.” By the end of the day, she definitely would.
Angus snorted, “You committed treason and you don’t remember all the details. Good lord you’re dumber than a box of rocks.” She replied, “It wasn’t treason!” We all scoffed. She yelled, “It wasn’t! I had faith in Cayden to keep his people safe. It was proof of my love for him.”
Angus muttered, “Crazy train headed for delusional land all aboard.” He shook his head, “I can’t believe you dated her.” I acknowledged, “Neither can I.” She snorted, “Yeah well, the stuff I used didn’t work because he never even cared that much.” That had all our attention.
My dad held up a finger and took out his phone. I knew he’d be texting Uncle Bjourn and probably several others to come. Angus asked, “Why have you kept all this a secret for so long?” She replied, “You guys aren’t rational and don’t understand how much I love Cayden. You would’ve taken it all wrong. I can’t believe he finally suspected. Though, it does prove he’s started to see how smart I am.”
I was in complete shock. My dad let his unbridled fury loose in the bond. He asked, “What did you mean stuff you used on my son?” She laughed, “I can’t believe no one suspected. You all think you’re so smart! Not even your precious Cassie saw I was pulling the strings all along. I kept you from her and I had you before her. I can’t even really be blamed for fucking someone else. I just wanted someone to be interested in me without coercion.”
She flicked her wrist at me, “You weren’t even that into it and humiliating you didn’t work either.” I asked, “Did you use Fairy shit on me?” She glared at me, “God, and you think you’re smart? NO, I didn’t use Fairy shit on you. The Princess would’ve known and if you ask, she’ll tell you that she never liked me. I can’t figure out why, but she didn’t. It was so obvious.”
I asked, “Why do you think that?” It was true but I needed her to keep talking. She started to roll her eyes then stopped and shot a terrified look at Angus. He sent me his incredulity that she was scared of him and not everyone that was here now. Gunner was definitely here, since this directly affected his son.
I knew my dad would make sure Micah came too. I knew he would be relieved hearing all this. To this day, he was convinced that he fucked up that mission. We’d found no proof either way and I knew he blamed himself.
When he was going in with the Hunters was one of his first missions back and he’d been nervous, but wanted to do it for Max. He’d been in the background of several missions since. Ashley probably kept him in the field all together.
Cora answered me, “She never let me near you. I’d been giving you candy, but she wouldn’t let me.” I yelled, “You were dosing me with shit as a kid?!” She reasoned, “Just basic Witch stuff. You know?” I was grabbed from behind as I lunged at her. I screamed, “BASIC WITCH SHIT?! Let me RIP her head off.”
Eric got in my face. I was stunned to realize that he was the one who had me wrapped up. He linked me, “We need the information. We need to know what she did so we can be on the lookout for it.” I punched Cora’s cell and winced.
Then Cassie’s elation hit me. She’d found her dress and that centered me. At least my emotions weren’t messing up the day for her. I didn’t know how, but I was glad. Knowing she had her dress made everything ok again.
Aiden Holloran commented, “You know spells, charms, nor any type of magic can make someone love you.” She snarked, “It can keep them around.” He laughed, “You supernatural’s that cannot cast magic yourselves are all alike. You misunderstand the meaning behind magic and its intent. You cheated on the man. You picked at the pride of a Hackura. Which is literally insane when you consider you are one.”
She argued, “He wasn’t supposed to see it! He came home early. He was just supposed to find out and work harder to keep me.” Aiden laughed in her face, “He is a Hackura. You know that, right?” She was confused, “Of course I do.” Did she though?
He asked, “And if someone cheated on you, how would you feel?” She went to answer and faltered. He shook his head, “Exactly. All of you lot refuse to put yourself in situations to know how you’d feel.Given he is someone in leadership he’d feel more harshly than you would. I am not surprised my sister kept him from you.” She faltered, “How did you know that?”
He answered, “I was over there with my brother in law. My sister could probably sense your motivations were not wholesome. It’s where if she’d still be around me and Arion and told us her feelings about you that you’d have died mysteriously.” She scoffed, “As if you could kill me.” He set her cell on fire. He commented casually, “Gosh, I just don’t know how I could kill you.” Sarcasm was a Fairy’s bread and butter. He called the flames back.
She coughed and sputtered while he rolled his eyes. He said, “I was not speaking of me any way. Arion would’ve killed you. I would’ve wanted to, but I would’ve been stopped by the fact that you were a child. Arion would not have such a problem. If Haley said you were possibly bad, he would’ve stalked you and found out if you were. He’d have been ready to kill you either way.” He missed him too. Damn. My mom was right earlier.
I asked, “What else did you do to me? Candy from Witch’s spells and what? Did you blow my mission with Micah?” She replied, “I already told you I did.” I pressed, “How?” She said, “Well, in some email it had blind spots you met you handlers. I went through and found the people you were watching. I gave them Micah’s picture and told them who he was. I pretended I was a jilted lover who was pissed off at him and left. Not bad for someone you thought was dumb.”
My Uncle Bjourn spoke, “We have a different definition of not bad. I would call it treason, but then you apparently started with your treason young. I’ll assume you found out your family had married into Witch blood, and despite cutting them out, you sought them out for the candy you got.” She nodded, “Yup. People think I’m dumb, but I’m resourceful.”
My Aunt Astrid grabbed her and broke her arm. I said, “She’s Cassie’s to kill. I promised her.” My Aunt Astrid told me, “I know that.” She grabbed her by the hair. She said, “I cannot believe you got past us all.” I muttered, “Except Haley.”
