Page 142 of Of Storm and Emerald
And finally, watched as one of Auraelia’s very own lady’s maids laced her mother’s glass of champagne before her toast.
Bile rose in her throat as she watched her mother die for the second time that day.
As the vision ended, her vision clouded once more, like curtains falling across a stage at the end of a performance.
She’d done it.
Piper had been able to manipulate and steer the vision to show her the information she needed.
Opening her eyes, Auraelia smiled at her friend. “Thank you.”
As she turned to Xander, her smile dropped into cold disdain, and the warmth she’d just given Piper switched to one of seething fury. “Bring me, Kyra.”
It wasn’t long before Kyra had been dragged kicking and screaming into the ballroom, and more of the queen’s guards lined the walls.
Auraelia stood next to her mother’s lifeless body, her eyes seeing no color other than red as the woman responsible for the lethal dose of poison stood in front of her.
“Kyra, you have murdered the Queen of Lyndaria and the Court of Emerald.” It wasn’t a question. She didn’t want–or need–her to confess to the crime. She had all the proof she needed in Piper’s vision.
Kyra didn’t respond, but her eyes were fixed to the lifeless body that lay on the floor by Auraelia’s feet.
“Do you haveanythingto say?”
Kyra pulled her gaze up to Auraelia’s face, but when she opened her mouth, the only sound that escaped was her gasping for air.
The guards that had been holding her upright, released her as she crumpled to the floor.
Auraelia's head cocked slightly to the side and her lips pressed into a firm line, as she watched with fire in her eyes and ice in her heart.
Watched as Kyra clawed at her throat, her face beginning to turn shades of pink and purple from the lack of oxygen.
“You stole my mother from me. Murdered her, in cold blood.” Auraelia took a step forward, her lip pulling up into a snarl. “Now, you will pay the same price.”
Letting her pain and anger drive her, Auraelia held out her hand and slowly began to close it into a fist–the closer her fingers got to her palm, the more Kyra struggled.
Blood vessels began to burst in her eyes, turning their whites, crimson.
But just before she closed her fist completely, Daemon stepped in front of her and pulled her hand open.
“Auraelia, you don’t want to do this.”
Her hardened gaze burned into his, “And why is that? She murdered my mother, Daemon!”
“I know, my star, I know. But you don’t want your first act as queen to be murdering someone. Especially, in front of every delegate in our realm. Please, Auraelia. Don’t do this.” His voice was only loud enough for her ears as he pleaded with her to stop.
His softened gaze locked onto hers, and she felt a crack form in her need for vengeance.
“My mother is dead,” her voice cracked, and tears lined her eyes.
“I know. I’m so sorry, Auraelia.”
Not caring who was watching, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed.
Daemon wrapped her in his arms, told Xander to throw Kyra in a cell, then shadow-walked them away from the prying eyes of court, and into her rooms.
Chapter Forty-Six
Auraelia
