Page 294 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“Don’t let Tessa hear you discuss the Fates,” Axel snickered.
Kyra hummed. “Yes, the Fates have not been particularly kind to her.” A few seconds passed before she said, “Before the others return, there are two people here I think you will find of interest. One you may not wish to speak to. The other, I think you would like to meet.”
His stomach dropped.
His mother and his sister.
“I…” He pushed out a harsh breath, shoving his hand through his hair. “Cressida,” he finally said. “I do wish to speak to her.” He glanced at Katya. “Alone.”
“I can arrange that,” Kyra said.
So while everyone else continued to tour the kingdom, Axel went with Kyra’s Source to a small town on the other side of the Terrarun River at the base of the Raghnall Mountains. Just inside Sulien Forest, it was built into the side of a mountain. The kingdom’s own mini Underground it seemed. Then again, it wasn’t quite a prison. There were not bars, but semi-comfortable rooms that they weren’t allowed to leave.
“Just knock when you’re done,” he said, and Axel nodded as he was let into a room.
It was sparse. A small sitting room with a table for two, a sofa, a small desk, and a bookshelf. A doorway led to what he assumed was a small bedroom and bathroom. Cressida had clearly heard the door, because she emerged from that room a moment later, then froze when she saw who stood in her space.
“Axel?” she gasped, rushing to him and throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank Arius you’ve come for me.”
He was stiff as he reached for her arms and pulled her off him, gently shoving her back a few steps. His lips curled back as he said, “I didn’t come for you. I only came to say goodbye.”
Because at the end of the day, shewasstill his mother.
“Say goodbye?” she cried. “What do you mean?”
“You kept things from Theon. From me. You betrayed Arius Kingdom and tried to have Tessa killed,” Axel said coldly.
“I was forced to keep those secrets,” she argued. “And betraying Arius Kingdom? I was betraying your father, not the kingdom. Do you know what he did to me?”
“I do,” he answered. “I’m sorry you had to endure that.”
“You’re sorry?” she repeated, her features turning cold and angry. “As if that changes anything.”
“It doesn’t. I know that.”
“I suppose I should be grateful. After all, I gotyouin the end, right?”
“I could never replace another child,” he replied.
“That’s not what your father said,” she sneered. “A male. A spare heir. I should be honored to provide such a thing after giving him such adisappointmentthe first time.”
“But you never really loved me, did you?” he asked.
She lifted her chin. “I did what I could.”
“You tolerated me. Used me as a weapon against Valter and Theon. Favored me out of spite,” Axel continued, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
She was quiet, and when that silence stretched on for nearly two minutes, when she refused to look at him, he knew he was right.
“I have a son,” he said, and her head snapped up, emerald eyes wide.
“What?” she gasped. “I have a grandson?”
“One that you will never lay eyes on,” he replied. “Because you will remain here. For the rest of your days.”
“I am your mother,” she cried, lurching forward and clutching at his arm. “You can’t leave me here!”
“My mother was kept locked in the Underground for nearly a decade,” Axel snarled, once again removing her hands from hisbody. “She has held my son. She has rocked him to sleep. She is the only reason you are not in the After.”
