Page 13 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

Jonathan King

Elliot Donovan

Greg Donovan

Then the endless list of nameless lackeys who supported them. Every single one of them has had a hand in everything that has happened, one way or another. And every single one of them will pay.

The price? Their demise.

I will make them all suffer, regardless of who they are, what they do and whose blood they share. That includes my parents. Their blood means nothing to me unless it is being spilled in retribution for everything, they did to me.

Helen, finally throwing down the cloth she’s nearly torn to shreds, breaks me from my thoughts. She stalks out of the kitchen, most likely heading to a private place to break down now that she can’t focus on taking care of anyone else. She likes to be the strength in us all, always has been, but tonight is the time for her to fall apart. We all need it.

You have to break so you can be made again, better, stronger. The same mistakes you once made, left in the shadows of your old self so you can be reborn and move on. I felt lost earlier tonight, but I refuse to let myself drown in my own despair. I know what I need to do, and Max is going to help me.

My thoughts are broken when a commotion sounds from out in the hall that is soon followed by Owen and Josh dragging in an incredibly angry Lily. She's fighting against them with a bag on her head and I find myself smirking a little at the dramatics.

“Why the hell did you bag her?” I ask.

Lily stops struggling immediately. “Elle? Is that you?” Her tone is glacial, and I just know she will find a way to get payback on these two for the way they brought her here. I gesture towards them and they lift the bag, releasing her arms at the same time. She squints as the light assaults her eyes and then quickly takes in her surroundings.

“What the fuck?” she exclaims turning to look at her captors, and I find myself doing the same.

Owen is smirking like a crazy person whereas Josh is giving her the stink eye as he speaks, “We tried to extract her quietly, but she wouldn’t cooperate.” He brings his gaze to me and shrugs. “We had to get creative.”

“Creative? Fucking creative.” She moves towards him and I jump up to grab her back as she continues, “I’ll give you creative, you fucking pussy.”

“Lils,” I say, putting my arms around her stomach from behind and pulling her towards me, stalling her movements. She huffs as I release her, and as she turns to me her face immediately drops.

“What’s wrong? Why am I here?” She casts her glance to Marcus and then back to the security guys before coming back to me.

“Come sit down, Lils.”

“No. I don’t wanna sit down, what the fuck is wrong? Where’s Logan?” Of course, her first question is for her twin. She’s had this conversation before when someone ripped her world apart and told her that their parents didn't survive the car crash.

“Logan’s fine.” I hesitate, not sure how to even say the words at this point. “It’s Zack, he was shot.”

Her eyes widen in shock and I see her take a deep swallow as she tries to process what I just told her. Then she scrunches her eyes up as she assesses me from head to toe and once again looks at Marcus.

“What else?” She asks looking back at me, and I frown at her question. How does she already know there is more? When I don’t respond she continues, “Elle, I’ve only ever seen that look in your eyes once before.”

Logan enters the room as she speaks, followed by Ash and Linc, all of them look relieved when they see Lily.

“Lils, thank fuck.” Logan crosses the room in an instant and crushes her into a bear hug and when he pulls back, she looks even more worried than before.

Owen and Josh slip away as Lincoln and Asher join us at the kitchen island and then to my surprise, so does Jace. She takes in each of our faces one by one.

“Where's Mom and Dad?” Her voice cracks slightly at her question. She likes to act tough and unaffected by everything. Has always been the most closed off of the Royton clan, but I know it’s just an act. A way to try to keep people at arm's length so if she loses someone else, she loves it won’t affect her. If only that was the way, it worked.

“They’re fine,” I assure her. “Arthur went with Zack to the hospital and Helen is here somewhere, she was waiting for you. The two of you need to go to a safe house.”

“Where is Cassie?” Her question doesn’t throw me, I expected it, but the sound of my daughter's name cuts me like a knife.

I continue, “I don’t know how long yet and I know it’s not ideal missing college, but until things calm down, we need to be safe.” I move to the fridge and pull out a bottle of water, just to do something with my shaking hands.

“Where is Cassie?” she asks again, her voice laced with more anguish this time. She knows, but she needs to hear me say it.

“Don’t worry, I will contact your tutors securely and make sure they send you work so you don’t fall behind. With break coming up, it will be fine. Everything will be fine.” I can feel every set of eyes in the room burning into my skin. How can you hold yourself together when everything has already fallen apart?

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