He flicked a hand dismissively. “Don’t be stupid. Your parents are old friends, boy. Of course, we can come here whenever we want.”
Of course.
I forced myself to my feet. Grabbing a throw blanket to wrap my hips, I ignored the ache between my legs, and followed him out of the room. He stopped and turned.
“You, too, girl,” he snapped at Sierra.
Her eyes flashed white, and he drew in a sharp breath.
“I’m definitely coming with you.” Sierra jerked Enzo’s huge t-shirt off the floor and tossed it on, not even bothering with underwear as she stomped out behind us.
We’d barely made it out of the room when a portal opened before us and we were shoved through, landing back at the Warner Estate. It took some convincing, but I managed to get Sierra to wait while I spoke with my father privately.
In the dungeon, I confronted him again about the sudden claim to paternity over Sierra. He shrugged it off as if it bore no significance, his response chilling in its indifference. “Oh, she’d be a Warner either way,” he said with a sneer, gesturing toward his brother. “It doesn’t matter which of us is the father.”
My stomach roiled at the revelation. Suddenly, his words made sense—the reason why he’d been so suddenly adamant about me marrying Sierra. My mind was reeling; how could he be so cold? How could he dismiss something so important so casually?
He turned to face me fully, his eyes flickering to the cage. “What matters is keeping this place out of Harris’s hands. And Cordelia’s too, for that matter. So, we’ll stick with the story that Harris is her father,” he said, his voice low and cruel. “When we send him back to the grave, the Warner estate will remain in our hands, no matter what. Nobody has to know that she’s your sister.”
My heart jackrabbited as I tried to process what he told me. My head spun, and I fought back nausea. My parents’ evil plans went deeper than I’d ever imagined. The taste of bile rose in my throat as I backed away from him, trying to escape his twisted logic.
SIERRA
I couldn’t breathe. Could barely stand on the landing where I hid behind the basement door. I’d followed Heath and his evil father, because like hell I was going to stay in the other because Harold said so. But ... god. I didn’t know what they were going to talk about, but I never expected that. Nausea roiled in my belly. I’d had a hard enough time coming to grips with the fact that Heath and I might be cousins ... but siblings? How long had he known?
My head shook in denial. Surely, he must have only recently found out. My stomach twisted as his recent distancing from me suddenly made perfect sense. I’d been so hurt…tried to hard to make him make love to me…
I gagged as vomit splashed into my throat. I tried to get my shaking legs to move, leave there before anyone spotted me, but the sound of someone pounding on the front door made me have to squeeze back further out of sight.
I held my breath, hoping Heath and his dad didn’t come back up the stairs before I could try to find a way to leave.
“Cordelia, what a pleasant surprise.” Helene said with a welcome that even I could tell was fake, and allowed Harris’s wife into the hall.
I stiffened, my gut twisting further. Of all people to show up now. I was stunned Helene let her in, and it made me even more frightened and suspicious.
“Helene, darling,” Cordelia purred, her voice like silk on gravel. “I just stopped by to check on you and the family. And,” she added, in a tone of disdain, “to inquire about the safe house. The one that is shockingly closed off to me. I’m sure there is some mistake?”
“Of course, darling. As for the safe house, I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Nonsense, Helene,” Cordelia said, her voice sweet yet filled with venom. “I know you’ve been using it. I want it. It’s only fair I have access to it as well.”
“Now, now, Cordy,” Helene said. “Let’s not be so dramatic. I’m certain there’s some misunderstanding.”
I couldn’t breathe as Helene stepped into the hall, her footsteps drawing closer. “Harold is getting wine from the cellar, since the servants still haven’t arrived.” she continued calmly. “You two should sit down and discuss this like civilized people.”
I pressed myself against the wall, feeling invisible but also terrified that any noise would give me away. I held my breath as Helene swept past my hiding spot, and Cordelia turned to follow her down the stairs. When she heard Cordelia behind her, Helene smiled in way that sent a chill down my spine. She couldn’t be planning anything good. I suspected Mrs. Warner was going to reunite Cordelia and Harris - in the same cage. Maybe even the same grave.
As they descended into the dank, darkness of the cellar, something felt off. The air shifted, becoming charged with magic. I peeked around the door as Cordelia raised her wand.
It was pointed at Helene’s back.
Should I do something?
Before I could decide, Cordelia stumbled down the last couple of steps, gasping.
“Harris?” she cried.
Helene turned and laughed. “Surprise, surprise!”
Cordelia ran toward the cage where her husband bashed uselessly against the bars.
“How?” she whispered. She whirled on the Warners, her wand drawn. “What is this?”
“Consider it an early anniversary present, darling,” Helene said smoothly, a hint of laughter in her voice. “The two of you can die together this time.”
“It’s you who’ll be dying!” Cordelia screamed. “Maroni will destroy all of you, and Harris and I will take over Ravenswood once more.”
Harold and Helene both laughed, unfazed, until Cordelia turned her wand toward Heath. I sprang from behind the door, but it didn’t matter. Helene swiftly sent Cordelia’s wand flying away from her. An instant later, Harold shot a killing spell straight at Cordelia’s head. She dropped dead immediately, while her husband’s mouth opened in silent rage and grief in his soundproof prison.
My Reaper instincts took over, and I sprinted down the stairs, then stopped halfway as Mazarin’s voice whispered in my head for me to stay there. Heath ran up to me.
“Why did you have to do that?” I yelled at his parents.
Harold looked up, froze in surprise, then scoffed. “Stupid girl. Why do you think?”
Power.
