Chapter 53 - Strategy

~~~ Allaya ~~~

Raw horror lashes through my body as memories of that monster killing my real mother are flashing through my mind. He is the reason why I never got to meet her, to be held in her motherly embrace. To feel protected and loved by her.

My racing heartbeats are threatening my figure with a heart attack, the poor organ was so overworked in the last month, I’m surprised that I am still safe and sound, though knowing my true nature, I understand my resilience.

A basic human would have collapsed already. But I am no basic human.

My father’s terror-struck features along with the fact that my adoptive mother, Aurora, the only mother I really met, the mother that has always showed me the warmth of a family, is in hands of that sick devil, are making the blood in my veins boil with wild rage.

But then something weird happens inside me after I instinctively trace my necklace with my fingers. A serene feeling settles inside me, instantly calming my anger.

It had this effect on me from the first moment I touched it, a small token of my real mother’s love, an item that empowers me.

This is not the time to lose my temper, this is precisely what Morrigan wants, to force us to engage in a battle unprepared. No, we need to strategize.

“How did it happen? How did that monster get to my mother? I’m sure you must have protected her!” I inquire and instantly regret, my father is already blaming himself, his face is paper-white pale, and it’s the first time in my life when I see him so discomposed.

“This morning, your step sister, Elena, called your mother–”

“Elena called?” I interrupt him, my voice alien to my own ears.

My heart skipped some beats when hearing her name, though I tried to convince myself that I hate her for what she did, I just loved her too much to be able to forget those feelings. She was my sister, my best friend, my support. Or so I believed.

Anyway, to be completely honest with myself, I love her and hate her at the same time.

“Yes, Elena called her saying that she wanted to meet, that Elijah was treating her badly and she wanted to receive our forgiveness and return to deliver her baby. Or, at least your mother believed she was talking to her.”

“What do you mean? Someone impersonated Elena to bait my mother out of the house?”

Something definitively seems off about all of this. They had too many details, like Elena’s pregnancy, the fact that she left home, her relationship with Elijah.

“I think so, because as she was out for too many hours without contacting me, I called your sister and she said she didn’t talk to her, much less ask her to meet. She seemed rather displeased with my interrogation and didn’t even care that her own mother was in danger.”

Yeah, that sounds just like her.

Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to Elena, she proved to be a cunning, manipulative bitch. And yes, I still care about her, but that doesn’t mean I should be blind to her flaws. Been there, done that! Not anymore!

“But how are you certain that Morrigan took her? We cannot know for sure, moreover if she’s been missing for only a few hours.”

“Do you think I’d worry you for nothing? Of course, I know!” His tone is laced with anger and pain altogether. “I’m sorry, sweet baby, I’m just… slowly dying inside. I feel useless. It’s not your fault and your questions are perfectly understandable. I’m not making much sense, being too wrecked to be able to explain properly.”

“It’s okay, dad!” I engulf him in a tight hug. “I’m worried too, but I’ll do anything in my power to find her. Please, continue sharing with us all the details! This way, we’ll know how to proceed next.”

“It didn’t pass long after I talked to your sister, that one of Morrigan’s men paid me a visit, confirming my dreadful suspicion, Aurora is in their possession!”

“That fucking bastard! I should have killed him when I had the chance!”

Rage is stirring inside me, I feel that darkness engulfing me once again. Pandora is restless, I can tell that she is trying to overpower me.

“Baby, you need to calm yourself. Your eyes are looking really weird, a mix of purple and red! Hayden hugs me from behind, restoring my emotional balance.

“What are his conditions?” I demand my father, his body stiffens in a flash.

He briefly closes his eyes in pain before responding. “You.” He pauses. “He wants you.”

“What do you mean he wants her? Over my dead body!” Hayden cuts in, wrath erupting in waves from his figure, he even releases me from the hug. “He will never have her!” His voice of life-threatening tone is echoing in the room.

“Don’t take it out on my father!” I lean a hand on his chest to calm him. “He is already in pain!”

“I’m sorry.” He whispers.

“There is no need boy, I understand how you feel. Under no circumstance he would have Allaya. Aurora would not want that either, but we need to protect my wife as well.” My father’s voice came out broken, I have never seen him like this before, a sharp pain is lacing through my being.

“Send word that he can have me. He just has to come here.” I declare after making up my mind, they stare at me in pure shock. “I have a plan.”

I do not intend to sacrifice myself, but I will do whatever necessary to save my mother from that monster, my mother and anyone I love.

My goal is to get rid of him, but if what it takes to succeed is sacrificing myself, I will do it without a second thought.

~~~ Morrigan ~~~

I scoff, pacing around, that blasted wizard had the audacity to set conditions, as if they would stand a chance against me.

They must really believe that because she is a hybrid, her power might surpass mine, oh they humor me so much. Clearly, they have lost the last hint of sanity.

The witch, Alita, seems blocked in some sort of trance since he left, she is very focused, I bet that she is planning our victory.

She is the only one I can rely on, and to think that when Aria brought her here as a little girl, after she found her wandering the street hungry in the cold weather, I could not stand her. I was never fond of weaklings or beggars, she possessed both attributes.

After Aria’s execution, I believed that she would leave the Council because Aria raised her as a daughter, but that did not happen.

She stayed and became a valuable asset, the only one I can fully trust to do her job. She has never refused a task nor has she ever failed; I have tested her loyalty multiple times.

“What do you think?” I demand, pulling her from her thoughts.

“I see no reason not to accept his request. He loves his wife so he wants her safe. I don’t think that they have the resources to scheme something. But to make sure, we can meet them in the ceremony room, as they will hold no magical power there, it is shielded the same as the courtroom.” She declares and I mentally agree, what a brilliant idea.

I could not plot something better myself. The only one that would have supernatural powers is the little hybrid that has no knowledge on how to control them.

What a waste, to give such great abilities to such a pitiful weakling.

Moreover, if something goes wrong, I have my little secret weapon, and I’m not scared to use it if and when the time comes.

I rub my hands together, they won’t even know what it hit them.

“It also depends if you want to keep them alive or if you want them dead.” Alita pauses and locks eyes with me. “What do you really want?”

“To kill them all, of course.” I growl, the furniture shaking under my powerful voice. “To kill them, all except for the girl, she would be a great substitute for Aria. But first, they need to suffer, they need to beg me to have the mercy to kill them.”

I am so going to enjoy everything!