Chapter 166

Chapter 166
Cinema

For a moment I paused as I hung in midair, staring at her with one thing in mind - how was she able to stand here saying this without even a drop of tears falling from her eyes? I came back down with tears in my eyes as I fell to the ground. Carmine rushed to my side as he wrapped his hands around me, staring at Carly as he muttered a ‘thank you’ to her. 

“Come on Ximena, I know she'll get through this,” Talia’s voice echoed in my head, but deep within me I knew she was only trying to make me feel better when she was also hurting, as she spoke with a trembling voice. 

“Your Majesty,” Carly's voice echoed in my ears, making me raise my gaze in her direction. “With your permission, I can get the others to prepare her body for the morgue,” she said, but at this point, I was even too weak to speak as I just gave her a light nod. 

Just then she left after reassuring Rogan that she was fine before she went out. But as she left, I could still feel the heaviness in her voice with every step she took. 

I raised my gaze to Rogan, who just stood there without a sword as he stared at me. “You should probably go check on her, she lied,” I said to him, my voice firm and strong.

“Are you going to be fine?” he asked.

“Don't worry about her, go check on your mate, man, I'm here for her,” Carmine fired at him.

“Okay, man, thanks,” he replied before storming out. 

Carmine turned his gaze in my direction, raising my chin up to meet him as he stared deeply into my eyes. “You should probably get some rest now. I know it's been a long night,” he said with a calm voice. 

“I want to lay beside her before they come to pick her up,” I muttered under my breath. 

“Come on Ximena, you know that's not…” he tried to speak.

“That's what I want, Carmine,” I replied, my eyes glassy with tears as I stared at him, making him go mute.

“Okay fine, just for a little while then,” he replied in surrender.

And without another word, I walked towards the bed, stepping on it, laying next to my mother’s lifeless body, wrapping my hands around her in a hug with tears in my eyes. 

“Don't worry mother, I’ll never leave you, I won’t, I promise,” I kept mumbling as the tears flowed freely down my cheeks. 

I stayed right there, clutching my hands tightly around her cold body until Carly came in with puffy eyes and some other soldiers ready to take her away. 

“Ximena, it's time,” Carmine announced.

“Five more minutes, Carmine, please,” I begged. 

“Your Majesty…” Carly tried to speak, taking a step forward, but Carmine was quick to stop her from coming any closer, giving her a light nod. 

“It's okay, let's give her five more minutes to say her final goodbyes. It will help,” he said.

“Okay,” Carly replied with a smile. 

I moved my gaze to my mom as I caressed my hands all over her body, with droplets of my tears falling on her cold skin. I stared at her peaceful face, placing a light kiss on her forehead before turning my gaze away as I got out of the bed and walked slowly to the window, staring into thin air. “You can take her away,” I said without looking back. All I heard were sounds of footsteps as they exited the room. 

Just then, Carmine walked to where I was, pulling me in for a hug as he stroked the strands of my hair backwards. “She'll make you proud, that I know,” he said softly. 

“This isn't what I planned, Carmine,” I said in a low voice.

“Me neither, Ximena, but it is what it is, and the goddess made it so. We most definitely can’t question her decision. Your mom came, she played her part, and helped us in defeating Aruka. Now it's our turn to play ours and defeat the very last one still in the game - and that's your uncle. I'm sure after that, Ma'am Lia would be more than proud wherever she is right now,” he said.

“Speaking of Aruka,” I said with a stern voice, raising my head from his shoulders as I stared at him with fury in my eyes, my blood boiling with rage. 

“What about her?” he asked with creased brows.

“I know what to do with her now!” I spat sternly as I stormed out of the room with anger in my chest, clutching my knuckles tightly until they turned white. 

“Ximena, what do you have in mind?” he asked as he trailed behind me.

“You'll see,” I retorted with a stern voice as I marched down the stairs, heading outside where she hung weakly in the air with her minions. 

“Ximena, please, I beg of you… please let me go. I promise not to bother you anymore, please,” Chris begged with tears, and some slimy substance dropped out of his mouth. 

I turned my gaze in his direction with a stern look on my face. “I gave you a chance, Chris. I tried to have mercy on you, but what did you do? Huh?!” I fired at him. 

“You have to listen to me, Ximena. At the time my hands were tied, I couldn't…” he said.

“I'll stop you right there, Chris,” I chimed, cutting in sharply. “My hands were the actual hands that were tied against that metallic wall where you almost electrified me to death, so no, your hands were never tied,” I spat sternly at him.

“Ximena, please,” he begged.

“That's enough!” Carmine sneered sternly at him. “Shut your trap before I help you do it, young man… she didn't come for you,” he added, making Chris suddenly go mute. 

I turned my gaze to Aruka, who just hung up there without a word. “Hey, auntie,” I greeted with a wicked grin on my face, making her eyes flicker open as they met mine. 

“Ah, you're awake,” I said, heaving a deep sigh. 

“What do you want from me, huh?! If you want to kill me, just do it!!” she spat at me, her voice laced with venom. 

“Oh, of course, auntie, we'll definitely come to that. But first, I thought it might interest you to know that your sister is dead. I'm sure that's good news for you, isn't it?” I asked with no expression on my face.

“Well, for once you're right, my little niece. That indeed is great news!” she said with a smirk on her face, but just before she could finish, I landed a hot, resounding slap on her cheek, sending that smile back to where it came from and making her twist her face in a scowl. 

“I'm so going to make you pay dearly, auntie. You're going to die so slowly, and your last wish would be for death to just come,” I spat at her.

Just then, she managed to gather some strength as she spat on the floor, her gaze unwavering as she stared at me. “You can only wish that, honey. We both know you don't have the heart for that. And trust me, when I get out of here, I wouldn't hesitate to get that scroll out of you and slit that tiny throat of yours with all pleasure,” she sneered. 

“Alright then, I'll keep these talks for later and allow the show to begin,” I said, pausing for a while, my voice laced with venom. “Guards!!” I snarled with a stern voice, and in a matter of minutes, the whole field was filled with several guards as they came in with their weapons. 

“Bring her down and get me your best tools, as it's about to get really bloody,” I ordered.

“On it, Your Majesty,” they all chorused. 

“Wait a minute,” I spat at them, making them all pause in their tracks. “Make sure you bring a large bowl for her blood. I wouldn't want it on the very ground which I'll walk on,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Copy that, Your Majesty,” they said in unison as they stormed out into several places in the castle while some focused on bringing her down from where she hung.

“You can’t do this, Ximena. I'm your blood!!!” she kept yelling at the top of her voice, but I just watched with a smile on my face as she was dragged by the soldiers. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Carmine asked with furrowed brows, making me snap my head in his direction. 

“I've never been so sure of something in my entire life, Carmine!!” I shot back at him through gritted teeth. 

“Alright… fine then… I support you,” he said with a smile, pausing for a while as he moved his gaze to Aruka. “So tell me something, how do you want her to die?” he asked with a smirk on his face.

“Oh baby, I have lots of ideas in mind. Why don't you help me pick?” I asked.

“Oh… it would be my pleasure then,” he replied, wrapping his hands around me with a smile plastered on his face.