Chapter 142 A Decision.

Chapter 142 A Decision.
Josh’s POV.

I remained on my knees, my hand still clutching Camille’s cold fingers. The world felt like it was spinning in slow motion, the edges of my vision blurred with a hazy, blood-red tint. Every sob from Lorenzo felt like a knife in my ribs, but the rage—the cold, oily blackness of it—was beginning to drown out the pain.

I looked up at Linus, my gaze a death sentence. "Tell me everything Linus. You have only been gone for five days. How did that result to the death of my Queen?"

Linus shivered, his voice cracked a bit. "It was a ruse, Your Majesty. A trap. There was no civil war between the witches... or rather, it was already over before we arrived. The followers of Helios had already killed off Fujin’s followers. They led us into the kingdom under the disguise of an escort, and then... the magic hit us." He choked back a sob, looking down at the blood-stained sheet. "They slaughtered the men like animals. They told me I was to be the messenger. They wanted me to tell you that the peace is over. They killed her because she took part in the war that ended Khaos, and they want you to know that the same will happen to you and everyone else who were involved."

"They murdered our Queen," Hera whispered, her voice trembling. "Indeed they are seeking to start a war."

"Then war is what they shall have!" Orion roared, his teeth gritted in rage. "They think they can spill royal blood and go scot-free? They deemed us weak because of this alliance. We must show them that the Vampire Nation still has fangs!"

"Wait!" Hera countered, stepping forward and looking at me with desperate eyes. "Your Majesty, please. We must think reasonably. The scouts were sent to find Lord Khaos. He is the only one who can truly end this without plunging the entire world into darkness. He is the arbiter of peace. If we take matters into our own hands, more lives will be lost. The witches makes use of black magic. We will be no match for them. We must remain in peace until Khaos arrives."

"Peace?" Tanus spat, his eyes flashing with fury. "You expect us to sit on our hands while the witches mock us? If we wait for Khaos, we look like cowards! Besides, Khaos is obsessed with harmony. What if he simply 'forgives' them to keep the peace? Queen Camille is dead! The vampires will never forgive this!"

"You are making a terrible mistake!" Hera pleaded, her voice rising. She turned to me, her hands clasped. "Your Majesty, I beg you. Do not let your grief blind you. Do not act foolishly out of anger. If we start this war, there is no coming back."

Suddenly, the heavy doors of the courtroom swung open again. Giron, who hadn't spoken a word in years, marched into the room. His presence was like a shadow stretching across the floor. He didn't look at the council; his eyes stayed fixed on me.

"You fought through hell to be with that woman, Josh," Giron said, his voice a low, mocking rasp. "Despite my disgust and disapproval, I have watched you through the years Josh. I watched a human risk his life to be with the woman he loves even when he almost lost his life at the process. He became one of us just to stand by her side. If you do not seek revenge for her now, then everything you did was for nothing, every pain you survived for her sake would be useless. If you do not march on those witches, you are a coward. I may have hated you with every bone in my body, but I have always admired your bravery. But if you let those monsters go free after taking the love of your life from you, I will lose every ounce of respect for you as a vampire, and as a King."

The word coward echoed in my head, mixing with the sound of Lorenzo’s weeping. My hand tightened on Camille’s until the knuckles turned white. The human Josh—the man who loved the light and sought peace was now dead. He had died the moment that sheet was pulled back.

The room went silent. I stood up, slowly letting go of Camille’s hand. "You're right Giron."

"But your majesty..." Hera tried to protest.

"Enough!" I snarled at her, my eyes glowing a brilliant, terrifying red that silenced her protest. "My decision is made," I said, my voice cold and deadly. "We are going to war. We will not wait for Lord Khaos who hasn't been found in years, and we will not ask for permission to avenge my Queen."

Hera let out a long, defeated sigh. "Then at least... at least inform Prince Domenic. He is her brother. He has a right to know before we go any further."

I looked at her, then down at Lorenzo, who had stopped crying and was looking up at me with a dark, hollow expression that mirrored my own. "She is right father, at least uncle Domenic should be informed before we make a decision."

I let out a shaky breath. This was slowly becoming the worst day of my life. "Fine, I will write to Domenic, I will tell him that his sister is dead. But let it be known to every person in this room, to every witch in that coven, and to anyone who thinks they can stand in my way: nothing will stop me from wiping the witches out of existence. Not Lord Khaos, and definitely not Prince Domenic." I looked back at Camille’s pale face. "I’m going to burn their world down for you, my love," I whispered.

I turned and walked out of the courtroom. One more look at Camille’s face and I might break down and lose control. It would take me some time to get over this and arrange for her burial.

I swear on my life, the witches are going to pay for this!