FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, SAVING ALDA

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE, SAVING ALDA
Elba's POV

Immediately as Alda's body hit the ground with a thud, my heart skipped with panic.

The two goddesses in front of me immediately turned their attention to Siofra while turning their back on Alda like she didn't matter.

I immediately left Siofra in their care and made my way to Alda. But as I moved closer, I noticed I couldn't feel or hear a heartbeat.

My knees gave out in front of her as my shaky hands checked for a pulse and got nothing. I felt hurt tears clouding my vision.

She doesn't deserve this. She deserves to be saved as much as Siofra does, but instead, they are hovering over Siofra, forgetting all about the body that kept her safe all this while.

Anger flared inside me like a wildfire.

I already had hatred in my heart for them, but this time around, it was personal. I moved toward the two goddesses who were still surrounding Siofra and only stopped when I stood not so far away from them.

“What about her? She's not moving, no heartbeat or any sign of life in her, so what about her?” I questioned, not bothering to hide the anger that was flaming up inside my mind.

“There's nothing we can do about that. Right now, we need to make sure Siofra is okay,” the one who came at me just before they separated Alda and Siofra said, before they both turned their attention back to Siofra's body, which was now showing signs of waking up.

Their nonchalant attitude only added to my anger, and an uncontrollable huff of rage escaped my lips.

Just then, Siofra gasped like someone who desperately needed to breathe as her eyes came open.

“Oh, you're awake. Good. Now we just need to wait for Lumeria to get your grandma awake—which makes me wonder what is taking her so long,” the other one who separated Alda and Siofra said, flashing her a smile.

“Where is Alda?” Siofra asked them with panic in her eyes before she eventually met my angry gaze.

“Elba?” she called out, and I didn't need to say anything before she understood the situation. She dashed to her feet toward Alda.

All the while, I just went quiet and observed them.

“No, Nymeria, Valeria, please tell me you can wake her up. Alda needs to wake up now!” Siofra panicked as she came running back to them.

“This is not the time for this, Siofra. The whole of Álfheimr is at stake. We need to go now!” the one she referred to as Valeria said, and it made me wonder who actually gave these spirits the power and guidance over the gemstones if all lives didn't matter to them.

“I can't leave her behind. Send me back to her body now before it is too late!” Siofra pleaded with them.

“This is not the time for this, Siofra. We need to figure out a way to stop your sister fast and now!” Nymeria, the other goddess, replied.

“They're right, we need to go now if we are going to free all the elves bundled and ready to be used as feeding bait for the underworld creatures.” The voice came from behind—it was Lumeria. It seemed she had successfully brought Siofra's grandma back.

“Grandma! Elba! Please do something. I just can't let Alda go like that,” Siofra pleaded, her eyes searching mine, but my gaze remained with the elderly elf, who also had her gaze on me, though she wasn't saying anything.

At that point, it reminded me why I had hated and sought Almaruda’s power in the first place. The reason why I had never felt any regrets, even when I was cast into the sea for eternity with nothing but sea monsters that could feed on me at any time.

“Wow, you guys are so wonderful. When she kept her soul intact, no one remembered to cast her aside just like you all are doing now, but then suddenly the next queen of Álfheimr is safe and nobody remembers there was a human girl who went all out to make it happen!” I grunted out between anger and pain.

“Yet you call yourselves what again—the goddesses of the gemstones? Thank you guys so much for reminding me why I hated everything about you and for choosing the path that I took,” I added, struggling to hold back my anger as my gaze wandered toward each one of them before I angrily stormed off toward Alda.

The heavens immediately let out a thundering, groaning sound as the once-white clouds darkened.

Rain began massively hitting the earth. With a little flick of my hand, I controlled the tree roots around Alda, letting them pick her up as I made my way away from them.

If they won't help, then I will find a way to save Alda myself. They can go save their poor, pathetic kingdom for all I care.

“Elba!” Siofra's voice called out, and I paused and turned to face her.

“Go do as you're told, princess,” I harshly said to her.

“But I can't go! Not without you or Alda. I'm coming with—” The words seized in her mouth when Nymeria and Valeria melted away like wind and made their way into her body. It felt like she lost control of her own body, all except her pleading eyes that were still on me.

I turned toward the elderly elf and found the same helpless look on her face, like she couldn't do a thing about the situation.

She muttered, “I'm sorry,” to me before Siofra immediately went from frozen in place and looking at me with pity in her eyes, to moving again and staring at me with coldness.

“Let's go. We have giant rock armies to beat before we can make it to Alma in time and stop her before she completely destroys what is left of Álfheimr,” Lumeria said before she made her own way into the elderly elf’s body.

With complete rage, I made my way toward the sea, needing to get back to my cursed cave beneath the waters. I needed to reach the Throne Stone—the only stone that brings back anyone or any breathing, living thing that was slaughtered and had its blood stained upon it back to life.

Xender's POV

I sat behind the seat in the courtroom and watched every smile on Seth's face whenever the court ruled against Albert, and I felt like walking up to him and beating every smile off his face.

Everything was ruling in his favor and pushing Albert toward paying for a crime he didn't commit. But one thing was for sure: between today and the next trial, I will make sure Seth ends up in police custody as a suspect.

That fucking idiot. I can't believe he is planning not only to pin Alda’s parents' death on Albert, but also to make him take the fall for Alda’s death as well.

Luca, Albert’s lawyer, was soon called up. His gaze fell on me and I gave him a subtle nod. He stepped forward and finally brought up the mystery of Alda's death, including the original ownership papers for Alda's company—the exact same company papers Seth claimed Alda had left to him.

Immediately after the documents were handed over to the judge, I watched Seth’s face go pale. The smile disappeared from his face, and I couldn't have been more satisfied.

I already have someone looking for any evidence that Alda was last seen that night at Seth's house, as well as any security footage capturing Seth leaving the Barnards' residence on the night her parents were killed. That left me with the security guard who testified in court claiming to have seen Albert that night. I have a strong feeling he is working for Seth.

After the documents were submitted, Luca also proposed having his own doctor run an independent autopsy on the body that was found as Alda's under court supervision, which the judge agreed to.

Seth was the first to make his way out of the court with a sense of urgency.

I followed behind him and met him as he was taking a call outside. He looked completely pissed off, but masked it the moment he saw me walking out.

“Mr. Armstrong, I see you are here,” he said, flashing a forced smile, which I returned.

“Yes. I thought I would stop by and make sure the man who ended the lives of the Barnards in such a painful way gets what he deserves,” I said, holding his gaze.

“I will make sure he gets what he deserves,” he replied, moving to end his phone call. I saw right through the masked smile. He was enraged.

But this was only the beginning.

“So, I was thinking we could start shooting before the end of the week. I'm already looking into the best models who could make this project a complete success,” I said, smiling at him even wider.

“That's good news, but why don't I call you over to the office tomorrow so we can discuss it?” he asked, a clear rush in his voice.

“Sure. I guess I'll see you tomorrow,” I said to him before walking off, dialing Charles on my phone.

“Tell me you are here already,” I said as soon as he picked up.

“Yep, right in front of you,” he replied just before his car pulled up in front of me. I could still feel Seth's gaze on my back, so I turned and met his eyes before climbing into the back seat, where a figure who still looked ghostly pale was sitting.

Closing the door, I rolled up the tinted window with my eyes locked on Seth until the glass blocked him out completely.

“The game has begun. Do you have what you promised to give me?” I asked, turning to face Anna.

She still looked terribly pale, her lips dry and her eyes looking distant and hollow.

She extended her palm toward me and placed a flash drive in my hand.

“It contains every conversation I had with him. I never wanted any of this, nor did I know he was going to kill Alda. We were only supposed to make her sign her company over to us, but Seth had something else in mind,” she said, but I didn't want to hear any of her excuses.

“You do know your life is in danger once Seth finds out about this, and I have no plans of hiding your involvement in Alda's death,” I said, doing my best to hold back my anger.

“I'm aware, and I'm willing to pay for my mistakes. But you better keep your promise of keeping me safe until the police have Seth,” she said, her terrified, tear-filled eyes holding mine.

“I have a doctor friend who will keep you safe until we have Seth right where we want him.”

She just nodded in complete trust and exhaustion before resting her head back against the window, her eyes closing shut.

I stared at the flash drive in my hand and prayed that this held everything I needed to put Seth right where he belongs.