Hand of the Goddess ✔️

Chapter 29: Eurydice

"We never agreed to this," Aaron protests. He summons a circle of flames surrounding them, protecting them from the red-eyed Family members. Cedric and Nicole huddled behind him, holding hands.

"They're not exactly the most trustworthy people," she said, holding her sword out.

"They usually stick to their word," Cedric replied, taking his pistol out of his jacket. "I don't know what got into Alice."

Maybe it had to do with the fact that she was basically a god now. But Nicole didn't know if she could bring herself to tell him. She was still trying to process the fact that a girl who barely reached puberty could create life with her bare hands. Not to mention that she just witnessed a goddess die in front of her.

Lillian had said she was the true Mother of the Charis Realm, that she couldn't escape her fate as the ruling goddess. It baffled Nicole that she could die so easily. If she had a few more seconds to think about it, she might've come to the conclusion that maybe Lillian wasn't actually dead. Sadly, those extra few seconds were lost to a bunch of shapeshifters who penetrated their circle of fire by transforming into monsters with rock-like skin. She tries to stab them with her sword, but the metal of her weapon bounces back. One of the monsters hit her, sending her flying towards the stage.

She makes a move to get back up, but Alice kicks her down, stomping on her with a pair of sturdy boots. She swings her sword at Alice's stomach, but the girl easily dodges, using the momentum to stomp on her again. Some of the Family members climb on the stage to help Alice, but personally, Nicole didn't think she needed it. She was pinned beneath the girl's foot with no way out.

Beneath the stage, the Lord and the butler were fending off more Family members. Although Nicole's sword couldn't break through the skin of the shapeshifters, Aaron's claws easily cut through them. The butler had completely stripped off his glamour, showing his true form to those who dared to gaze upon him. If they didn't go mad staring at him, he made sure to maim them.

He plows through the shapeshifters, making his way up the stage with Cedric behind him. A few of the Family members tried to follow them, but the Lord held them off, firing his pistol at their legs.

Meanwhile, at the center of the stage, Nicole was finally on her feet, keeping her sword pointed at Alice. They were surrounded by three members of the Family, one of which was Irene. She recognizes the others as the girl who summoned the zombies at the debutante ball and the black chimera who broke into the manor.

"Why couldn't you let me leave? Cedric didn't want to harm anyone," she said, staring down the blonde, red-eyed girl.

"You don't belong in the Charis Realm," Alice replied. "You were made by the Fallen Mother to topple Ileana's reign. If I let you live, there will always be a chance that things would go back to the way they were. Besides, it's always smarter to kill your enemies before they get to you."

"I was going to leave the realm."

Alice laughs. "How? On what carriage? Lillian is dead. My brother and his incompetent demon servant would've had nothing to offer the Gatekeepers."

"You should've never killed her. Reality will collapse in your hands," she warned. "The Higher Order won't like that Ileana has deviated from the blueprint."

The baby in Alice's arms glares at her. "I am the Mother. My desires are the blueprint."

"You know that isn't true," she said, speaking directly to the goddess. "Lillian was supposed to go on trial. You had no right to kill her."

Alice looks down at the goddess. "Is this true?"

Before the baby could respond, the Lord and the butler finally reached the stage, making their way towards Nicole. She covers her eyes, already dizzy from staring at Aaron's true form. Alice blinks rapidly as if she couldn't process the butler's existence. The three Family members surrounding them have a similar reaction, nearly falling to the ground in confusion. Only Ileana and Cedric remain unfazed.