THE USURPERS| 2021

CHAPTER 7: MERCY

V.
CHAPTER 7
Mercy
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Even when my mother had caught me at twelve years old, with my hands outstretched and two dead men at my feet—she wasn't angry.

But seeing my mother's anger now, left me feeling like the child I once was. When the ball was over, I found her and Aerves sitting in my rooms with a noticeable tensity in the air.

"I'll leave." I heard Maelle whisper from beside the doorway. I hadn't even noticed her there. Walking further into my rooms, I silently took the seat on the chaise opposite Aerves, avoiding my mother's harsh gaze. As I sat I could feel my skirt pinch my waist. When I yelped from the pain, I only saw my mother's face turn more livid.

"Do you hate your sister?"

"What?" I had to think for a moment before I realized she was talking about Annette—the real Annette. Aurora had come to mind first but I quickly pushed her out of thought.

"Your poor sister has this one chance of a better life. Of being a queen." Seeing my mother so angry and acting out of emotion was new to me. I wished I could enjoy it.

"The gods brought Annette back from the brink of death, I will not let you be the reason she is sent back. She needs to leave Elysia." My mother looked crazed as she yelled at me, the kohl around her eyes was slightly smudged. I looked at Aerves, who had his head down in resignation. When had my mother become so obsessed with Annette?

As children she never paid any of us any mind—save for Emile. She would spend long hours praying at his bedside but would only deign to visit her other sickly daughter when it suited her. The memories I have of seeing Annette was seeing her latched onto her governess, having to hide away from the sun.

"Why would you want your daughter to marry a man who would not look twice at her?" I bit out, feeling that pressure in my chest lift. Breathe, I told myself. It only lifted slightly but when my mother spoke again I felt it come back full force.

"I told you to entice him."

"How?" I stood upright abruptly and Aerves went stiff. "I've spent nine years locked away in a temple with no one other than a priestess in sight. He danced with Aurora because she's prettier. Because he probably only thinks with his pants."

"You bitch." My mother said through her teeth. "I should have let your father slit your throat when he offered it. When we knew there was no saving you."

"What?" There was a loud silence in the room. There was pressure. Pressure in my chest. "What did you say?"

My mother's face went sickly grey. Aerves looked at me with wide eyes, stretching out his hands as if trying to mediate and gesturing me to sit back down.

"Adalina, please take a breath. Your eyes—"

I knew my eyes must be going white. They always did. "He wanted to kill me?"

Unlike Aerves, my mother showed no ounce of fear. She only clenched her jaw, her eyes meeting mine in a divisive stare. "When you had just left. In the carriage."

I remembered that day. My small feet didn't even touch the floor of the carriage. My father had sent two guards to accompany me to the temple, which I had thought was strange. The entire time I sat with them in naive ignorance. Not knowing that they might've killed me if things had gone differently.

"I made him promise not to." My mother said. I could feel Aerves start to shift off his chaise. There was a look of disgust in my mother's eyes as she spoke, "I would not have the death of a child on my hands. The gods would not forgive me."