Rage of Vendetta (The Vendetta Series #2)

Chapter 42

Author's Note: I present to you, the longest, most intense chapter yet. (Those of you on mobile are going to have a field day with all the scrolling.) Once you get to the end, I've a feeling there could possibly be some that freak out (just some! Don't freak out before you even read!), so have no fear, my dears, this is still only the second to last chapter, and there's definitely an epilogue coming. Take what you will from that. (Mandatory vague hint: Once you get to the end, there is a crucial clue you have to understand and catch on that answers the ultimate question everyone will be asking.) Please vote and comment because I'd love to hear all your thoughts! Thank you all so much for reading! :D

Chapter 42

“I was wondering when you’d show,” Aunt Nelly says. 

Her office is so brightly lit, so over-illuminated with the light bulbs on full wattage that it stings to raise my eyes any higher than the floor. 

“You just don’t know when to give up, do you?” 

There’s not a hint of incredulity in her voice. Not a single indication she lets off that she’s surprised to see my dull hair.

Jesse jerks in his chair suddenly, almost succeeding in throwing himself over until it knocks against the desk and straightens up again. He screams against the duct tape over his mouth in frustration.

“Cyreel can’t have come in alone.” I don’t mean to voice this aloud, but it comes out in a whisper anyway.

The corner of Aunt Nelly’s mouth lifts, resembling a smirk but not quite.

“I tossed the rest of them out the window,” she says flippantly. “Taken out like trash. It’s only right.”

I stagger forward, unsure what I am doing. The pure proof I can’t take her on—and then win—is lying in a puddle, decapitated. 

“Ariel,” Eric hisses, trying to grab onto my sleeve. Aunt Nelly simply watches as I drag past the bloody puddle, kneeling down in front of Jesse with a thud. 

I smooth the side of my thumb over Jesse’s cheek, and attempt to pull the tape off. 

Aunt Nelly doesn’t move. With Cyreel dead, there’s no doubt her mindless are doing all they are capable of on the battlefield. With Cyreel dead, she’s going to kill all of us in this room. 

I can’t think of anything I can do about it. 

“Are you okay?” I whisper, making progress with the persistently sticky tape. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my already useless vision. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The moment a section of Jesse’s mouth is free to move, he attempts to speak. 

“Princess, listen,” he says, agitated and garbled. “I don’t know what happened but you can win. There’s a—”

“That’s quite enough, I think,” Aunt Nelly interrupts, snapping her fingers. “It was hard enough stunting the spirit and his abilities along with it, we don’t need his mouth blabbing away.” A golden band replaces the section of the tape I pealed off, gagging Jesse again. He convulses in anger, still attempting to finish what he was saying. 

“Poof hoof oof!” he yells into the tape, muffled. “Hah enda! Poof hoof oof!”

Despite the fact I have no idea what Jesse’s saying, I trust him. If he has hope I need to keep fighting, then there’s a reason behind it. 

I meet Aunt Nelly’s eyes; she sees something stirring in mine that she doesn’t like. I’ve provoked her too far without even realizing.

“What’s the matter?” Aunt Nelly coos.