Smitten Storm ✨ Danielle Gilbert-Labonair [2]

Chapter [48]

Danielle's PoV

"What is taking so long? You didn't tarry when you attempted to kill my child!"

Esther's eyes flicker to me, "I took no joy in that! I knew if your daughter lived, Dahlia would come, not only for her, but for all of you! And however you may despise me, I would not wish that upon you."

Nik scoffs, "How touching!"

"Isn't it?" Freya mumbles bitterly, "I always wondered what maternal compassion sounded like. Of course, I wouldn't know, since you sold me into slavery at the age of five!"

Esther shakes her head, "When I made that bargain with my sister, I had no idea what it meant to be a mother! I thought if I had a dozen children, I would not miss the one. And then, you were born. You were beautiful. You had a light about you that put a smile on the face of the hardest man I had ever known...."

Nik glances at me.

"....And when Dahlia took you, I thought that same light might warm her embittered heart. That you might lead a good life."

"A good life?" Freya clenches her jaw, stepping up into Esther's face, "You were my mother! You should have come for me!"

"Yes. I should have," Her voice shifts coldly, "But, it would have been a mistake," Her eyes fall onto Nik and I, "The same mistake you both will be making if you let this girl help you."

Nik rolls his eyes, "For God's sake, speak plainly!"

"The light I saw in Freya as a child, it's gone. While she was mine for five years, Dahlia was her mentor for a thousand. And, like her mentor, she will offer to solve your problem, but for a price."

"There is no price! I know the..." Freya furiously lunges for her mother.

I rush between them, "No violence until she's finished writing the spell, please!"

Nik turns to his mother, "Honestly, it's all temper and no timing with this one. I, for one, am glad you gave her away so that I could be born. You should think of me as an upgrade!"

"Will you both shut up about who's the better sibling," I growl, "We need to focus on Rebekah. So I can get back to my little girl."

Freya looks down over at the spell anxiously, "I can't do this. This spell requires an enormous amount of power."

"Which you have."