The Duchesses

Chapter 96 : Raw Feelings

The night succumbs into the Angelos Empire's skies when the new monarch, new skin shed from the ruler, is born with blood, sweat and tears. Everything seems to be a new journey by the time the sun rises again for the next day. But, before it could even happen, Natalie had another mission to accomplish on her own. After returning to the House of Smith again, she undoes Valienth's magic, who layering the frost against her manor.

Although it hasn't been a month, it looks so haunted, with no fire lighting up such a big manor. Natalie brings back her servants, where Apollo puts them in a safe place, one of Natalie's private properties under her pseudonym, Aurora and Diana. Ha, how funny.

When Natalie escorts Medea to her horse, saddling up and returning to the Valimos' manor, the Duchess teleports to the Temple's dungeon, stopping back the time. Then, with no hint of light in her ruby eyes, she drags one particular woman there, shaking in fear watching the Duchess of Light. Then, Natalie teleports to another place, tying the woman with rope.

Natalie's POV

"I am pretty sure you are here with me alone for one reason, Camila," I downgrade her immediately, although I know she will be excommunicated soon by Eryx.

"What--What do you mean?" my face glowering instantly at the question, as her eyes quivered in fear.

Her voice shudders with so much fear, due to a reason she knows well about my magical power, glueing her sight on my hands. To think she is supposed to be the protector of people, the one who leads the funeral for my parents. I let my parents' killer be the one who sends her condolence first. From that thought alone, I felt something rip through my chest when I remembered that day.

That reminds me of her shameless eyes, holding my hands to give her fake sympathy. But, of course, it has been a hoax all along.

"Shall I make you remember then?" I flick my hand to let the frost surround her ankle only when I step up, burying my knuckles on the side of her face.

"You. Killed. My. Parents!" every time I said one word, I landed my punch repeatedly at her face, not bothering blood oozing out from my hand.

I can see my vision getting blurred from the pain in my heart is so overwhelming. I remembered how miserable I was that day. I lost everything in my life, my parents, my love and most importantly, myself in the darkness. I was lost about the sudden death of my parents from some accident, meeting with countless other misery.

Thinking I am wasting too much time here, I make a spark in my hand, wanting to burn down this woman as I did with Henry last time. But, before I could even do that, the love of my life came with my dragon, urging me to stop.

"Natalie, stop!" Medea jumps off from Valienth, hugging me immediately.

Her sleight hand refrain my hand to stop moving.

Her amethyst eyes coat with fear, and I can't hold on to this pain anymore. I pull her closer, sobbing on her chest, needing to end the excruciating pain by killing this woman. Medea strokes my hair, comforting me with words. She is still in her uniform, which means she must have followed me all along.

"She-- she killed my parents," I dig my nails on her back, knowing it hurts Medea, but she holds on to the pain.

"We will kill her later in the most humiliating way. This death doesn't suit her enough," she softly said to me, signalling Valienth to land beside us.

Medea waits for me to calm down before she wipes my tears away with the back of her hand. I close my eyes from her soft touch as she whispers into me, "We should send her back to the Temple's dungeon. People will be alarmed of her sudden missing."