King's Sword

The Fall: Part One

ADELAIDE

You know, this isn't how I planned murder. This is so much more satisfying.

"You have the right to remain silent..."

How did that letter opener get there? When did he stop choking?

"You have the right to an attorney..."

Vance will be waking up soon, and he'll be furious.

His wife going to prison for murder, though, I think he'll see the humor in that.

"Adelaide King, you are under arrest for the murder of—"

"I know." I scoff with a shake of my head as they pull me to my feet, my knees sticky with his blood as I come upright. "I know."

SIX HOURS BEFORE THE COPS ARRIVE

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Dallas asks as he fixes his brown leather jacket over his shoulders before his mirror.

"That is the ugliest shade of green I have ever seen." Julianna says as she points to the outfit that hangs from his bathroom door. A dry-cleaned pair of black slacks and a green dress shirt that looks like baby shit.

"Just wear a black shirt, Vance has like twenty." I say, cringing at the green shirt myself.

"I'm not exactly a fan of Vance right now, and even if I was, the man is two hundred and thirty pounds of muscle, it won't fit me." Dallas says as he shoots a glare at me through the mirror. I roll my eyes and nod. "I can handle you and mom, don't force me to come to terms with you being somehow married to that psychopath."

"I didn't even say anything." I sigh with a hand up to the bridge of my nose. "Would you at least stay for the wedding?"

"Not a chance in hell." Dallas says and starts leaving the room in annoyance. I turn to Julianna who offers me a sympathetic look before taking the shirt from the door.

"I'm going to burn this." She whispers as we make our way out of the room. "The caters will be here in a couple of hours and I sent out the invite to everyone, like you asked." She shoots me a suspicious look that respond to with a smile.

"Bygones." I say, making her nod sarcastically.

"You're going to hurt him." Julianna sighs.

"Will you stop me?" We stop in the hallway to look at each other in silence for a moment, her blue eyes searching my face with sadness. "If I was going to hurt your father, would you stop me?"

"I wouldn't even have the right to." She says with a pained shake of her head. "But as old and traumatized as he is, he is also unhinged."

"Most days, so am I, Jules." I admit. "When the celebrations are in full swing, I need you to go to your room." She frowns.

"You want me to hide as you kill my father?" She asks incredulously, making me narrow my eyes as her face becomes humorous. "Adelaide, what he did to you...he also did to Rosie." My eyes widen as the rage inside me grows stronger, but Julianna simply nods. "I went home a couple of weeks ago because I wanted to check up on her and mom. Found her locked in her room, crying because she couldn't face you." The tears in my eyes fall down my cheeks as I realize what my silence had done, what my fear had done.

"I am going to burn him to the ground." I whisper painfully as Julianna takes a hold of my shaking arms, blue glossy eyes looking up at me as she scoffs.

"And I will stand by your side as you do. So will Vance and Rosie, so will Collin and Holland, and Matt. Jeremy and Zach, and even Dallas." She says as Vance comes up the stairs with a confused look. "Kill that motherfucker for everything he did to us. Adelaide, kill them all for all I care." Julianna nods and turns to face Vance, who comes to my side as the tears stream down my face.